VIEWFINDER WITH ENHANCED DEPTH PERCEPTION

Abstract

A viewfinder for viewing an object under magnification, the viewfinder comprising: an objective lens for producing an image of an object located in an object plane and having a radial extent defined by an aperture stop; a partially transmissive reflector for allowing light to be transmitted therethrough from the objective lens to a mirror assembly and for providing for the reflection of light returned thereto from the mirror assembly; a mirror assembly receiving a light component from the partially transmissive reflector and arranged to produce a focused image of the object in the mirror assembly and the light received from the mirror assembly being reflected back to the partially transmissive reflector and retransmitted to produce an image of the object; a viewing lens arrangement for producing an optical image of the object which isvisible to an observer at an exit pupil in a viewing plane; wherein the objective lens has a beam path angle (α) as defined by a distance from the object plane to the objective lens and a radial extent of the aperture stop, wherein the viewfinder has a viewing angle (β) as defined by a distance along an optical axis from the mirror arrangement in the viewing plane and a radial extent of the exit pupil in the viewing plane; wherein the viewfinder is configured such that a ratio of displacement of the beam path angle (α) to the viewing angle (β) is at least 3:1, thereby providing the observer with a greater change in the perception of the depth of the object being viewed relative to an extent of displacement of the observer's head.