Real image mode variable magnification finder

• US 7,050,239 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kamo, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, JOSEPH P
• Application Number:
  US09/957,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 359/676, 359/720, 359/726
• US Class Current: 359/676
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/1425 the first group being negative
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/145 Zoom viewfinders

Abstract

A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system comprises a variable magnification objective optical system having a positive optical power, an ocular optical system having a positive optical power, and a plurality of reflecting surfaces for erecting an image. The objective optical system comprises a plurality of movable lens units and at least one rotationally asymmetric reflecting surface having an optical power, and the reflecting surface participating in the function of the objective optical system and in the function of erecting an image. Each of the lens unit included in the objective optical system has at least one aspherical surface. The finder optical system satisfies the following condition:
0.02<d·(fw/ft²)<0.4.
where d is a distance from a first surface of the objective optical system to one of the reflecting surfaces positioned nearest to an object measured along an axial chief ray at a wide angle end, fw is a focal length of the objective optical system at a wide angle end, and ft is a focal length of the objective optical system at a telephoto end.

Claims

1. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system comprising:

a variable magnification objective optical system having a positive optical power;

an ocular optical system having a positive optical power; and

a plurality of reflecting surfaces for erecting an image of an object to be observed;

said objective optical system including a plurality of movable lens units each of which has an aspherical surface, and at least one reflecting surface which is a rotationally asymmetric surface and has an optical power;

said finder optical system satisfying the following condition;

0.02<

d(fw/ft²)<

0.4 

 

(1)

where d is a distance from a first surface of said objective optical system to one of said reflecting surfaces positioned nearest to an object measured along an axial chief ray at a wide angle end, fw is a focal length of said objective optical system at a wide angle end, and ft is a focal length of said objective optical system at a telephoto end.

2. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, further satisfying the following condition:

2.5≦

ft/fw≦

10 

 

(2).

3. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system includes at least three lens units.

4. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said movable lens units include no reflecting surfaces.

5. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system comprises a negative subsystem including at least one positive lens unit and two negative lens units.

6. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 5, wherein said negative subsystem is disposed at an object side of said plurality of reflecting surfaces.

7. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 5, wherein said negative subsystem includes no lens element having an reflecting surface.

8. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 5, wherein said negative subsystem satisfies the following condition:

0.02<

fw/fneg<

0.9 

 

(3)

where fneg is a focal length of said negative subsystem.

9. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 5, wherein said negative subsystem satisfies the following condition:

0.2<

|fN/fP|<

1.7 

 

(4)

where fP is a focal length of a positive lens unit which has a strongest positive optical power in said negative subsystem and fN is a focal length of a negative lens unit which has a strongest negative optical power in said negative subsystem.

10. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system comprises a positive subsystem including at least two positive lens units and one negative lens unit.

11. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 10, wherein said positive subsystem is disposed at an object side of said plurality of reflecting surfaces.

12. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 10, wherein said positive subsystem includes no lens element having an reflecting surface.

13. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 10, wherein said positive subsystem satisfies the following condition:

0.7<

fw/fpos<

3.0 

 

(5)

where fpos is a focal length of said positive subsystem.

14. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 10, wherein said positive subsystem satisfies the following condition:

0.8<

|fP/fN|<

2.5 

 

(6)

where fP is a focal length of a positive lens unit which has a strongest positive optical power in said positive subsystem and fN is a focal length of a negative lens unit which has a strongest negative optical power in said positive subsystem.

15. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of lens units included in said positive subsystem is fixed on an optical axis during zooming operation.

16. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a negative first lens unit, a positive second lens unit and a positive third lens unit, and at least said first lens unit is fixed on an optical axis during zooming operation.

17. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a positive first lens unit, a negative second lens unit and a negative third lens unit.

18. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a negative first lens unit, a positive second lens unit and a negative third lens unit.

19. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 18, wherein said negative first lens unit is fixed on an optical axis during zoom operation.

20. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 18, wherein a composite focal length of said first, second and third lens units is negative.

21. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said reflecting surfaces disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system has a positive optical power and satisfies the following condition:

0.015<

|2n·

tan θ

·

Ih/r|<

1.5 

 

(7)

where r is a radius of curvature of said at least one reflecting surface at a point that an axial chief ray intersects said reflecting surface, n is a refractive index of a medium arranged on both an entrance and a reflection side of said reflecting surface at a wavelength of the d-line, θ

is a reflection angle on said reflecting surface, and Ih is a length of a diagonal line of a field mask arranged on or in the vicinity of said intermediate image.

22. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said reflecting surfaces disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system has a negative optical power and satisfies the following condition:

0.015<

|2n·

tan θ

·

Ih/r|<

1.5 

 

(8)

where r is a radius of curvature of said at least one reflecting surface at a point that an axial chief ray intersects said reflecting surface, n is a refractive index of a medium arranged on both an entrance and a reflection side of said reflecting surface at a wavelength of the d-line, θ

is a reflection angle on said reflecting surface, and Ih is a length of a diagonal line of a field mask arranged on or in the vicinity of said intermediate image.

23. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one positive reflecting surface and at least one negative reflecting surface which are disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system are included in said plurality of reflecting surfaces.

24. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of reflecting surfaces include a positive reflecting surface and a negative reflecting surface both satisfying the following condition:

0.015<

|2n·

tan θ

·

Ih/r|<

1.5 

 

(9)

where r is a radius of curvature of said positive and negative reflecting surfaces at a point that an axial chief ray intersects said reflecting surfaces, n is a refractive index of a medium arranged on both an entrance and a reflection side of said reflecting surfaces at a wavelength of the d-line, θ

is a reflection angle on said reflecting surfaces, and Ih is a length of a diagonal line of a field mask arranged on or in the vicinity of said intermediate image.

25. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein only two reflecting surfaces are arranged on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system.

26. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein only three reflecting surfaces are arranged on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system.

27. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of reflecting surfaces comprises a totally reflecting surface.

28. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of reflecting surfaces satisfies the following condition:

5°

<

θ

<

60°

 

 

(10)

where θ

is a reflection angle of an axial chief ray.

29. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting surface disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system is formed on a prism whose entrance surface is formed as a rotationally asymmetric refracting surface.

30. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting surface disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system is formed on a prism whose exit surface is formed as a rotationally asymmetric refracting surface.

31. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting surface disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system is fixed on an optical axis during zooming operation.

32. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reflecting surfaces includes a roof shaped reflecting surface and said plurality of reflecting surfaces reflect a light ray six times in total.

33. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reflecting surfaces form a Porro-prism which reflect a light ray four times in total.

34. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical according to claim 1, wherein an exit pupil of said objective optical system is rotationally symmetrically corrected.

35. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical according to claim 1, wherein said finder optical system is so configured that an axial chief rays entering said objective optical system and an axial chief ray exiting said ocular optical system are parallel or substantially parallel with each other.

36. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 35, wherein an angle between the axial chief rays entering said objective optical system and the axial chief ray exiting said ocular optical system satisfies the following condition:

0°

≦

ø

<

20°

 

 

(11).

37. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein an angle α

between an axial chief ray entering said objective optical system and an axial chief ray entering an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system satisfies the following condition;

15°

<

α

<

75°

or 105°

<

α

<

180°

 

 

(12).

38. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein said objective optical system of said finder optical system forms only one intermediate image.

39. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system according to claim 1, wherein at least two rotationally asymmetric reflecting surface are disposed on an object side of an intermediate image formed by said objective optical system for erecting image.

40. A picture taking apparatus comprising:

a picture taking optical system; and

a variable magnification finder optical system provided aside from said picture taking optical system and so arranged that an axial chief ray entering said picture taking optical system and an axial chief ray entering said finder optical system are parallel or substantially parallel with each other;

wherein said variable magnification finder optical system is said finder optical system according to claim 1.

41. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system comprising:

a variable magnification objective optical system having a positive optical power;

an ocular optical system having a positive optical power; and

a plurality of reflecting surfaces for erecting an image of an object to be observed;

said objective optical system including a plurality of movable lens units each of which has an aspherical surface, and at least one reflecting surface which is a rotationally asymmetric surface and has an optical power;

said finder optical system satisfying the following conditions;

0.02<

d(fw/ft²)<

0.7 

 

(1′

)

3.5≦

ft/fw≦

10 

 

(2′

)

where d is a distance from a first surface of said objective optical system to one of said reflecting surface positioned nearest to an object measured along an axial chief ray at a wide angle end, fw is a focal length of said objective optical system at a wide angle end, and ft is a focal length of said objective optical system at a telephoto end.

42. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system comprising:

a variable magnification objective optical system having a positive optical power;

an ocular optical system having a positive optical power; and

a plurality of reflecting surfaces for erecting an image of an object to be observed;

said objective optical system comprising, in order from an object side, a negative front subsystem including a plurality of movable lens units and a rear subsystem including at least one reflecting surface which is a rotationally asymmetric surface and has a positive optical power and satisfying the following condition;

0.02<

d(fw/ft²)<

0.7 

 

(1′

)

where d is a distance from a first surface of said objective optical system to one of said reflecting surfaces positioned nearest to an object to be observed measured along an axial chief ray at a wide angle end, fw is a focal length of said objective optical system at a wide angle end, and ft is a focal length of said objective optical system at a telephoto end.

43. A real image mode variable magnification finder optical system comprising:

a variable magnification objective optical system having a positive optical power;

an ocular optical system having a positive optical power; and

a plurality of reflecting surfaces for erecting an image of an object to be observed;

said objective optical system comprising, in order from an object side, a negative front subsystem including a plurality of movable lens units and a rear subsystem including at least one reflecting surface which is a rotationally asymmetric surface and has a positive optical power, and satisfying the following condition;

2.5≦

ft/fw≦

10.0 

 

(2)

where fw is a focal length of said objective optical system at a wide angle end, and ft is a focal length of said objective optical system at a telephoto end.