| US 7,522,346 B2 | ||
| Imaging device and digital camera using the imaging device | ||
| Hitoshi Hagimori, Ikoma-gun (Japan); Yasushi Yamamoto, Shanghai (China); Genta Yagyu, Amagasaki (Japan); and Kazuhiko Ishimaru, Kaizuka (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jun. 27, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/609,232. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2002-196171 (JP), filed on Jul. 04, 2002. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0012704 A1, Jan. 22, 2004 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G02B 15/14 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 359—676 [359/680; 359/686] | 24 Claims |
| 1. An imaging device comprising:
a zoom lens system having a plurality of lens units and forming an optical image of an object so as to continuously optically
zoom by varying distances between all of the plurality of lens units; the zoom lens system including from an object side:
a first lens unit being overall negative and including a reflecting surface that bends a luminous flux substantially 90 degrees;
and
a second lens unit disposed with a variable air distance from the first lens unit and having a negative optical power, the
second lens unit being disposed next to the first lens unit; and
an image sensor converting the optical image formed by the zoom lens system to an electric signal,
wherein the zoom lens system fulfills the following condition:
1.5<|f12w |fw<4
where f12w is the composite focal length of the first lens unit and the second lens unit in the shortest focal length condition and
fw is the overall focal length of the zoom lens system in the shortest focal length condition.
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