STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20090123144A1
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: MAEZONO, Nobuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/327
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/001 Constructional or mechanical details

Abstract

A compound-eye camera comprises: a camera body substantially shaped like a rectangular solid having a front side and a back side larger than other sides and including a display device on the back side; and substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels, each storing a refractive optical system including two reflective optical elements for refracting a photographing optical axis twice, the lens barrels guiding subject images incident on a pair of right and left objective lenses to image sensors. In the camera, the substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels are each disposed along two adjacent inner surfaces of the camera body. Thereby, a compound-eye camera which has excellent portability and enables the installation of a large display device is achieved.

Claims

1. A stereoscopic imaging device, comprising:

a camera body substantially shaped like a rectangular solid having a front side and a back side larger than other sides and including a display device on the back side; and

substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels, each storing a refractive optical system including two reflective optical elements for refracting a photographing optical axis twice, the lens barrels guiding subject images incident on a pair of right and left objective lenses to image sensors,

wherein the substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels are each. disposed along two adjacent inner surfaces of the camera body.

2. The stereoscopic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels are disposed so as to have point symmetry with respect to a central point of the camera body.

3. The stereoscopic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the substantially L-shaped first and second lens barrels are disposed in the camera body so as to have line symmetry with respect to a vertical center line of the camera body.

4. The stereoscopic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the refractive optical system comprises:

an objective lens;

a first reflective optical element for refracting, by 90°

, a photographing optical axis of the subject image incident through the objective lens;

a second reflective optical element for further refracting, by 90°

, the photographing optical axis having been refracted by the first reflective optical element so as to be orthogonal to the photographing optical axis of the subject image incident on the objective lens;

zoom lenses; and

focus lenses.

5. The stereoscopic imaging device according to claim 2, wherein

the refractive optical system comprises:

an objective lens;

a first reflective optical element for refracting, by 90°

, a photographing optical axis of the subject image incident through the objective lens;

a second reflective optical element for further refracting, by 90°

, the photographing optical axis having been refracted by the first reflective optical element so as to be orthogonal to the photographing optical axis of the subject image incident on the objective lens;

zoom lenses; and

focus lenses.

6. The stereoscopic imaging device according to claim 3, wherein

the refractive optical system comprises:

an objective lens;

a first reflective optical element for refracting, by 90°

, a photographing optical axis of the subject image incident through the objective lens;

a second reflective optical element for further refracting, by 90°

, the photographing optical axis having been refracted by the first reflective optical element so as to be orthogonal to the photographing optical axis of the subject image incident on the objective lens;

zoom lenses; and

focus lenses.