Patent Application
20150212301
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anamorphic objective zoom lenses, and more particularly to a range of different focal length anamorphic objective zoom lenses with zoom ratios that provide imaging over wide to narrow fields of view and provide traditional anamorphic imaging characteristics, and potentially compact diameter by having an arrangement of five lens groups with spherical, anamorphic and spherical powers, in which one of the spherical lens groups following the anamorphic lens group has variable power and an optical stop located inside the last spherical lens group.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Contemporary anamorphic objective zoom lenses normally have an optical axis and are commonly based on a rear anamorphic lens group or a front anamorphic lens group. Anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a rear anamorphic lens group are typically more commonplace than anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a front anamorphic lens group.
Anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a rear anamorphic lens group have a rear lens group with Y cylinder refractive optical surfaces and a front spherical lens group with an optical stop in the front spherical lens group in the form of a variable aperture diameter iris or diaphragm.
This anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement produces images having spherical out of focus objects commonly referred to as the bokeh as compared to the oval or elliptically shaped out of focus objects produced by fixed focal length (commonly referred to as prime) anamorphic objective lenses. The oval or elliptically shaped bokeh of out of focus objects are desired by cinematographers because they produce a distinctive artistic look that is different from spherical objective lenses. Another common drawback with this anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement is that the full aperture may be relatively slow as compared to that of anamorphic prime lenses.
Anamorphic objective zoom lenses having a front anamorphic lens group have a front lens group with X cylinder refractive optical surfaces and a rear spherical lens group with an optical stop in the rear spherical lens group in the form of a variable aperture diameter iris or diaphragm.
This anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement produces images having oval or elliptically shaped out of focus objects commonly referred to as the bokeh which is desired by cinematographers for the reasons previously given however these lenses normally provide only small zoom ratios of 2× or 3×, where the smaller zoom ratio provides the widest field of view, and they tend be large in diameter with corresponding potentially higher weight and cost. They may also exhibit some breathing when focusing where the breathing is characterized by the field of view or focal length of the lens changing size as the lens is focused from distant to close objects or vice versa. Nevertheless the front anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangements produce images having numerous residual optical aberrations and characteristics most of which are desired by cinematographers because they produce an artistic look that is different from spherical objective lenses.
Many of the less desired residual optical aberrations and characteristics of these front and rear anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangements were accepted by cinematographers with film based cameras but with the advent and adoption of electronic sensor based digital cameras some of them have become less acceptable. In particular the amount of residual chromatic aberration has become less tolerable whereas some field curvature combined with some residual astigmatism is still acceptable.
As well as the oval or elliptically shaped bokeh another characteristic that is desired because of the distinctive artistic look produced is the depth of field being different in the vertical azimuth direction of the field versus the horizontal azimuth direction of the field. In the case of an anamorphic objective zoom lens that squeezes the horizontal field of view by substantially two times as compared to the vertical field of view, the depth of field in the horizontal azimuth direction of the field is substantially two times greater than the depth of field in the vertical azimuth direction of the field.
Improving the optical aberrations and characteristics of anamorphic objective zoom lenses of this arrangement may involve increasing optical surface shape complexity and hence manufacturing cost including adding aspherical and free-form shaped optical surfaces.
Thus, to address the artistic need of cinematographers and maximize the imaging potential of both film and digital cameras a compact diameter anamorphic objective zoom lens arrangement that provides a useful zoom range going from wide to narrow fields of view during zooming with a suitable blend of residual optical aberration correction and characteristics needs to be achieved.
The present invention relates to an anamorphic objective zoom lens including, along an optical axis and in order from an object space to an image space, at least a negative (−) power spherical first lens group; an anamorphic lens group, a spherical second lens group preferably having a positive (+) power, a variable power spherical zoom lens group and a positive (+) power spherical third lens group wherein an aperture stop is located before, after or preferably within the spherical third power lens group. The anamorphic lens group has at least one cylindrical surface in a first direction and at least one other cylindrical surface in a substantially perpendicular direction to the first direction to enable a high degree of aberration correction over the whole image, whereby the residual longitudinal chromatic aberration and the residual lateral chromatic aberration are substantially reduced. The variable power spherical lens group has at least two lens sub groups that are axially movable to provide zooming. The negative power spherical first lens group may provide focusing by movement of at least one of the lens elements contained therein and may exhibit low breathing in the focus range. The lens is a complete assembly that forms a real image.
The anamorphic lens group provides a squeeze of the field of view so that the focal lengths in the X and Y directions are different by a ratio of about two times which is typical for traditional anamorphic optical systems. The positive power spherical third lens group adjacent the image space delivers the radiation passing through the optical system on to the image sensor with nearly telecentric light paths and suitably high relative illumination, thereby increasing the efficiency of many electronic sensors.
The variable power spherical zoom lens group which provides zooming uses at least two axially movable lens sub groups. The variable power spherical zoom lens group is located between object space and the optical stop thus providing a substantially near constant aperture through zoom.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an anamorphic objective zoom lens is provided including, along an optical axis and in order from an object space to an image space, a negative (−) power spherical first lens group; an anamorphic lens group, a spherical second lens group preferably having a positive (+) power, a variable power spherical zoom lens group and a positive (+) power spherical third lens group and an aperture stop. The aperture stop is located in a position either before, after and within the spherical third lens group.
Preferably, the aperture stop is located within the positive (+) power spherical third lens group.
The negative (−) power spherical first lens group is configured to provide focusing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an anamorphic objective zoom lens is provided including a spherical first lens group with a power of a first type, a spherical second lens group, the spherical second lens group preferably with a power of a second type, a spherical third lens group with variable power, a spherical fourth lens group with a power of the second type and a fifth lens group with anamorphic powers, and an optical stop. The fifth anamorphic lens group is interposed between the first lens group and the second lens group. The optical stop is located outside the first lens group and the fifth anamorphic lens group, preferably between the fifth anamorphic lens group and the image space.
The powers of the second and fourth types are opposite to the power of the first type. The power of one of the first type and the second type is negative. The power of the other of the first type and the second type is positive.
The anamorphic objective zoom lens has an optical axis. The first, second, third, fourth and fifth lens groups are situated along the optical axis. The anamorphic objective zoom lens is adapted for use between an object space and an image space. The optical axis extends between the object space and the image space.
The fifth lens group has at least one cylindrical surface in a first direction and at least one cylindrical surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
The fifth lens group has focal lengths in the X and Y directions which differ and together with the other lens group focal lengths produce focal lengths in X and Y directions which differ by a ratio of about two times.
The anamorphic objective zoom lens preferably has a focal length within the range of from at least 35 mm to 140 mm and preferably 40 mm to 125 mm in the Y direction.
The anamorphic objective zoom lens provides low residual chromatic aberration, a traditional oval bokeh shape, and different depths of field in the vertical and horizontal azimuth directions of the field.
The anamorphic objective zoom lens has a medium fast full aperture, moderately wide angle field of view to a moderately narrow angle field of view throughout its zoom lens range.
The lens groups of the anamorphic objective zoom lens are fabricated of lens elements made of glass.
The spherical lens groups include a lens element with a rotationally symmetrical surface shape about the optical axis.
The lens group with anamorphic powers includes a lens element with a non-rotationally symmetrical surface about the optical axis.
The anamorphic objective zoom lens preferably operates at an aperture of f/3.1 and over a waveband of 455-656 nm.
The anamorphic lens group has seven cylindrically surfaced lens elements with eight Y cylinders, five X cylinders and one plano surface shapes.
The spherical first lens group includes five lens elements, three of which are axially moveable relative to the other.
The spherical second lens group includes four lens elements.
The spherical third lens group includes five lens elements, three of which form a first zoom sub group and two of which form a second zoom sub group, both of which are axially movable.
The spherical fourth lens group includes nine lens elements.
To these and to such other objects that may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to an anamorphic objective zoom lens as described in detail in the following specification and recited in the annexed claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:
The invention relates to anamorphic objective zoom lenses, and in particular to a range of different focal length anamorphic objective lenses covering at least a focal length range from 35 mm to 140 mm and preferably 40 mm to 125 mm in the Y direction and providing low residual chromatic aberration, a traditional oval bokeh shape and different depths of field in the vertical and horizontal azimuth directions of the field.
The term “lens group” as used in connection with the anamorphic objective zoom lens disclosed herein means one or more individual lens elements. Also, the terms “optical stop” and “stop” are equivalent terms that can be used interchangeably.
The example provided herein is a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the first (front) lens group is negatively powered, the third lens group is positively powered, the fourth lens group is variable powered and the last (rear) lens group is positively powered. Those lens groups are paired with an anamorphic second lens group to work in unison and match the preferred optical interface characteristics of sensors, where near telecentric radiation beams approach the sensor.
The preferred embodiment discussed below is a medium fast full aperture moderately wide angle field of view to moderately narrow angle field of view anamorphic objective lens of the zoom type.
In the preferred embodiment, all of the lens elements are made from glasses. The lens element optical surface shapes in the first, third, fourth and fifth spherical lens groups are all rotationally symmetrical about the optical axis such as spherical and in the anamorphic second lens group at least one lens element surface shape is non-rotationally symmetrical about the optical axis such as cylindrical.
In addition to providing these kinds of features and others like low breathing and (near) telecentric radiation output at the sensor, the preferred embodiment is capable of achieving suitable levels of various performance including image quality resolution and contrast (usually measured as MTF), high relative illumination for low shading and efficient optical throughput at the sensor via near telecentric radiation output at the sensor, which telecentric radiation output is less than 10 degrees.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of a design example with accompanying figures and tables. Referring first to
Each lens element has its opposite surfaces identified by a separate but consecutive surface number as, for example, lens element 1 has lens surfaces S2 and S3, lens element 11 has lens surfaces S21 and S22 and so forth, as shown in
Before describing the detailed characteristics of the lens elements, a broad description of the lens groups and their axial positions and movement will be given for the allomorphic objective zoom lens system of the present invention, generally designated 50. Beginning from the end facing the object S1 to be photographed, i.e. the left end in
The images of
The images of
In
While only the lens elements are physically shown in
The Optical Prescription data for the above described anamorphic zoom lens system 50 is set forth below in TABLE 1, which is extracted from data produced by CODE V® optical design software that is commercially available from Synopsis Optical Research Associates, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., U.S.A., which was also used for producing the optical diagrams. All of the data in TABLE 1 is given at a temperature of 25° C. (77° F.) and standard atmospheric pressure (760 mm Hg).
Throughout this specification, including the Tables, all measurements are in millimeters (mm) or as otherwise shown. In TABLE 1, the first column “ITEM” identifies each optical element and each location, i.e. object plane, etc., with the same numeral or label as used in
The sixth and seventh columns “Focus Position” and “Zoom Position”, respectively, identify the typical focus positions of the spherical lens group and the typical positions of the lens elements in the variable zoom lens group wherein there are changes in the distance (separation) between some of the surfaces listed in the “Separation” column which is the axial distance between that surface (fourth column) and the next surface, for example, the distance between surface S2 to surface S3 is 5.579 mm.
The columns headed by the legends “Y Radius of Curvature” and “X Radius of Curvature” list the optical surface radius of curvature for each surface in the Y and X plane, respectively, with a minus sign (−) meaning the center of the radius of curvature is to the left of the surface, as viewed in
The next four columns, 11 to 14, of TABLE 1 relate to the “Material” between that surface and the next surface to the right in
The last column of TABLE 1 headed “Aperture Half Diameter” provides the maximum aperture half diameter for each surface through which the light rays pass.
The novel configuration of having a negatively powered spherical first lens group, an anamorphic lens group followed by a spherical second lens group preferably with a positive power, a variable power spherical third lens group and a positively powered spherical fourth lens group containing an optical stop may produce some residual distortion, astigmatism and field curvature aberrations but those aberrations to a tolerable extent contribute to the anamorphic look as desired by many cinematographers. In addition, a balanced blend of the afore-described lens characteristics may aid in cost reduction of manufacture. With the advent and adoption of digital cameras employing electronic sensors a large back focal length which was once required for film cameras having a reflex minor may be less necessary but is still provided for in the novel anamorphic objective zoom lens.
The preferred embodiment operates at an aperture of f/3.1 and over a waveband of 455-656 nm and this waveband is what was used in the MTF Table 3. A faster or slower aperture may be required and an extended waveband may be required. The aperture may be increased or reduced and the waveband expanded and the optical designs re-optimized to maximize image quality over such apertures and wavebands without departing from the invention. Also, during such re-optimization alternate glass types may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, more complex optical surface shapes such as aspherical and free-form surfaces may be introduced for expanded performance but at the likely effect of increased manufacturing cost.
Referring to
The focal lengths of the seven anamorphic lens elements containing at least one cylindrical surface are in order from an object space to an image space −75.75 mm (in X direction), −150.63 mm (in X direction), −561.89 mm (in Y direction), 87.29 mm (in X direction), 141.59 mm (in Y direction), −3906.70 mm (in Y direction) and −230.05 mm (in Y direction). It is to be understood that the focal lengths of the seven anamorphic lens elements in the other X and Y directions are substantially large and hence have little optical power.
In the preferred embodiment the lens system includes a total of thirty lens elements with twenty two singlets and four doublets. The spherical first group contains five lens elements with three elements axially movable for focusing at different distances, the anamorphic group contains seven cylindrically surfaced lens elements with eight Y cylinders, five X cylinders and one plano surface shape, the spherical second group contains four lens elements, the third lens group contains five lens elements which form two axially movable sub groups for zooming with three lens elements and two lens elements. The optical stop lies within the spherical fourth lens group. The nominal image size is 8.91 mm vertical half height and 10.65 mm horizontal half width in image space. In this example embodiment the telecentric radiation output is about 9.1 degrees at all three focus positions and over the zoom range.
The accompanying Optical Prescription Table 1 describes a select example of the preferred embodiment of the anamorphic objective zoom lens disclosed herein.
Table 2 which accompanies this specification contains focal length, anamorphic squeeze, illumination and breathing data of the preferred embodiment. In Table 2 it is shown that the anamorphic squeeze ratio is within a small range of about 1.95% to 2.03%. In Table 2 it is also shown that the relative illumination is above 30%, which is sufficiently high for low shading at the corner of the field of view when an anamorphic objective zoom lens is used in combination with an electronic sensor at the image plane, such as when the anamorphic objective zoom lens constitutes part of a digital camera. In Table 2 it is further shown that the focus breathing is consistently very small through focusing and zooming.
In Table 3 which accompanies the specification, the polychromatic MTF performance at a spatial frequency of 20 cycles/mm is shown for the example embodiment to be greater than 50% at all field positions at the given combination of far, intermediate and close focus distances and short, medium and long focal lengths.
The seven anamorphic lens elements with the cylindrical surfaces of the example embodiment additionally may each have two refractive surfaces which may be formed by X and Y cylindrical surfaces or Y and X cylindrical surfaces with the X and Y surfaces substantially perpendicular to one another. This arrangement may improve the imaging characteristics but likely at the effect of additional manufacturing cost.
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings and data tables, various changes and modifications could be made thereto, including smaller and larger zoom ranges, smaller and larger focal lengths, smaller and larger anamorphic squeeze ratios, smaller and larger full aperture f/numbers, smaller and larger image sizes, smaller and larger wavebands, etc. (e.g., 435 nm to 656 nm), as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application is a continuation in part of copending application Ser. No. 14/218,064, filed Mar. 18, 2014, which application claims the benefit under 37 CFR §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/808,343 filed Apr. 4, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61808343 | Apr 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14218064 | Mar 2014 | US |
| Child | 14683297 | US |
