Zoom lens and imaging device

Abstract

A zoom lens of the present disclosure includes a first lens group having negative refractive power, and a succeeding group including a plurality of lens groups in which the distance between adjacent lens groups is changed during zooming or focusing toward a short distance, the first lens group and the succeeding group being arranged in this order from an object side toward an image surface side. The plurality of lens groups include a positive lens group moving during the focusing toward a short distance, a negative lens group, and an intermediate lens group disposed between the first lens group and the positive lens group and constantly having positive refractive power during the zooming. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the first lens group and the intermediate lens group move in such a manner as to reduce the distance between the first lens group and the intermediate lens group. During the focusing toward a short distance, the positive lens group moves to the object side.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a zoom lens and an imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] One focusing method in zoom lenses is the so-called floating focus, in which focusing is performed by moving multiple lens groups as a focusing group. The floating focus has the advantage that good imaging performance can be easily maintained during close-up photography because the aberration fluctuations that accompany the movement of the multiple focusing groups are canceled out by each group. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 5 disclose zoom lenses that employ the floating focus. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-159823 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-197593 [Patent Document 3] JP 2018-5165 A [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-219643 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-122745 Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a zoom lens employing a floating focus, it is desirable that fluctuations in various aberrations that occur during focusing, particularly distortion and field curvature at the wide-angle end, be well corrected.

[0005] It is desirable to provide a zoom lens that satisfactorily corrects fluctuations in various aberrations that occur during focusing and is suitable for widening the angle of view, as well as an imaging device equipped with such a zoom lens.

[0006] A zoom lens according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is composed of, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group having negative refractive power, and a subsequent group including a plurality of lens groups whose spacing between adjacent lens groups changes during zooming or focusing to a close distance, and the plurality of lens groups are: an intermediate lens group that always has positive refractive power during zooming, in order from the object side to the image plane side; A positive lens group that moves when focusing on close distances, and a negative lens group , at least two lens groups; During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group and the intermediate lens group move so that the distance between them becomes smaller, and during focusing to a close distance, the positive lens group moves toward the object side, and the following conditional expression is satisfied: Zoom lens. 0.5 <Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.8 ……(1) -0.2 <Fst2 / Fst1<0.5 ……(2) however, Fsw1: Amount of movement of the positive lens group at the wide-angle end during focusing Fsw2: Amount of movement of the negative lens group during focusing at the wide-angle end Fst1: Amount of movement of the positive lens group at the telephoto end during focusing Fst2: Amount of movement of the negative lens group during focusing at the telephoto end Let's say.

[0007] An imaging device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a zoom lens and an imaging element that outputs an imaging signal corresponding to an optical image formed by the zoom lens, and the zoom lens is configured by the zoom lens according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] A zoom lens or an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is composed of a first lens group having negative refractive power and a subsequent group including multiple lens groups, and the configuration of each lens group is optimized so that fluctuations in aberrations that accompany focusing are well corrected and the lens group is suitable for wide-angle applications. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first configuration example (Example 1) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when focused at infinity. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first configuration example (Example 1) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a second configuration example (Example 2) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focused on infinity. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a second configuration example (Example 2) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a third configuration example (Example 3) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focused on infinity. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a lens in a third configuration example (Example 3) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth configuration example (Example 4) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focused on infinity. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth configuration example (Example 4) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth configuration example (Example 5) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focused on infinity. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth configuration example (Example 5) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth configuration example (Example 6) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focused on infinity. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth configuration example (Example 6) of a zoom lens according to an embodiment when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 13] 4A to 4C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations at the wide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 1 when focused on infinity. [Figure 14]4A to 4C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 1 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused at infinity. [Figure 15] 4A to 4C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 1 at the telephoto end when focused on infinity. [Figure 16] 4A to 4C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations at the wide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 1 when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 17] 4A to 4C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 1 at an intermediate focal length and when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 18] 4A to 4C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 1 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 19] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 2 at the wide-angle end and when focused on infinity. [Figure 20] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 2 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused at infinity. [Figure 21] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 2 at the telephoto end when focused on infinity. [Figure 22] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 2 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 23] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 2 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused on a close distance. [Figure 24] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 2 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close object. [Figure 25] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 3 at the wide-angle end and when focused on infinity. [Figure 26] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 3 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused at infinity. [Figure 27] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 3 at the telephoto end when focused on infinity. [Figure 28]10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations at the wide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 3 when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 29] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 3 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused on a close distance. [Figure 30] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 3 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close object. [Figure 31] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 4 at the wide-angle end and when focused on infinity. [Figure 32] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 4 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused at infinity. [Figure 33] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 4 at the telephoto end when focused on infinity. [Figure 34] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations at the wide-angle end of the zoom lens according to Example 4 when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 35] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 4 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused on a close distance. [Figure 36] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 4 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close object. [Figure 37] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 5 at the wide-angle end and when focused on infinity. [Figure 38] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 5 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused at infinity. [Figure 39] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 5 at the telephoto end when focused on infinity. [Figure 40] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 5 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 41] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 5 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused on a close distance. [Figure 42]10A to 10C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 5 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 43] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 6 at the wide-angle end and when focused on infinity. [Figure 44] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 6 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused at infinity. [Figure 45] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 6 at the telephoto end when focused on infinity. [Figure 46] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams showing various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 6 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. [Figure 47] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 6 when the zoom lens is at an intermediate focal length and focused on a close distance. [Figure 48] 10A to 10C are aberration diagrams illustrating various aberrations of the zoom lens according to Example 6 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close object. [Figure 49] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an imaging device. [Figure 50] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system; [Figure 51] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the installation positions of an outside-vehicle information detection unit and an imaging unit. [Figure 52] 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of an endoscopic surgery system. [Figure 53] FIG. 53 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the camera head and the CCU shown in FIG. 52. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The description will be made in the following order. 0. Comparative Example 1. Basic lens structure 2. Action and Effects 3. Application example to imaging devices 4. Numerical examples of lenses 5. Application Examples 6. Other embodiments

[0011] <0. Comparative Examples> This disclosure relates to a zoom lens focusing method suitable for film photographic cameras, electronic recording video cameras, digital cameras, electronic still video cameras, etc. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a negative-lead zoom lens in which a lens group with negative refractive power is positioned at the front and multiple focusing groups arranged closer to the object are moved to focus on close distances, and the lens group has an appropriate refractive power for the focusing group, thereby effectively correcting fluctuations in optical performance associated with focusing.

[0012] Conventionally, so-called negative-lead zoom lenses, in which a lens group with negative refractive power is positioned at the front, have been widely used in wide-angle zoom lenses because it is relatively easy to achieve a wide angle of view. Meanwhile, conventionally, known focusing methods for zoom lenses include so-called front lens focusing, in which the first lens group on the object side is moved, and so-called inner focusing and rear focusing, in which the second lens group and subsequent lens groups are moved.

[0013] Generally, inner-focusing and rear-focusing zoom lenses have a smaller effective diameter of the light beam in the first lens group than front-focusing zoom lenses, which has the advantage of making it easier to make the entire lens system more compact. Furthermore, because they move a relatively small and lightweight lens group, they also have the advantage of facilitating quick focusing, especially in autofocus cameras, which have become mainstream in recent years.

[0014] One problem with wide-angle zoom lenses is that it is difficult to focus on a close-up object while maintaining good optical performance.

[0015] For example, in the conventional method of focusing from an object at infinity to a close object by moving the first lens group with negative refractive power toward the object side, the diameter of the front lens element increases as the angle of view of the optical system is further increased. Various focusing methods have been proposed to solve this problem, but they all have had problems, such as the overall size of the lens system increasing, to varying degrees. Furthermore, shortening the close-up shooting distance requires a larger space for the focusing group to move, which increases the size of the drive mechanism and the overall device, and can result in degradation of imaging performance during close-up shooting due to fluctuations in aberrations caused by focusing.

[0016] On the other hand, while inner focusing and rear focusing systems have the advantages mentioned above, when attempting to further widen the angle of view, there is a problem in that fluctuations in various aberrations due to focusing become more pronounced, making it very difficult to maintain good optical performance.

[0017] To solve the above problems, a so-called floating focus is known, in which focusing is performed by moving multiple lens groups as a focusing group. This focusing method has the advantage that it is easy to maintain good imaging performance during close-up photography because each focusing group cancels out aberration fluctuations that occur when the focusing group moves. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 5 disclose zoom lenses that employ floating focus, but they have the following problems.

[0018] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose zoom lenses having, in order from the object side, a first lens group having negative refractive power, a second lens group having positive refractive power, and a third lens group having negative refractive power. In the zoom lenses disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, focusing is performed by moving the second lens group toward the image plane side, and moving the third lens group toward the image plane side at the wide-angle end and toward the object side at the telephoto end, but there is a large fluctuation in field curvature during focusing.

[0019] Patent Document 3 discloses a zoom lens having, in order from the object side, a first lens group with negative refractive power, a second lens group with positive refractive power, a first subgroup with positive refractive power, a second subgroup with negative refractive power, and a third subgroup with positive refractive power, wherein, during focusing from infinity to the closest distance, the first subgroup moves toward the object side and the second subgroup moves toward the image plane side. The zoom lens disclosed in Patent Document 3 has large fluctuations in field curvature, especially at the wide-angle end.

[0020] Patent Document 4 discloses a zoom lens having, in order from the object side, a first lens group with negative refractive power, a second lens group with positive refractive power, and a third lens group with negative refractive power, where the second lens group is composed of a 2A partial lens group with positive refractive power and a 2B partial lens group with positive refractive power, and the third lens group is composed of a 3A partial lens group with positive refractive power and a 3B partial lens group with negative refractive power. The zoom lens disclosed in Patent Document 4 performs focusing by moving the 2B lens group and the 3B lens group. The zoom lens disclosed in Patent Document 4 has large fluctuations in spherical aberration, particularly at the wide-angle end, and a half angle of view at the wide-angle end of approximately 33°, which is insufficient for a wide-angle zoom lens.

[0021] Patent Document 5 discloses a zoom lens that includes, from the object side, a front group having negative refractive power and a rear group having positive refractive power, the rear group including, from the object side, a first lens unit and a second lens unit. In the zoom lens disclosed in Patent Document 5, the first lens unit includes a first focus lens unit, and the second focus lens unit is located closer to the image than the first focus lens unit, and the first focus lens unit and the second focus lens unit move during focusing. In the zoom lens disclosed in Patent Document 5, distortion fluctuates significantly at the wide-angle end.

[0022] Therefore, there is a need for a zoom lens that effectively corrects the variations in various aberrations that occur during focusing and is suitable for widening the angle of view, and an image pickup device equipped with such a zoom lens.In particular, there is a need for a zoom lens that effectively corrects the variations in various aberrations that occur during focusing, particularly the variations in distortion and field curvature at the wide-angle end, and is suitable for widening the angle of view, and an image pickup device equipped with such a zoom lens.

[0023] <1. Basic lens configuration> FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first example configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which corresponds to the configuration of Example 1 described below. FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second example configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment, which corresponds to the configuration of Example 2 described below. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a third example configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment, which corresponds to the configuration of Example 3 described below. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a fourth example configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment, which corresponds to the configuration of Example 4 described below. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a fifth example configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment, which corresponds to the configuration of Example 5 described below. FIGS. 11 and 12 show a sixth example configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment, which corresponds to the configuration of Example 6 described below. Note that FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 show lens arrangements at the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when focusing at infinity. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 show lens arrangements at the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when focusing on close distances.

[0024] 1 and other figures, Z1 indicates the optical axis. An optical member such as a cover glass for protecting the image sensor may be disposed between the zoom lenses 1 to 6 according to the first to sixth configuration examples and the image plane IP. In addition to the cover glass, various optical filters such as a low-pass filter and an infrared cut filter may also be disposed.

[0025] Below, the configuration of a zoom lens according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in association with zoom lenses 1 to 6 according to the respective configuration examples shown in FIG. 1 etc., as appropriate, but the technology according to the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration examples shown in the drawings.

[0026] A zoom lens according to one embodiment is composed of, along an optical axis Z1, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent group including multiple lens groups.

[0027] The lens groups include a positive lens group Fb1 that moves during close focusing and a negative lens group Fb2. The lens groups also include an intermediate lens group Bm that is disposed between the first lens group B1 and the positive lens group Fb1 and has positive refractive power at all times during zooming. In the exemplary configurations shown in FIGS. 1 to 12, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2.

[0028] In a zoom lens according to an embodiment, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group B1 and the middle lens group Bm move along the optical axis Z1 so that the distance between them decreases, and during focusing to a close distance, the positive lens group Fb1 moves toward the object along the optical axis Z1.

[0029] Furthermore, the zoom lens according to one embodiment satisfies the following conditional expressions (1) and (2). 0.5 <Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.8 ……(1) -0.2 <Fst2 / Fst1<0.5 ……(2) however, Fsw1: The movement amount of the positive lens unit Fb1 at the wide-angle end during focusing Fsw2: Amount of movement of the negative lens unit Fb2 at the wide-angle end during focusing Fst1: The movement amount of the positive lens unit Fb1 at the telephoto end during focusing Fst2: The movement amount of the negative lens unit Fb2 at the telephoto end during focusing Let's say.

[0030] In addition, it is desirable that the zoom lens according to the embodiment further satisfy certain conditional expressions, etc., which will be described later.

[0031] <2. Actions and Effects> Next, the operation and effects of the zoom lens according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described, along with a more desirable configuration of the zoom lens according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be present.

[0032] A zoom lens according to one embodiment is configured with a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent group including multiple lens groups, and the configuration of each lens group is optimized, thereby enabling a zoom lens that effectively corrects variations in various aberrations that occur during focusing and is suitable for wide-angle zooming. In particular, a wide-angle zoom lens can be realized in which variations in distortion and curvature of field at the wide-angle end are effectively corrected.

[0033] While it is desirable for the lens groups constituting a zoom lens to have minimal aberrations within the lens groups, in order to miniaturize the optical system, it is common to allow aberrations to remain within the lens groups and cancel them out among the individual lens groups to achieve good optical performance throughout the entire system. To minimize aberration fluctuations during focusing, it is important to minimize the sum of the aberrations of the lens groups located closer to the object than the focusing group and to minimize the aberrations of the focusing group. Therefore, in a zoom lens according to one embodiment, an intermediate lens group Bm having positive refractive power is positioned between the first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and the positive lens group Fb1, which is the focusing group, thereby making it easy to minimize the sum of the aberrations of the lens groups located closer to the object than the focusing group. Furthermore, the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 are designated as focusing groups, and the amount of movement of each lens group during focusing is set to a predetermined condition, thereby minimizing aberration fluctuations during focusing.

[0034] Conditional formula (1) defines the amount of movement of the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 at the wide-angle end during focusing. Satisfying conditional formula (1) makes it possible to suppress fluctuations in field curvature and negative distortion, particularly those that occur during focusing, at the wide-angle end. Conditional formula (2) defines the amount of movement of the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 at the telephoto end during focusing. Satisfying conditional formula (2) makes it possible to suppress fluctuations in spherical aberration, particularly those that occur during focusing, at the telephoto end.

[0035] According to conditional expressions (1) and (2), the difference in the amount of movement between the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 during focusing is smaller at the wide-angle end than at the telephoto end, and the amount of movement of the positive lens group Fb1 is greater than that of the negative lens group Fb2 at the telephoto end. Because the refractive powers of the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 have opposite signs, bringing the amount of movement during focusing closer tends to increase the amount of movement during focusing. However, at the wide-angle end, the amount of focus movement when the object distance changes from infinity to a close distance is small, so the impact on the size of the entire system is minimal. On the other hand, because the amount of movement of the positive lens group Fb1 is large at the telephoto end, the amount of movement during focusing can be reduced, which reduces the fluctuation in the diameter of the axial beam incident on the positive lens group Fb1 and makes it easier to suppress fluctuations in spherical aberration. Furthermore, because fluctuations in field curvature and distortion are smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide-angle end, the adverse effects of a small amount of movement of the negative lens group Fb2 are minimal.

[0036] In order to more effectively achieve the effects of the above-described conditional expressions (1) and (2), it is more desirable to set the numerical ranges of the conditional expressions (1) and (2) as shown in the following conditional expressions (1A) and (2A). 0.5 <Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.5 ……(1A) -0.1 <Fst2 / Fst1<0.35 ……(2A)

[0037] Furthermore, in a zoom lens according to one embodiment, it is desirable that the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 are adjacent to each other, and that the negative lens group Fb2 is disposed on the image plane side of the positive lens group Fb1. When the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 are adjacent to each other and the negative lens group Fb2 is disposed on the image plane side of the positive lens group Fb1, off-axial rays passing through the negative lens group Fb2 are positioned higher than the positive lens group Fb1, which makes it easier to correct curvature of field and distortion at the wide-angle end and improves the efficiency of ensuring space for movement of the positive lens group Fb1 during both focusing and zooming at the telephoto end, which is advantageous for making the entire system compact.

[0038] It is also desirable that the zoom lens according to one embodiment satisfies the following conditional expression (3): 0.6<|fFb2 / fFb1|<3.0 ……(3) however, fFb1: focal length of the positive lens group Fb1 fFb2: focal length of negative lens group Fb2 Let's say.

[0039] Conditional expression (3) defines the ratio between the focal length of the positive lens group Fb1 and the focal length of the negative lens group Fb2. If the upper limit of conditional expression (3) is satisfied, the amount of movement during focusing at the wide-angle end can be made small, and if the lower limit of conditional expression (3) is satisfied, correction of curvature of field and distortion at close distances at the wide-angle end can be easily performed.

[0040] In order to more effectively realize the effect of the above-mentioned conditional expression (3), it is more desirable to set the numerical range of the conditional expression (3) as shown in the following conditional expression (3A). 0.8<|fFb2 / fFb1|<2.3 ……(3A)

[0041] It is also desirable that the zoom lens according to one embodiment satisfies the following conditional expression (4). 0.7 <fFb1 / ft<3.7 ……(4) however, fFb1: focal length of the positive lens group Fb1 ft: focal length of the entire system at the telephoto end Let's say.

[0042] Condition (4) defines the focal length of the positive lens unit Fb1. If the upper limit of condition (4) is satisfied, the amount of movement during focusing at the telephoto end can be made small, and if the lower limit is satisfied, spherical aberration at close distances can be easily corrected.

[0043] In order to more effectively realize the effect of the above-mentioned conditional expression (4), it is more desirable to set the numerical range of the conditional expression (4) as shown in the following conditional expression (4A). 0.9 <fFb1 / ft<2.8 ……(4A)

[0044] It is also desirable that the zoom lens according to one embodiment satisfies the following conditional expression (5): 0.9<|f1 / fw|<3.4 ……(5) however, f1: focal length of the first lens unit B1 fw: focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end Let's say.

[0045] Conditional expression (5) defines the focal length of the first lens unit B1. If the upper limit of conditional expression (5) is satisfied, it becomes easy to correct distortion at the wide-angle end, and if the lower limit is satisfied, it becomes easy to reduce the diameter of the front lens (the diameter of the lens closest to the object).

[0046] In order to more effectively realize the effect of the above-mentioned conditional expression (5), it is more desirable to set the numerical range of the conditional expression (5) as shown in the following conditional expression (5A). 1.2<|f1 / fw|<2.6 ……(5A)

[0047] It is also desirable that the zoom lens according to one embodiment satisfies the following conditional expression (6): 1.0 <fpt / ft<3.4 ……(6) however, fpt: focal length of the intermediate lens group Bm at the telephoto end ft: focal length of the entire system at the telephoto end Let's say.

[0048] Conditional expression (6) defines the focal length at the telephoto end of the optical system Bm, which is disposed between the first lens unit B1 and the positive lens unit Fb1; if the condition is within the upper limit, it becomes easy to reduce the size of the focus unit at the telephoto end; if the condition is within the lower limit, it becomes easy to correct spherical aberration at the telephoto end.

[0049] In order to more effectively realize the effect of the above-mentioned conditional expression (6), it is more desirable to set the numerical range of the conditional expression (6) as shown in the following conditional expression (6A). 1.3 <fpt / ft<2.5 ……(6A)

[0050] In addition, in a zoom lens according to one embodiment, it is desirable that the intermediate lens unit Bm has an aperture stop STP near the object side, near the image plane side, or inside it, which makes it difficult for either the front lens diameter or the rear lens diameter (the lens diameter closest to the image plane) to become significantly large, making it easier to reduce the size of the entire optical system.

[0051] In a zoom lens according to an embodiment, it is desirable that the subsequent group further includes at least two lens groups, on the image plane side of the negative lens group Fb2, that have a composite focal length that is always positive during zooming, and that the following conditional expression (7) be satisfied: Note that the at least two lens groups are, for example, the fifth lens group B5 and the sixth lens group B6 in the configuration examples shown in Figures 1 and 2. Also, for example, in the configuration examples shown in Figures 7 and 8, they are the fifth lens group B5, the sixth lens group B6, and the seventh lens group B7. 4.6 <frw / fw<29.0 ……(7) however, frw: focal length at the wide-angle end of at least two lens groups fw: focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end Let's say.

[0052] If at least two lens groups having a composite focal length that is always positive during zooming are disposed on the image plane side of the negative lens group Fb2 and conditional expression (7) is satisfied, an appropriate back focus can be ensured. If the upper limit of conditional expression (7) is satisfied, it becomes easier to ensure the distance between the image sensor and the final lens, and if the lower limit is satisfied, it becomes easier to shorten the overall lens length.

[0053] In order to more effectively realize the effect of the above-mentioned conditional expression (7), it is more desirable to set the numerical range of the conditional expression (7) as shown in the following conditional expression (7A). 6.1 <frw / fw<23.0 ……(7A)

[0054] In a zoom lens according to an embodiment, it is preferable that the subsequent lens group further includes at least two lens groups that are arranged on the image plane side of the negative lens group Fb2 and that move along different trajectories during zooming. In the configuration examples shown in Figures 1 and 2, for example, the at least two lens groups are the fifth lens group B5 and the sixth lens group B6. In the configuration examples shown in Figures 7 and 8, for example, the fifth lens group B5, the sixth lens group B6, and the seventh lens group B7. By arranging at least two lens groups that move along different trajectories during zooming on the image plane side of the negative lens group Fb2, it may be possible to easily correct fluctuations in field curvature that occur during zooming.

[0055] Furthermore, in the zoom lens according to one embodiment, it is desirable that the intermediate lens unit Bm be a single lens unit. If the intermediate lens unit Bm, which is located between the first lens unit B1 and the positive lens unit Fb1, is a single lens unit, it is possible to simplify the mechanism near the aperture stop STP, which has a relatively complex structure, and this contributes to overall size reduction.

[0056] Furthermore, in a zoom lens according to one embodiment, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, it is desirable that the intermediate lens group Bm moves toward the object side so as to reduce the distance between it and the first lens group B1, the positive lens group Fb1 moves toward the object side so as to reduce the distance between it and the intermediate lens group Bm, the negative lens group Fb2 moves toward the object side while changing the distance between it and the positive lens group Fb1, and the lens group of the at least two lens groups that is positioned closest to the object side moves toward the object side while changing the distance between it and the negative lens group Fb2.

[0057] When zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, moving the middle lens group Bm toward the object side to reduce the distance between it and the first lens group B1 reduces the amount of movement of the relatively large first lens group B1, which is advantageous because it makes zooming smoother. Moving the positive lens group Fb1 toward the object side while changing the distance between it and the middle lens group Bm makes it easier to correct fluctuations in spherical aberration that occur during zooming. Moving the negative lens group Fb2 toward the object side while changing the distance between it and the positive lens group Fb1 makes it easier to set the positive lens group Fb1 and the negative lens group Fb2 to appropriate focus sensitivities at each focal length. Moving the lens group located on the image side of the negative lens group Fb2 toward the object side while changing the distance between it and the negative lens group Fb2 further facilitates correction of fluctuations in field curvature that occur during zooming.

[0058] It is desirable that, during zooming, the intermediate lens unit Bm be moved integrally with any of the lens units located closer to the image plane than the negative lens unit Fb2, which would further simplify the mechanism and contribute to overall size reduction.

[0059] Furthermore, if a flare cutter (secondary aperture) FC is disposed on the object side of the intermediate lens unit Bm, coma flare can be eliminated.

[0060] <3. Application example to imaging device> Next, a specific example of application of the zoom lens according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to an imaging device will be described.

[0061] 49 shows an example of the configuration of an imaging device 100 to which a zoom lens according to one embodiment is applied. This imaging device 100 is, for example, a digital still camera, and includes a camera block 10, a camera signal processing unit 20, an image processing unit 30, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 40, an R / W (Reader / Writer) 50, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 60, an input unit 70, and a lens drive control unit 80.

[0062] The camera block 10 is responsible for the imaging function and has a zoom lens including an imaging lens 11, and an imaging element 12 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The imaging element 12 converts an optical image formed by the imaging lens 11 into an electrical signal, and outputs an imaging signal (image signal) corresponding to the optical image. The zoom lenses 1 to 6 according to the configuration examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 12 can be used as the imaging lens 11.

[0063] The camera signal processing unit 20 performs various signal processing on the image signal output from the image sensor 12, such as analog-to-digital conversion, noise removal, image quality correction, and conversion into luminance and color difference signals.

[0064] The image processing unit 30 performs recording and playback processing of image signals, and performs compression, encoding, decompression and decoding processing of image signals based on a predetermined image data format, as well as conversion processing of data specifications such as resolution.

[0065] The LCD 40 has a function of displaying various data such as the operation status of the user on the input unit 70 and captured images. The R / W 50 writes image data encoded by the image processing unit 30 to the memory card 1000 and reads image data recorded on the memory card 1000. The memory card 1000 is, for example, a semiconductor memory that is detachable from a slot connected to the R / W 50.

[0066] The CPU 60 functions as a control processing unit that controls each circuit block provided in the imaging device 100, and controls each circuit block based on instruction input signals and the like from the input unit 70. The input unit 70 is made up of various switches and the like that are operated as required by the user. The input unit 70 is composed of, for example, a shutter release button for operating the shutter and a selection switch for selecting an operation mode, and is configured to output instruction input signals to the CPU 60 in response to user operations. The lens drive control unit 80 controls the drive of the lenses arranged in the camera block 10, and is configured to control motors and the like (not shown) that drive each lens of the imaging lens 11 based on control signals from the CPU 60.

[0067] The operation of the imaging device 100 will be described below. In a standby state for photographing, under the control of the CPU 60, an image signal photographed by the camera block 10 is output to the LCD 40 via the camera signal processing unit 20 and displayed as a camera-through image. Furthermore, when an instruction input signal for zooming or focusing is input from the input unit 70, for example, the CPU 60 outputs a control signal to the lens drive control unit 80, and a predetermined lens of the imaging lens 11 moves under the control of the lens drive control unit 80.

[0068] When a shutter (not shown) of the camera block 10 is operated by an instruction input signal from the input unit 70, the captured image signal is output from the camera signal processing unit 20 to the image processing unit 30, where it is compressed and encoded and converted into digital data in a predetermined data format. The converted data is output to the R / W 50 and written to the memory card 1000.

[0069] Focusing is performed by the lens drive control unit 80 moving a predetermined lens of the imaging lens 11 based on a control signal from the CPU 60, for example, when the shutter release button on the input unit 70 is pressed halfway or fully pressed for recording (photographing).

[0070] When reproducing image data recorded on the memory card 1000, the R / W 50 reads out the specified image data from the memory card 1000 in response to an operation on the input unit 70, and the image processing unit 30 performs an expansion / decoding process. After that, the reproduced image signal is output to the LCD 40, and the reproduced image is displayed.

[0071] Although the above-described embodiment shows an example in which the imaging device is applied to a digital still camera, the application range of the imaging device is not limited to digital still cameras and can be applied to various other imaging devices. For example, the imaging device can be applied to digital single-lens reflex cameras, digital non-reflex cameras, digital video cameras, surveillance cameras, etc. Furthermore, the imaging device can be widely used as a camera unit of digital input / output devices such as mobile phones with built-in cameras and information terminals with built-in cameras. Furthermore, the imaging device can be applied to cameras with interchangeable lenses. [Example]

[0072] <4. Numerical examples of lenses> Next, specific numerical examples of the zoom lens according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Here, examples will be described in which specific numerical values ​​are applied to zoom lenses 1 to 6 according to the configuration examples shown in FIGS.

[0073] The meanings of symbols used in the following tables and explanations are as follows: "Si" indicates the number of the i-th surface, with the symbols increasing sequentially from the object side. "ri" indicates the value (mm) of the paraxial radius of curvature of the i-th surface. "di" indicates the value (mm) of the axial distance between the i-th surface and the (i+1)-th surface. "ndi" indicates the value of the refractive index at the d-line (wavelength 587.6 nm) of the material of the optical element that makes up the i-th surface. "νdi" indicates the value of the Abbe number at the d-line of the material of the optical element that makes up the i-th surface. "φi" indicates the value (mm) of the clear aperture or iris diameter of the i-th surface. A value of "∞" for "ri" indicates a flat surface, iris surface, etc. "ASP" in the surface number (Si) column indicates that the surface in question is aspherical. "STP" in the surface number column indicates that an aperture diaphragm (primary diaphragm) STP is located at the corresponding position. "FC" in the surface number column indicates that a flare cutter (secondary aperture) FC is located at the corresponding position. "OBJ" in the surface number column indicates that the corresponding surface is the object surface. "IP" in the surface number column indicates that the corresponding surface is the image plane IP. "f" indicates the focal length of the entire system (unit: mm). "Fno" indicates the maximum F-number. "ω" indicates the half angle of view (unit: °). "Y" indicates the image height (unit: mm). "L" indicates the total optical length (the distance on the optical axis from the surface closest to the object to the image plane IP) (unit: mm).

[0074] Furthermore, some of the lenses used in the examples have aspherical lens surfaces. The aspherical shape is defined by the following formula. In the tables showing the aspherical coefficients described later, "Ei" is an exponential expression with the base 10, that is, "10 -i " For example, "0.12345E-05" represents "0.12345 x 10 -5 " represents.

[0075] (Aspherical formula) x=y 2 c 2 / (1+(1-(1+k)y 2 c 2 ) 1 / 2 )+A4·y 4 +A6·y6 +A8·y 8 +A10·y 10 +A12·y 12 Here, the distance from the vertex of the lens surface along the optical axis (sag) is "x," the height in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis is "y," the paraxial curvature at the vertex of the lens surface (the reciprocal of the radius of curvature) is "c," and the conic constant is "k." A4, A6, A8, A10, and A12 are the 4th-, 6th-, 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-order aspheric coefficients, respectively.

[0076] [Example 1] Table 1 shows basic lens data for the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Table 2 shows the initial surface and focal length (unit: mm) of each lens group in the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1. Table 3 shows the focal length f, F-number, full angle of view (2ω), image height Y, and total optical length L of the entire system in the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1. Table 3 also shows values ​​at infinity focus for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele). Table 4 also shows data on surface spacings that change during zooming in the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1, and data on effective apertures (aperture diameters) that change during zooming. Table 4 also shows values ​​for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when the object distance (d0) is infinity and when it is close. Table 5 shows the values ​​of the coefficients representing the shape of the aspherical surface in the zoom lens 1 according to the first example.

[0077] The zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 includes, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent lens group. The subsequent lens group includes a second lens group B2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group B3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group B4 having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group B5 having negative refractive power, and a sixth lens group B6 having positive refractive power. The zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 has a six-group configuration as a whole.

[0078] In the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2. An aperture stop STP is disposed inside the intermediate lens group Bm. A flare cutter (secondary stop) FC is disposed near the object side of the intermediate lens group Bm.

[0079] In the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit B1 moves toward the image plane. The second lens unit B2 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the first lens unit B1. The third lens unit B3 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the second lens unit B2. The fourth lens unit B4 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the third lens unit B3. The fifth lens unit B5 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fourth lens unit B4 up to the intermediate focal length and then decreasing thereafter. The sixth lens unit B6 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fifth lens unit B5. The third lens unit B3 moves integrally with the fifth lens unit B5, the aperture diaphragm STP moves integrally with the third lens unit B3, and the flare cutter FC moves independently.

[0080] During focusing on a close distance, the third lens unit B3 (positive lens unit Fb1) and the fourth lens unit B4 (negative lens unit Fb2) move toward the object side at different speeds.

[0081] [Table 1]

[0082] [Table 2]

[0083] [Table 3]

[0084] [Table 4]

[0085] [Table 5]

[0086] FIG. 13 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 at the wide-angle end when focusing on infinity. FIG. 14 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on infinity. FIG. 15 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 at the telephoto end when focusing on infinity. FIG. 16 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. FIG. 17 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on a close distance. FIG. 18 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance. FIGS. 13 to 8 show spherical aberration, astigmatism (curvature of field), and distortion as various aberrations. In the spherical aberration diagram, the solid line indicates values ​​for the d-line (587.56 nm), the dashed line indicates values ​​for the g-line (435.84 nm), and the broken line indicates values ​​for the C-line (656.27 nm). In the astigmatism diagram, S indicates values ​​at the sagittal image plane, and T indicates values ​​at the tangential image plane. In the distortion diagram, values ​​at the d-line are shown. The same applies to the aberration diagrams in the other examples that follow.

[0087] As can be seen from each aberration diagram, the zoom lens 1 according to Example 1 has excellent correction of various aberrations and has excellent imaging performance.

[0088] [Example 2] Table 6 shows basic lens data for the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Table 7 shows the initial surface and focal length (unit: mm) of each lens group in the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2. Table 8 shows the focal length f, F-number, full angle of view (2ω), image height Y, and total optical length L of the entire system in the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2. Table 8 also shows values ​​at infinity focusing for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele). Table 9 also shows data on surface spacings that change during zooming in the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2, and data on effective apertures (aperture diameters) that change during zooming. Table 9 also shows values ​​at the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when the object distance (d0) is infinity and when it is close. Table 10 shows the values ​​of the coefficients representing the shape of the aspherical surface in the zoom lens 2 according to the second example.

[0089] The zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 includes, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent lens group. The subsequent lens group includes a second lens group B2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group B3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group B4 having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group B5 having negative refractive power, and a sixth lens group B6 having positive refractive power. The zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 has a six-group configuration overall.

[0090] In the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2. An aperture stop STP is disposed inside the intermediate lens group Bm. A flare cutter (secondary stop) FC is disposed near the object side of the intermediate lens group Bm.

[0091] In the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit B1 moves toward the image plane. The second lens unit B2 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the first lens unit B1. The third lens unit B3 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the second lens unit B2. The fourth lens unit B4 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the third lens unit B3. The fifth lens unit B5 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the fourth lens unit B4. The sixth lens unit B6 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fifth lens unit B5. The third lens unit B3 moves integrally with the fifth lens unit B5, and the aperture stop STP and the flare cutter FC move integrally with the third lens unit B3.

[0092] During focusing on a close distance, the third lens unit B3 (positive lens unit Fb1) and the fourth lens unit B4 (negative lens unit Fb2) move toward the object side at different speeds.

[0093] [Table 6]

[0094] [Table 7]

[0095] [Table 8]

[0096] [Table 9]

[0097] [Table 10]

[0098] Fig. 19 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 at the wide-angle end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 20 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on infinity. Fig. 21 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 at the telephoto end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 22 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 23 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 24 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance.

[0099] As can be seen from each aberration diagram, the zoom lens 2 according to Example 2 has excellent correction of various aberrations and has excellent imaging performance.

[0100] [Example 3] Table 11 shows basic lens data for the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Table 12 shows the initial surface and focal length (unit: mm) of each lens group in the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3. Table 13 shows the focal length f, F-number, full angle of view (2ω), image height Y, and total optical length L of the entire system of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3. Table 13 also shows values ​​at infinity focus for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele). Table 14 also shows data on surface spacings that change during zooming in the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3, and data on effective apertures (aperture diameters) that change during zooming. Table 14 also shows values ​​for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when the object distance (d0) is infinity and when it is close. Table 15 shows the values ​​of the coefficients representing the shape of the aspherical surface in the zoom lens 3 according to the third example.

[0101] The zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 includes, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent lens group. The subsequent lens group includes a second lens group B2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group B3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group B4 having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group B5 having positive refractive power, and a sixth lens group B6 having positive refractive power. The zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 has a six-group configuration as a whole.

[0102] In the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2. An aperture stop STP is disposed inside the intermediate lens group Bm. A flare cutter (secondary stop) FC is disposed near the object side of the intermediate lens group Bm.

[0103] In the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit B1 moves toward the image plane. The second lens unit B2 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the first lens unit B1. The third lens unit B3 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the second lens unit B2. The fourth lens unit B4 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the third lens unit B3. The fifth lens unit B5 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fourth lens unit B4. The sixth lens unit B6 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fifth lens unit B5. The third lens unit B3 moves integrally with the fifth lens unit B5, and the aperture stop STP and the flare cutter FC move integrally with the third lens unit B3.

[0104] During focusing on a close distance, the third lens unit B3 (positive lens unit Fb1) and the fourth lens unit B4 (negative lens unit Fb2) move toward the object side at different speeds.

[0105] [Table 11]

[0106] [Table 12]

[0107] [Table 13]

[0108] [Table 14]

[0109] [Table 15]

[0110] Fig. 25 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 at the wide-angle end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 26 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on infinity. Fig. 27 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 at the telephoto end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 28 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 29 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 30 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance.

[0111] As can be seen from each aberration diagram, the zoom lens 3 according to Example 3 has excellent correction of various aberrations and has excellent imaging performance.

[0112] [Example 4] Table 16 shows basic lens data for the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Table 17 shows the initial surface and focal length (unit: mm) of each lens group in the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4. Table 18 shows the focal length f, F-number, full angle of view (2ω), image height Y, and total optical length L of the entire system in the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4. Table 18 also shows values ​​at infinity focus for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele). Table 19 also shows data on surface spacings that change during zooming in the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4, and data on effective apertures (aperture diameters) that change during zooming. Table 19 also shows values ​​for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when the object distance (d0) is infinity and when it is close. Table 20 shows the values ​​of the coefficients representing the shape of the aspherical surface in the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4.

[0113] The zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 includes, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent lens group. The subsequent lens group includes a second lens group B2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group B3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group B4 having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group B5 having positive refractive power, a sixth lens group B6 having negative refractive power, and a seventh lens group B7 having positive refractive power. The zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 has a seven-group configuration as a whole.

[0114] In the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2. An aperture stop STP is disposed inside the intermediate lens group Bm. A flare cutter (secondary stop) FC is disposed near the object side of the intermediate lens group Bm.

[0115] In the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit B1 moves toward the image plane. The second lens unit B2 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the first lens unit B1. The third lens unit B3 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the second lens unit B2. The fourth lens unit B4 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the third lens unit B3. The fifth lens unit B5 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fourth lens unit B4 up to the intermediate focal length and then decreasing the distance thereafter. The sixth lens unit B6 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fifth lens unit B5. The seventh lens unit B7 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the sixth lens unit B6. The third lens unit B3 moves integrally with the fifth lens unit B5, and the aperture stop STP and the flare cutter FC move integrally with the third lens unit B3.

[0116] During focusing on a close distance, the third lens unit B3 (positive lens unit Fb1) and the fourth lens unit B4 (negative lens unit Fb2) move toward the object side at different speeds.

[0117] [Table 16]

[0118] [Table 17]

[0119] [Table 18]

[0120] [Table 19]

[0121] [Table 20]

[0122] Fig. 31 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 at the wide-angle end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 32 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on infinity. Fig. 33 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 at the telephoto end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 34 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 35 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 36 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance.

[0123] As can be seen from each aberration diagram, the zoom lens 4 according to Example 4 has excellent correction of various aberrations and has excellent imaging performance.

[0124] [Example 5] Table 21 shows basic lens data for the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Table 22 shows the initial surface and focal length (unit: mm) of each lens group in the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5. Table 23 shows the focal length f, F-number, full angle of view (2ω), image height Y, and total optical length L of the entire system in the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5. Table 23 also shows values ​​at infinity focus for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele). Table 24 also shows data on surface spacings that change during zooming in the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5, and data on effective apertures (aperture diameters) that change during zooming. Table 24 also shows values ​​for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when the object distance (d0) is infinity and when it is close. Table 20 shows the values ​​of the coefficients representing the shape of the aspherical surface in the zoom lens 5 according to the fifth embodiment.

[0125] The zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 includes, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent lens group. The subsequent lens group includes a second lens group B2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group B3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group B4 having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group B5 having negative refractive power, and a sixth lens group B6 having positive refractive power. The zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 has a six-group configuration as a whole.

[0126] In the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2. An aperture stop STP is disposed near the object side of the intermediate lens group Bm. A flare cutter (secondary stop) FC is disposed inside the intermediate lens group Bm.

[0127] In the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit B1 moves toward the image plane. The second lens unit B2 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the first lens unit B1. The third lens unit B3 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the second lens unit B2. The fourth lens unit B4 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the third lens unit B3. The fifth lens unit B5 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the fourth lens unit B4. The sixth lens unit B6 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fifth lens unit B5. The third lens unit B3 moves integrally with the fifth lens unit B5, and the aperture stop STP and the flare cutter FC move integrally with the third lens unit B3.

[0128] During focusing on a close distance, the third lens unit B3 (positive lens unit Fb1) and the fourth lens unit B4 (negative lens unit Fb2) move toward the object side at different speeds.

[0129] [Table 21]

[0130] [Table 22]

[0131] [Table 23]

[0132] [Table 24]

[0133] [Table 25]

[0134] Fig. 37 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 at the wide-angle end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 38 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on infinity. Fig. 39 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 at the telephoto end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 40 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 41 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 42 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance.

[0135] As can be seen from each aberration diagram, the zoom lens 5 according to Example 5 has excellent correction of various aberrations and has excellent imaging performance.

[0136] [Example 6] Table 26 shows basic lens data for the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Table 27 shows the initial surface and focal length (unit: mm) of each lens group in the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6. Table 28 shows the focal length f, F-number, full angle of view (2ω), image height Y, and total optical length L of the entire system in the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6. Table 28 also shows values ​​at infinity focusing for the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele). Table 29 shows data on surface spacings that change during zooming in the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6, and data on effective apertures (aperture diameters) that change during zooming. Table 30 also shows values ​​at the wide-angle end (Wide), intermediate focal length (Mid), and telephoto end (Tele) when the object distance (d0) is infinity and when it is close. Table 30 shows the values ​​of the coefficients representing the shape of the aspherical surface in the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6.

[0137] The zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 includes, in order from the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group B1 having negative refractive power and a subsequent lens group. The subsequent lens group includes a second lens group B2 having positive refractive power, a third lens group B3 having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group B4 having negative refractive power, a fifth lens group B5 having negative refractive power, and a sixth lens group B6 having positive refractive power. The zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 has a six-group configuration as a whole.

[0138] In the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6, the second lens group B2 corresponds to the intermediate lens group Bm, the third lens group B3 corresponds to the positive lens group Fb1, and the fourth lens group B4 corresponds to the negative lens group Fb2. An aperture stop STP is disposed near the image plane side of the intermediate lens group Bm. A flare cutter (secondary stop) FC is disposed near the object side of the intermediate lens group Bm.

[0139] In the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6, during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit B1 moves toward the image plane. The second lens unit B2 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the first lens unit B1. The third lens unit B3 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the second lens unit B2. The fourth lens unit B4 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the third lens unit B3. The fifth lens unit B5 moves toward the object side while decreasing the distance between it and the fourth lens unit B4. The sixth lens unit B6 moves toward the object side while increasing the distance between it and the fifth lens unit B5. The third lens unit B3 moves integrally with the fifth lens unit B5, and the aperture stop STP and the flare cutter FC move integrally with the third lens unit B3.

[0140] During focusing on a close distance, the third lens unit B3 (positive lens unit Fb1) and the fourth lens unit B4 (negative lens unit Fb2) move toward the object side at different speeds.

[0141] [Table 26]

[0142] [Table 27]

[0143] [Table 28]

[0144] [Table 29]

[0145] [Table 30]

[0146] Fig. 43 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 at the wide-angle end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 44 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on infinity. Fig. 45 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 at the telephoto end when focusing on infinity. Fig. 46 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 at the wide-angle end when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 47 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 at the intermediate focal length when focusing on a close distance. Fig. 48 shows various aberrations of the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 at the telephoto end when focusing on a close distance.

[0147] As can be seen from each aberration diagram, the zoom lens 6 according to Example 6 has excellent correction of various aberrations and has excellent imaging performance.

[0148] [Other numerical data for each example] Table 31 shows the values ​​for each of the above conditional expressions for each example. As can be seen from Table 31, the values ​​for each example fall within the numerical range for each conditional expression.

[0149] [Table 31]

[0150] <5. Application Examples> [5.1 First application example] The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to various products. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be realized as a device mounted on any type of moving body, such as an automobile, an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a personal mobility device, an airplane, a drone, a ship, a robot, a construction machine, or an agricultural machine (tractor).

[0151] 50 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a vehicle control system 7000, which is an example of a mobile object control system to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied. The vehicle control system 7000 includes a plurality of electronic control units connected via a communication network 7010. In the example shown in FIG. 50, the vehicle control system 7000 includes a drive system control unit 7100, a body system control unit 7200, a battery control unit 7300, an outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400, an inside-vehicle information detection unit 7500, and an integrated control unit 7600. The communication network 7010 connecting these multiple control units may be an in-vehicle communication network conforming to any standard, such as a Controller Area Network (CAN), a Local Interconnect Network (LIN), a Local Area Network (LAN), or FlexRay (registered trademark).

[0152] Each control unit includes a microcomputer that performs arithmetic processing according to various programs, a memory unit that stores the programs executed by the microcomputer or parameters used in various calculations, and a drive circuit that drives various devices to be controlled. Each control unit includes a network I / F for communicating with other control units via a communication network 7010, and a communication I / F for communicating with devices or sensors inside and outside the vehicle via wired or wireless communication. Figure 50 illustrates the functional configuration of the integrated control unit 7600, including a microcomputer 7610, a general-purpose communication I / F 7620, a dedicated communication I / F 7630, a positioning unit 7640, a beacon receiving unit 7650, an in-vehicle device I / F 7660, an audio / video output unit 7670, an in-vehicle network I / F 7680, and a memory unit 7690. Similarly, the other control units also include a microcomputer, a communication I / F, a memory unit, and the like.

[0153] The drivetrain control unit 7100 controls the operation of devices related to the drivetrain of the vehicle in accordance with various programs. For example, the drivetrain control unit 7100 functions as a control device for a driving force generating device for generating driving force for the vehicle, such as an internal combustion engine or a drive motor, a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the wheels, a steering mechanism for adjusting the steering angle of the vehicle, and a braking device for generating braking force for the vehicle. The drivetrain control unit 7100 may also function as a control device for an ABS (Antilock Brake System) or an ESC (Electronic Stability Control), etc.

[0154] A vehicle state detection unit 7110 is connected to the drivetrain control unit 7100. The vehicle state detection unit 7110 includes at least one of a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity of the axial rotational motion of the vehicle body, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle, or a sensor that detects the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal, the amount of operation of the brake pedal, the steering angle of the steering wheel, the engine rotation speed, the rotation speed of the wheels, etc. The drivetrain control unit 7100 performs arithmetic processing using signals input from the vehicle state detection unit 7110, and controls the internal combustion engine, the drive motor, the electric power steering device, the brake device, etc.

[0155] Body system control unit 7200 controls the operation of various devices mounted on the vehicle body in accordance with various programs. For example, body system control unit 7200 functions as a control device for a keyless entry system, a smart key system, a power window device, or various lamps such as head lamps, backup lamps, brake lamps, turn signals, and fog lamps. In this case, radio waves transmitted from a portable device that serves as a key or signals from various switches may be input to body system control unit 7200. Body system control unit 7200 receives these radio waves or signals and controls the vehicle's door lock device, power window device, lamps, etc.

[0156] The battery control unit 7300 controls the secondary battery 7310, which is the power supply source for the drive motor, in accordance with various programs. For example, information such as battery temperature, battery output voltage, or remaining battery capacity is input to the battery control unit 7300 from a battery device equipped with the secondary battery 7310. The battery control unit 7300 performs arithmetic processing using these signals, and controls the temperature regulation of the secondary battery 7310 or a cooling device or the like provided in the battery device.

[0157] The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 detects information outside the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000. For example, at least one of an imaging unit 7410 and an outside vehicle information detection unit 7420 is connected to the outside vehicle information detection unit 7400. The imaging unit 7410 includes at least one of a ToF (Time Of Flight) camera, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, an infrared camera, and other cameras. The outside vehicle information detection unit 7420 includes at least one of an environmental sensor for detecting the current weather or climate, or a surrounding information detection sensor for detecting other vehicles, obstacles, pedestrians, etc. around the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control system 7000.

[0158] The environmental sensor may be, for example, at least one of a raindrop sensor that detects rain, a fog sensor that detects fog, a sunshine sensor that detects the degree of sunshine, and a snow sensor that detects snowfall. The surrounding information detection sensor may be at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, and a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) device. The imaging unit 7410 and the outside vehicle information detection unit 7420 may each be provided as an independent sensor or device, or may be provided as a device in which multiple sensors or devices are integrated.

[0159] 51 shows an example of the installation positions of the imaging unit 7410 and the vehicle exterior information detection unit 7420. The imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, 7916, and 7918 are provided, for example, at least one of the front nose, side mirrors, rear bumper, back door, and upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7910 provided on the front nose and the imaging unit 7918 provided on the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle cabin mainly acquire images of the front of the vehicle 7900. The imaging units 7912 and 7914 provided on the side mirrors mainly acquire images of the sides of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7916 provided on the rear bumper or back door mainly acquires images of the rear of the vehicle 7900. The imaging unit 7918 provided on the upper part of the windshield inside the vehicle cabin is mainly used to detect leading vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic lights, traffic signs, lanes, etc.

[0160] 51 shows an example of the imaging ranges of the imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916. Imaging range a indicates the imaging range of the imaging unit 7910 provided on the front nose, imaging ranges b and c indicate the imaging ranges of the imaging units 7912 and 7914 provided on the side mirrors, respectively, and imaging range d indicates the imaging range of the imaging unit 7916 provided on the rear bumper or back door. For example, by overlaying the image data captured by the imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, and 7916, a bird's-eye view image of the vehicle 7900 viewed from above can be obtained.

[0161] The vehicle exterior information detection units 7920, 7922, 7924, 7926, 7928, and 7930 provided on the front, rear, sides, and corners of the vehicle 7900 and above the windshield inside the vehicle cabin may be, for example, ultrasonic sensors or radar devices. The vehicle exterior information detection units 7920, 7926, and 7930 provided on the front nose, rear bumper, back door, and above the windshield inside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle 7900 may be, for example, LIDAR devices. These vehicle exterior information detection units 7920 to 7930 are mainly used to detect preceding vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, etc.

[0162] Returning to FIG. 50 , the explanation will be continued. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 causes the imaging unit 7410 to capture an image outside the vehicle and receives the captured image data. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 also receives detection information from the connected outside-vehicle information detection unit 7420. If the outside-vehicle information detection unit 7420 is an ultrasonic sensor, a radar device, or a LIDAR device, the outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 emits ultrasonic waves or electromagnetic waves and receives information on the received reflected waves. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 may perform object detection processing or distance detection processing for people, cars, obstacles, signs, text on the road, etc. based on the received information. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 may also perform environment recognition processing for recognizing rainfall, fog, road conditions, etc. based on the received information. The outside-vehicle information detection unit 7400 may also calculate the distance to an object outside the vehicle based on the received information.

[0163] The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 may also perform image recognition processing or distance detection processing to recognize people, vehicles, obstacles, signs, characters on the road, etc., based on the received image data. The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 may perform processing such as distortion correction or alignment on the received image data, and may also generate an overhead image or a panoramic image by combining image data captured by different image capturing units 7410. The outside vehicle information detection unit 7400 may also perform viewpoint conversion processing using image data captured by different image capturing units 7410.

[0164] The interior information detection unit 7500 detects information inside the vehicle. A driver state detection unit 7510 that detects the state of the driver is connected to the interior information detection unit 7500, for example. The driver state detection unit 7510 may include a camera that captures an image of the driver, a biosensor that detects the driver's biometric information, or a microphone that collects sound from within the vehicle cabin. The biosensor is provided, for example, on the seat or steering wheel, and detects the biometric information of a passenger sitting in the seat or the driver gripping the steering wheel. The interior information detection unit 7500 may calculate the driver's level of fatigue or concentration, or determine whether the driver is dozing, based on the detection information input from the driver state detection unit 7510. The interior information detection unit 7500 may perform processing such as noise canceling on the collected audio signal.

[0165] The integrated control unit 7600 controls the overall operation of the vehicle control system 7000 in accordance with various programs. An input unit 7800 is connected to the integrated control unit 7600. The input unit 7800 may be implemented by a device that can be operated by a passenger, such as a touch panel, a button, a microphone, a switch, or a lever. Data obtained by voice recognition of a voice input through a microphone may be input to the integrated control unit 7600. The input unit 7800 may be, for example, a remote control device using infrared or other radio waves, or an externally connected device such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA) that can operate the vehicle control system 7000. The input unit 7800 may be, for example, a camera, in which case the passenger can input information by gestures. Alternatively, data obtained by detecting the movement of a wearable device worn by the passenger may be input. Furthermore, the input unit 7800 may include, for example, an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on information input by the passenger or the like using the input unit 7800 and outputs the input signal to the integrated control unit 7600. By operating this input unit 7800, passengers and the like input various data to the vehicle control system 7000 and instruct processing operations.

[0166] The storage unit 7690 may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various programs executed by the microcomputer, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores various parameters, calculation results, sensor values, etc. The storage unit 7690 may also be realized by a magnetic storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, a magneto-optical storage device, or the like.

[0167] The general-purpose communication I / F 7620 is a general-purpose communication I / F that mediates communication between various devices present in the external environment 7750. The general-purpose communication I / F 7620 may implement a cellular communication protocol such as GSM (Global System of Mobile communications), WiMAX (registered trademark), LTE (Long Term Evolution), or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), or other wireless communication protocols such as wireless LAN (also referred to as Wi-Fi (registered trademark)) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The general-purpose communication I / F 7620 may connect to devices (e.g., application servers or control servers) present on an external network (e.g., the Internet, a cloud network, or an operator-specific network) via, for example, a base station or an access point. The general-purpose communication I / F 7620 may also connect to terminals present near the vehicle (e.g., terminals of drivers, pedestrians, or stores, or machine-type communication (MTC) terminals) using, for example, P2P (Peer to Peer) technology.

[0168] The dedicated communication I / F 7630 is a communication I / F that supports a communication protocol designed for use in vehicles. The dedicated communication I / F 7630 may implement a standard protocol such as WAVE (Wireless Access in Vehicle Environment), which is a combination of a lower layer IEEE802.11p and an upper layer IEEE1609, a dedicated short range communications (DSRC), or a cellular communication protocol. The dedicated communication I / F 7630 typically performs V2X communication, which is a concept including one or more of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, vehicle-to-home communication, and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication.

[0169] The positioning unit 7640 performs positioning by receiving, for example, GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites (for example, GPS signals from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites), and generates position information including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the vehicle. Note that the positioning unit 7640 may identify the current position by exchanging signals with a wireless access point, or may obtain position information from a terminal such as a mobile phone, PHS, or smartphone that has a positioning function.

[0170] The beacon receiver 7650 receives, for example, radio waves or electromagnetic waves transmitted from radio stations or the like installed on the road, and acquires information such as the current location, congestion, road closures, required travel time, etc. The function of the beacon receiver 7650 may be included in the dedicated communication I / F 7630 described above.

[0171] The in-vehicle device I / F 7660 is a communication interface that mediates connections between the microcomputer 7610 and various in-vehicle devices 7760 present in the vehicle. The in-vehicle device I / F 7660 may establish a wireless connection using a wireless communication protocol such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), or WUSB (Wireless USB). The in-vehicle device I / F 7660 may also establish a wired connection such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), or MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) via a connection terminal (and a cable, if necessary) not shown. The in-vehicle device 7760 may include, for example, at least one of a mobile device or a wearable device owned by a passenger, or an information device carried or installed in the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 7760 may also include a navigation device that searches for a route to a desired destination. The in-vehicle device I / F 7660 exchanges control signals or data signals with these in-vehicle devices 7760 .

[0172] The in-vehicle network I / F 7680 is an interface that mediates communication between the microcomputer 7610 and the communication network 7010. The in-vehicle network I / F 7680 transmits and receives signals in accordance with a predetermined protocol supported by the communication network 7010.

[0173] The microcomputer 7610 of the integrated control unit 7600 controls the vehicle control system 7000 in accordance with various programs based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I / F 7620, the dedicated communication I / F 7630, the positioning unit 7640, the beacon receiving unit 7650, the in-vehicle device I / F 7660, and the in-vehicle network I / F 7680. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may calculate control target values ​​for the driving force generating device, the steering mechanism, or the braking device based on acquired information inside and outside the vehicle, and output control commands to the drivetrain control unit 7100. For example, the microcomputer 7610 may perform cooperative control aimed at realizing functions of an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), including vehicle collision avoidance or impact mitigation, following driving based on the following distance, vehicle speed maintenance driving, vehicle collision warning, vehicle lane departure warning, etc. In addition, the microcomputer 7610 may perform cooperative control for the purpose of autonomous driving, in which the vehicle travels autonomously without relying on driver operation, by controlling a driving force generating device, a steering mechanism, a braking device, etc. based on information acquired about the vehicle's surroundings.

[0174] The microcomputer 7610 may generate three-dimensional distance information between the vehicle and objects such as surrounding structures and people, and create local map information including information about the vicinity of the vehicle's current location, based on information acquired via at least one of the general-purpose communication I / F 7620, the dedicated communication I / F 7630, the positioning unit 7640, the beacon receiving unit 7650, the in-vehicle device I / F 7660, and the in-vehicle network I / F 7680. Furthermore, the microcomputer 7610 may predict dangers, such as a vehicle collision, the approach of a pedestrian, or entry into a closed road, based on the acquired information, and generate a warning signal. The warning signal may be, for example, a signal for generating a warning sound or turning on a warning lamp.

[0175] The audio / video output unit 7670 transmits at least one of audio and image output signals to an output device capable of visually or audibly notifying vehicle occupants or the outside of the vehicle of information. In the example of FIG. 50 , an audio speaker 7710, a display unit 7720, and an instrument panel 7730 are illustrated as output devices. The display unit 7720 may include, for example, at least one of an on-board display and a head-up display. The display unit 7720 may have an AR (Augmented Reality) display function. The output device may also be other devices such as headphones, a wearable device such as an eyeglass-type display worn by the occupant, a projector, or a lamp. When the output device is a display device, the display device visually displays results obtained by various processes performed by the microcomputer 7610 or information received from other control units in various formats such as text, images, tables, and graphs. When the output device is an audio output device, the audio output device converts audio signals consisting of reproduced audio data or acoustic data into analog signals and audibly outputs the analog signals.

[0176] In the example shown in FIG. 50 , at least two control units connected via the communication network 7010 may be integrated into one control unit. Alternatively, each control unit may be composed of multiple control units. Furthermore, the vehicle control system 7000 may include another control unit not shown. In the above description, some or all of the functions performed by one control unit may be performed by another control unit. In other words, as long as information is transmitted and received via the communication network 7010, predetermined arithmetic processing may be performed by one of the control units. Similarly, a sensor or device connected to one control unit may be connected to another control unit, and multiple control units may transmit and receive detection information to and from each other via the communication network 7010.

[0177] In the vehicle control system 7000 described above, the zoom lens and imaging device of the present disclosure can be applied to the imaging unit 7410 and the imaging units 7910, 7912, 7914, 7916, and 7918.

[0178] [5.2 Second application example] The technology disclosed herein may be applied to an endoscopic surgery system.

[0179] Fig. 52 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of an endoscopic surgery system 5000 to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied. Fig. 52 shows a state in which an operator (doctor) 5067 is performing surgery on a patient 5071 on a patient bed 5069 using the endoscopic surgery system 5000. As shown in the figure, the endoscopic surgery system 5000 is composed of an endoscope 5001, other surgical tools 5017, a support arm device 5027 that supports the endoscope 5001, and a cart 5037 on which various devices for endoscopic surgery are mounted.

[0180] In endoscopic surgery, instead of cutting the abdominal wall and opening the abdomen, multiple tubular drilling instruments called trocars 5025a to 5025d are punctured into the abdominal wall. Then, a lens barrel 5003 of an endoscope 5001 and other surgical instruments 5017 are inserted into the body cavity of a patient 5071 through the trocars 5025a to 5025d. In the illustrated example, as the other surgical instruments 5017, an insufflation tube 5019, an energy treatment instrument 5021, and forceps 5023 are inserted into the body cavity of the patient 5071. The energy treatment instrument 5021 is a treatment instrument that uses high-frequency current or ultrasonic vibration to incise and dissect tissue, seal blood vessels, or the like. However, the illustrated surgical instrument 5017 is merely an example, and various surgical instruments generally used in endoscopic surgery, such as a suction cup or a retractor, may be used as the surgical instrument 5017.

[0181] An image of the area to be operated on inside the body cavity of the patient 5071, captured by the endoscope 5001, is displayed on the display device 5041. An operator 5067 performs treatment such as excising the affected area using the energy treatment tool 5021 and forceps 5023 while viewing the image of the area to be operated on displayed on the display device 5041 in real time. Although not shown in the figures, the insufflation tube 5019, the energy treatment tool 5021, and the forceps 5023 are supported by the operator 5067 or an assistant during surgery.

[0182] (Support arm device) The support arm device 5027 includes an arm portion 5031 extending from a base portion 5029. In the example shown, the arm portion 5031 is composed of joints 5033a, 5033b, and 5033c and links 5035a and 5035b, and is driven under the control of an arm control device 5045. The arm portion 5031 supports the endoscope 5001, and controls its position and orientation. This allows the endoscope 5001 to be stably fixed in position.

[0183] (Endoscopy) The endoscope 5001 is composed of a lens barrel 5003, a region of a predetermined length from the tip of which is inserted into a body cavity of a patient 5071, and a camera head 5005 connected to the base end of the lens barrel 5003. In the example shown in the figure, the endoscope 5001 is configured as a so-called rigid lens barrel having a rigid lens barrel 5003, but the endoscope 5001 may also be configured as a so-called flexible lens barrel having a flexible lens barrel 5003.

[0184] An opening into which an objective lens is fitted is provided at the tip of the lens barrel 5003. A light source device 5043 is connected to the endoscope 5001, and light generated by the light source device 5043 is guided to the tip of the lens barrel by a light guide extending inside the lens barrel 5003, and is irradiated via the objective lens toward an observation target inside the body cavity of the patient 5071. The endoscope 5001 may be a direct-viewing endoscope, an oblique-viewing endoscope, or a side-viewing endoscope.

[0185] An optical system and an image sensor are provided inside the camera head 5005, and light reflected from the object of observation (observation light) is collected onto the image sensor by the optical system. The image sensor photoelectrically converts the observation light to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the observation light, i.e., an image signal corresponding to the observed image. The image signal is transmitted as RAW data to a camera control unit (CCU) 5039. The camera head 5005 is equipped with a function for adjusting the magnification and focal length by appropriately driving the optical system.

[0186] Note that, for example, to support stereoscopic vision (3D display), a plurality of imaging elements may be provided in the camera head 5005. In this case, a plurality of relay optical systems are provided inside the lens barrel 5003 to guide observation light to each of the plurality of imaging elements.

[0187] (Various devices mounted on the cart) The CCU 5039 is configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc., and comprehensively controls the operations of the endoscope 5001 and the display device 5041. Specifically, the CCU 5039 performs various image processing, such as development processing (demosaic processing), on the image signal received from the camera head 5005 in order to display an image based on the image signal. The CCU 5039 provides the image signal after the image processing to the display device 5041. The CCU 5039 also transmits a control signal to the camera head 5005 to control its drive. The control signal may include information regarding imaging conditions such as magnification and focal length.

[0188] The display device 5041, under the control of the CCU 5039, displays an image based on an image signal that has been subjected to image processing by the CCU 5039. If the endoscope 5001 is compatible with high-resolution imaging, such as 4K (3840 horizontal pixels × 2160 vertical pixels) or 8K (7680 horizontal pixels × 4320 vertical pixels), and / or is compatible with 3D display, the display device 5041 may be capable of displaying high resolution and / or 3D display, respectively. If the endoscope 5001 is compatible with high-resolution imaging, such as 4K or 8K, a display device 5041 with a size of 55 inches or larger can be used to provide a more immersive experience. Furthermore, multiple display devices 5041 with different resolutions and sizes may be provided depending on the application.

[0189] The light source device 5043 is configured from a light source such as an LED (light emitting diode), and supplies the endoscope 5001 with irradiation light when photographing the operation site.

[0190] The arm control device 5045 is configured by a processor such as a CPU, and operates according to a predetermined program to control the driving of the arm portion 5031 of the support arm device 5027 according to a predetermined control method.

[0191] The input device 5047 is an input interface for the endoscopic surgery system 5000. A user can input various types of information and instructions to the endoscopic surgery system 5000 via the input device 5047. For example, the user inputs various types of information related to surgery, such as physical information about the patient and information about the surgical procedure, via the input device 5047. Furthermore, for example, the user inputs via the input device 5047 an instruction to drive the arm unit 5031, an instruction to change the imaging conditions (type of irradiation light, magnification, focal length, etc.) of the endoscope 5001, an instruction to drive the energy treatment tool 5021, etc.

[0192] The type of input device 5047 is not limited, and may be any of various known input devices. For example, a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a switch, a foot switch 5057, and / or a lever may be used as the input device 5047. When a touch panel is used as the input device 5047, the touch panel may be provided on the display surface of the display device 5041.

[0193] Alternatively, the input device 5047 may be a device worn by the user, such as a glasses-type wearable device or an HMD (Head Mounted Display), and various inputs are made in response to the user's gestures and line of sight detected by these devices. The input device 5047 may also include a camera capable of detecting the user's movements, and various inputs are made in response to the user's gestures and line of sight detected from the video captured by the camera. The input device 5047 may also include a microphone capable of capturing the user's voice, and various inputs are made by voice via the microphone. In this way, the input device 5047 is configured to be able to input various information in a non-contact manner, thereby enabling a user (e.g., a surgeon 5067) in a clean area to operate equipment in an unclean area in a non-contact manner. Furthermore, the user can operate the equipment without removing their hands from the surgical tools they are holding, improving user convenience.

[0194] The treatment tool control device 5049 controls the driving of an energy treatment tool 5021 for cauterizing tissue, incising, sealing blood vessels, etc. The insufflation device 5051 sends gas into the body cavity of the patient 5071 via an insufflation tube 5019 to ensure a clear field of view for the endoscope 5001 and to ensure a working space for the surgeon. The recorder 5053 is a device capable of recording various types of information related to the surgery. The printer 5055 is a device capable of printing various types of information related to the surgery in various formats such as text, images, or graphs.

[0195] Below, the particularly characteristic configuration of the endoscopic surgery system 5000 will be described in more detail.

[0196] (Support arm device) The support arm device 5027 includes a base 5029 serving as a base and an arm 5031 extending from the base 5029. In the illustrated example, the arm 5031 is composed of a plurality of joints 5033a, 5033b, and 5033c and a plurality of links 5035a and 5035b connected by the joint 5033b; however, for simplicity, FIG. 52 illustrates a simplified configuration of the arm 5031. In practice, the shapes, number, and arrangement of the joints 5033a to 5033c and the links 5035a and 5035b, as well as the directions of the rotation axes of the joints 5033a to 5033c, can be appropriately set so that the arm 5031 has the desired degrees of freedom. For example, the arm 5031 can be preferably configured to have six or more degrees of freedom. This allows the endoscope 5001 to be moved freely within the movable range of the arm portion 5031, making it possible to insert the lens barrel 5003 of the endoscope 5001 into the body cavity of the patient 5071 from the desired direction.

[0197] The joints 5033a to 5033c are provided with actuators, and the joints 5033a to 5033c are configured to be rotatable around predetermined rotation axes by driving the actuators. The driving of the actuators is controlled by an arm control device 5045, thereby controlling the rotation angles of the joints 5033a to 5033c and controlling the driving of the arm 5031. This makes it possible to control the position and attitude of the endoscope 5001. In this case, the arm control device 5045 can control the driving of the arm 5031 by various known control methods, such as force control or position control.

[0198] For example, the surgeon 5067 may appropriately input an operation via the input device 5047 (including the foot switch 5057), and the arm control device 5045 may appropriately control the drive of the arm unit 5031 in accordance with the operation input, thereby controlling the position and posture of the endoscope 5001. Through this control, the endoscope 5001 at the tip of the arm unit 5031 can be moved from any position to any other position, and then fixedly supported at the position after movement. The arm unit 5031 may be operated in a so-called master-slave manner. In this case, the arm unit 5031 can be remotely controlled by a user via the input device 5047 installed in a location away from the operating room.

[0199] Furthermore, when force control is applied, the arm control device 5045 may perform so-called power assist control, in which the actuators of the joints 5033a to 5033c are driven to receive an external force from the user and move the arm unit 5031 smoothly in accordance with the external force. This allows the user to move the arm unit 5031 with a relatively light force when moving the arm unit 5031 while directly touching it. This makes it possible to move the endoscope 5001 more intuitively and with a simpler operation, improving user convenience.

[0200] Generally, in endoscopic surgery, the endoscope 5001 is supported by a doctor called a scopist. However, by using the support arm device 5027, the position of the endoscope 5001 can be fixed more reliably without manual intervention, making it possible to obtain stable images of the surgical site and perform the surgery smoothly.

[0201] It should be noted that the arm control device 5045 does not necessarily have to be provided on the cart 5037. Furthermore, the arm control device 5045 does not necessarily have to be one device. For example, an arm control device 5045 may be provided on each of the joints 5033a to 5033c of the arm section 5031 of the support arm device 5027, and the drive control of the arm section 5031 may be realized by a plurality of arm control devices 5045 working together.

[0202] (Light source device) The light source device 5043 supplies the endoscope 5001 with illumination light for photographing the surgical site. The light source device 5043 is composed of a white light source formed, for example, of an LED, a laser light source, or a combination thereof. In this case, if the white light source is formed by a combination of RGB laser light sources, the output intensity and output timing of each color (each wavelength) can be controlled with high precision, and the light source device 5043 can adjust the white balance of the captured image. In this case, it is also possible to irradiate the object of observation with laser light from each of the RGB laser light sources in a time-division manner and control the drive of the image sensor of the camera head 5005 in synchronization with the irradiation timing, thereby capturing images corresponding to each of the RGB colors in a time-division manner. According to this method, a color image can be obtained without providing a color filter to the image sensor.

[0203] Furthermore, the light source device 5043 may be controlled to change the intensity of light it outputs at predetermined time intervals. By controlling the driving of the image sensor of the camera head 5005 in synchronization with the timing of the change in the light intensity to acquire images in a time-division manner and combining the images, it is possible to generate an image with a high dynamic range that is free from so-called blocked-up shadows and blown-out highlights.

[0204] The light source device 5043 may also be configured to supply light in a predetermined wavelength band corresponding to special light observation. Special light observation, for example, utilizes the wavelength dependence of light absorption in body tissues to irradiate light with a narrower band than the light irradiated during normal observation (i.e., white light), thereby capturing high-contrast images of specific tissues, such as blood vessels on the surface of mucous membranes, known as narrow-band imaging. Alternatively, special light observation may be performed using fluorescence observation, in which an image is obtained using fluorescence generated by irradiating excitation light. Fluorescence observation may involve irradiating excitation light onto a body tissue and observing the fluorescence from the body tissue (autofluorescence observation), or irradiating the body tissue with excitation light corresponding to the fluorescent wavelength of a reagent such as indocyanine green (ICG) to obtain a fluorescent image. The light source device 5043 may be configured to supply narrow-band light and / or excitation light corresponding to such special light observation.

[0205] (camera head and CCU) The functions of the camera head 5005 and the CCU 5039 of the endoscope 5001 will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 53. Fig. 53 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the camera head 5005 and the CCU 5039 shown in Fig. 52.

[0206] 53, the camera head 5005 has, as its functions, a lens unit 5007, an imaging unit 5009, a drive unit 5011, a communication unit 5013, and a camera head control unit 5015. The CCU 5039 has, as its functions, a communication unit 5059, an image processing unit 5061, and a control unit 5063. The camera head 5005 and the CCU 5039 are connected by a transmission cable 5065 to enable bidirectional communication.

[0207] First, the functional configuration of the camera head 5005 will be described. The lens unit 5007 is an optical system provided at the connection portion with the lens barrel 5003. Observation light taken in from the tip of the lens barrel 5003 is guided to the camera head 5005 and enters the lens unit 5007. The lens unit 5007 is configured by combining multiple lenses including a zoom lens and a focus lens. The optical characteristics of the lens unit 5007 are adjusted so as to focus the observation light on the light receiving surface of the image sensor of the imaging section 5009. In addition, the zoom lens and the focus lens are configured so that their positions on the optical axis can be moved to adjust the magnification and focus of the captured image.

[0208] The imaging unit 5009 is composed of an imaging element and is disposed after the lens unit 5007. Observation light passing through the lens unit 5007 is collected on the light receiving surface of the imaging element, and an image signal corresponding to the observed image is generated by photoelectric conversion. The image signal generated by the imaging unit 5009 is provided to the communication unit 5013.

[0209] The imaging element constituting the imaging unit 5009 is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) type image sensor having a Bayer array and capable of color imaging. The imaging element may be capable of capturing high-resolution images of, for example, 4K or higher. Obtaining high-resolution images of the surgical site allows the surgeon 5067 to grasp the state of the surgical site in more detail, enabling the surgery to proceed more smoothly.

[0210] Furthermore, the imaging element constituting the imaging unit 5009 is configured to have a pair of imaging elements for acquiring image signals for the right eye and the left eye corresponding to 3D display. 3D display enables the surgeon 5067 to more accurately grasp the depth of the biological tissue in the surgical site. When the imaging unit 5009 is configured as a multi-plate type, multiple lens units 5007 are also provided corresponding to the respective imaging elements.

[0211] Furthermore, the imaging unit 5009 does not necessarily have to be provided in the camera head 5005. For example, the imaging unit 5009 may be provided inside the lens barrel 5003, immediately after the objective lens.

[0212] The driving section 5011 is configured by an actuator, and moves the zoom lens and focus lens of the lens unit 5007 by a predetermined distance along the optical axis under the control of the camera head control section 5015. This allows the magnification and focus of the image captured by the imaging section 5009 to be adjusted appropriately.

[0213] The communication unit 5013 is configured with a communication device for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the CCU 5039. The communication unit 5013 transmits image signals obtained from the imaging unit 5009 as RAW data to the CCU 5039 via the transmission cable 5065. At this time, in order to display the captured image of the surgical site with low latency, it is preferable that the image signals be transmitted by optical communication. This is because, during surgery, the surgeon 5067 performs surgery while observing the condition of the affected area using the captured image, and for a safer and more reliable surgery, it is necessary that moving images of the surgical site be displayed as real-time as possible. When optical communication is performed, the communication unit 5013 is provided with a photoelectric conversion module that converts electrical signals into optical signals. The image signals are converted into optical signals by the photoelectric conversion module and then transmitted to the CCU 5039 via the transmission cable 5065.

[0214] The communication unit 5013 also receives control signals from the CCU 5039 for controlling the operation of the camera head 5005. The control signals include information related to imaging conditions, such as information specifying the frame rate of an image to be captured, information specifying an exposure value during imaging, and / or information specifying the magnification and focus of an image to be captured. The communication unit 5013 provides the received control signals to the camera head control unit 5015. The control signals from the CCU 5039 may also be transmitted by optical communication. In this case, the communication unit 5013 is provided with a photoelectric conversion module that converts optical signals into electrical signals, and the control signals are converted into electrical signals by the photoelectric conversion module and then provided to the camera head control unit 5015.

[0215] The image capturing conditions such as the frame rate, exposure value, magnification, and focus are automatically set by the control unit 5063 of the CCU 5039 based on the acquired image signal. That is, the endoscope 5001 is equipped with so-called AE (Auto Exposure) function, AF (Auto Focus) function, and AWB (Auto White Balance) function.

[0216] The camera head control unit 5015 controls the driving of the camera head 5005 based on a control signal received from the CCU 5039 via the communication unit 5013. For example, the camera head control unit 5015 controls the driving of the image sensor of the imaging unit 5009 based on information specifying the frame rate of the captured image and / or information specifying the exposure during image capture. Also, for example, the camera head control unit 5015 appropriately moves the zoom lens and focus lens of the lens unit 5007 via the drive unit 5011 based on information specifying the magnification and focus of the captured image. The camera head control unit 5015 may further have a function of storing information for identifying the lens barrel 5003 and the camera head 5005.

[0217] Incidentally, by arranging the components such as the lens unit 5007 and the imaging unit 5009 in a sealed structure that is highly airtight and waterproof, the camera head 5005 can be made resistant to autoclave sterilization.

[0218] Next, the functional configuration of the CCU 5039 will be described. The communication unit 5059 is configured by a communication device for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the camera head 5005. The communication unit 5059 receives an image signal transmitted from the camera head 5005 via the transmission cable 5065. At this time, as described above, the image signal may be preferably transmitted by optical communication. In this case, in order to support optical communication, the communication unit 5059 is provided with an optoelectric conversion module that converts an optical signal into an electrical signal. The communication unit 5059 provides the image signal converted into an electrical signal to the image processing unit 5061.

[0219] Furthermore, the communication unit 5059 transmits to the camera head 5005 a control signal for controlling the driving of the camera head 5005. This control signal may also be transmitted by optical communication.

[0220] The image processing unit 5061 performs various types of image processing on the image signal, which is RAW data transmitted from the camera head 5005. The image processing includes various known signal processing such as development processing, high image quality processing (band enhancement processing, super-resolution processing, NR (Noise Reduction) processing, and / or image stabilization processing, etc.), and / or enlargement processing (electronic zoom processing), etc. The image processing unit 5061 also performs detection processing on the image signal to perform AE, AF, and AWB.

[0221] The image processing unit 5061 is configured with a processor such as a CPU or GPU, and the processor operates according to a predetermined program to perform the image processing and detection processing described above. If the image processing unit 5061 is configured with multiple GPUs, the image processing unit 5061 divides information related to the image signal as appropriate, and performs image processing in parallel using these multiple GPUs.

[0222] The control unit 5063 performs various controls related to the imaging of the surgical site by the endoscope 5001 and the display of the captured image. For example, the control unit 5063 generates a control signal for controlling the driving of the camera head 5005. At this time, if the imaging conditions have been input by the user, the control unit 5063 generates the control signal based on the input by the user. Alternatively, if the endoscope 5001 is equipped with an AE function, an AF function, and an AWB function, the control unit 5063 appropriately calculates the optimal exposure value, focal length, and white balance according to the result of detection processing by the image processing unit 5061, and generates the control signal.

[0223] The control unit 5063 also displays an image of the surgical site on the display device 5041 based on the image signal processed by the image processing unit 5061. At this time, the control unit 5063 recognizes various objects in the surgical site image using various image recognition technologies. For example, the control unit 5063 can recognize surgical tools such as forceps, specific biological parts, bleeding, mist generated when using the energy treatment tool 5021, and the like by detecting the shape and color of the edges of objects included in the surgical site image. When displaying the image of the surgical site on the display device 5041, the control unit 5063 uses the recognition results to superimpose various surgical support information on the image of the surgical site. The superimposed surgical support information and its presentation to the surgeon 5067 enable the surgery to proceed more safely and reliably.

[0224] The transmission cable 5065 connecting the camera head 5005 and the CCU 5039 is an electric signal cable for communication of electric signals, an optical fiber for optical communication, or a composite cable of these.

[0225] In the illustrated example, communication is performed wired using the transmission cable 5065, but communication between the camera head 5005 and the CCU 5039 may be performed wirelessly. When communication between them is performed wirelessly, there is no need to lay the transmission cable 5065 in the operating room, which can eliminate the situation where the transmission cable 5065 interferes with the movement of medical staff in the operating room.

[0226] The above describes an example of an endoscopic surgery system 5000 to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied. Note that although the endoscopic surgery system 5000 has been described as an example here, systems to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied are not limited to this example. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be applied to a flexible endoscope system for inspection or a microsurgery system.

[0227] Of the configurations described above, the technology according to the present disclosure can be suitably applied to the camera head 5005. In particular, the zoom lens according to the present disclosure can be suitably applied to the lens unit 5007 of the camera head 5005.

[0228] <6. Other embodiments> The technology according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and examples, and various modifications are possible.

[0229] For example, the shapes and numerical values ​​of each part shown in the above embodiment and example are merely examples of specific embodiments for implementing this technology, and the technical scope of this technology should not be interpreted in a limited manner based on these.

[0230] In addition, while the embodiment and example described above are configured to essentially consist of six or seven lens groups, the lens may also be configured to consist of eight or more lens groups.Furthermore, the lens may further include a lens that has essentially no refractive power.

[0231] For example, the present technology can be configured as follows. According to the present technology having the following configuration, a zoom lens is configured with a first lens group having negative refractive power and a subsequent group including multiple lens groups, and the configuration of each lens group is optimized, so that fluctuations in aberrations that accompany focusing are well corrected, and it is possible to realize a zoom lens and an imaging device that are suitable for wide-angle lenses.

[0232] [1] From the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group having negative refractive power; a trailing lens group including multiple lens groups whose spacing between adjacent lens groups changes during zooming or focusing to a close distance; It consists of the plurality of lens groups include a positive lens group that moves during focusing on a close distance, a negative lens group, and an intermediate lens group that is disposed between the first lens group and the positive lens group and that always has positive refractive power during zooming; During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group and the intermediate lens group move so that the distance between them becomes smaller, and during focusing to a close distance, the positive lens group moves toward the object side, and the following condition is satisfied: Zoom lens. 0.5 <Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.8 ……(1) -0.2 <Fst2 / Fst1<0.5 ……(2) however, Fsw1: the movement amount of the positive lens group at the wide-angle end during focusing Fsw2: The movement amount of the negative lens unit at the wide-angle end during focusing Fst1: the movement amount of the positive lens group at the telephoto end during focusing Fst2: The movement amount of the negative lens unit at the telephoto end during focusing Let's say. [2] The positive lens group and the negative lens group are adjacent to each other, and the negative lens group is disposed on the image surface side of the positive lens group. The zoom lens according to [1] above. [3] The following condition is satisfied: The zoom lens according to [1] or [2] above. 0.6<|fFb2 / fFb1|<3.0 ……(3) however, fFb1: focal length of the positive lens group fFb2: focal length of the negative lens group Let's say. [4] The following condition is satisfied: The zoom lens according to any one of [1] to [3] above. 0.7 <fFb1 / ft<3.7 ……(4) however, fFb1: focal length of the positive lens group ft: focal length of the entire system at the telephoto end Let's say. [5] The following condition is satisfied: The zoom lens according to any one of [1] to [4] above. 0.9<|f1 / fw|<3.4 ……(5) however, f1: focal length of the first lens group fw: focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end Let's say. [6] The following condition is satisfied: The zoom lens according to any one of [1] to [5] above. 1.0 <fpt / ft<3.4 ……(6) however, fpt: focal length of the intermediate lens group at the telephoto end ft: focal length of the entire system at the telephoto end Let's say. [7] The intermediate lens group has an aperture stop near the object side, near the image plane side, or inside the intermediate lens group. The zoom lens according to any one of [1] to [6] above. [8] The subsequent group further includes at least two lens groups, on the image side of the negative lens group, that have a composite focal length that is always positive during zooming, and satisfies the following condition: The zoom lens according to [7] above. 4.6 <frw / fw<29.0 ……(7) however, frw: focal length at the wide-angle end of the at least two lens groups fw: focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end Let's say. [9] The subsequent group further includes at least two lens groups that are arranged on the image plane side of the negative lens group and move along different loci during zooming. The zoom lens according to any one of [1] to [8] above.

[10] the intermediate lens group is a single lens group, When zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the intermediate lens group moves toward the object side so that the distance between the intermediate lens group and the first lens group becomes smaller; the positive lens group moves toward the object side so that the distance between the positive lens group and the intermediate lens group becomes smaller; the negative lens group moves toward the object side while changing the distance between the negative lens group and the positive lens group, The lens group located closest to the object side among the at least two lens groups moves toward the object side while changing the distance between the lens group and the negative lens group. The zoom lens according to [8] or [9] above.

[11] a zoom lens and an imaging element that outputs an imaging signal corresponding to an optical image formed by the zoom lens; The zoom lens is From the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group having negative refractive power; a trailing lens group including multiple lens groups whose spacing between adjacent lens groups changes during zooming or focusing to a close distance; It consists of the plurality of lens groups include a positive lens group that moves during focusing on a close distance, a negative lens group, and an intermediate lens group that is disposed between the first lens group and the positive lens group and that always has positive refractive power during zooming; During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group and the intermediate lens group move so that the distance between them becomes smaller, and during focusing to a close distance, the positive lens group moves toward the object side, and the following condition is satisfied: Imaging device. 0.5 <Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.8 ……(1) -0.2 <Fst2 / Fst1<0.5 ……(2) however, Fsw1: the movement amount of the positive lens group at the wide-angle end during focusing Fsw2: The movement amount of the negative lens unit at the wide-angle end during focusing Fst1: the movement amount of the positive lens group at the telephoto end during focusing Fst2: The movement amount of the negative lens unit at the telephoto end during focusing Let's say.

[12] Further provided with a lens having substantially no refractive power. The zoom lens according to any one of [1] to

[10] above.

[13] The zoom lens further comprises a lens having substantially no refractive power. The imaging device according to

[11] above.

[0233] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-64580, filed on March 31, 2020, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0234] Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, combinations, subcombinations, and variations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors, and are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. From the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group having negative refractive power; a trailing lens group including multiple lens groups whose spacing between adjacent lens groups changes during zooming or focusing to a close distance; It consists of the plurality of lens groups include, in order from the object side to the image plane side, an intermediate lens group that always has positive refractive power during zooming, a positive lens group that moves during focusing to a close distance, and a negative lens group, and at least two lens groups; During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group and the intermediate lens group move so that the distance between them becomes smaller, and during focusing to a close distance, the positive lens group moves toward the object side, and the following conditional expression is satisfied: Zoom lens. 0.5<Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.8...(1) -0.2<Fst2 / Fst1<0.5...(2) however, Fsw1: movement amount of the positive lens group at the wide-angle end during focusing Fsw2: movement amount of the negative lens unit at the wide-angle end during focusing Fst1: movement amount of the positive lens group at the telephoto end during focusing Fst2: Amount of movement of the negative lens unit at the telephoto end during focusing Let's say.

2. The positive lens group and the negative lens group are adjacent to each other, and the negative lens group is disposed on the image surface side of the positive lens group.

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1.

3. The following condition is satisfied:

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1. 0.6<|fFb2 / fFb1|<3.0...(3) however, fFb1: focal length of the positive lens group fFb2: focal length of the negative lens group Let's say.

4. The following condition is satisfied:

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1. 0.7<fFb1 / ft<3.7...(4) however, fFb1: focal length of the positive lens group ft: focal length of the entire system at the telephoto end Let's say.

5. The following condition is satisfied:

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1. 0.9<|f1 / fw|<3.4...(5) however, f1: focal length of the first lens group fw: focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end Let's say.

6. The following condition is satisfied:

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1. 1.0<fpt / ft<3.4...(6) however, fpt: focal length of the intermediate lens group at the telephoto end ft: focal length of the entire system at the telephoto end Let's say.

7. The intermediate lens group has an aperture stop near the object side, near the image plane side, or inside the intermediate lens group.

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1.

8. The at least two lens groups have a composite focal length that is always positive during zooming, and satisfy the following conditional expression:

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1. 4.6<frw / fw<29.0...(7) however, frw: focal lengths at the wide-angle ends of the at least two lens groups fw: focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end Let's say.

9. The at least two lens groups move on different trajectories during zooming.

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1.

10. the intermediate lens group is a single lens group, When zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the intermediate lens group moves toward the object side so that the distance between the intermediate lens group and the first lens group becomes smaller; the positive lens group moves toward the object side so that the distance between the positive lens group and the intermediate lens group becomes smaller; the negative lens group moves toward the object side while changing the distance between the negative lens group and the positive lens group, The lens group located closest to the object side among the at least two lens groups moves toward the object side while changing the distance between the lens group and the negative lens group.

10. The zoom lens according to claim 9.

11. a zoom lens and an imaging element that outputs an imaging signal corresponding to an optical image formed by the zoom lens; The zoom lens is From the object side to the image plane side, a first lens group having negative refractive power; a trailing lens group including multiple lens groups whose spacing between adjacent lens groups changes during zooming or focusing to a close distance; It consists of the plurality of lens groups include, in order from the object side to the image plane side, an intermediate lens group that always has positive refractive power during zooming, a positive lens group that moves during focusing to a close distance, and a negative lens group, and at least two lens groups; During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group and the intermediate lens group move so that the distance between them becomes smaller, and during focusing to a close distance, the positive lens group moves toward the object side, and the following conditional expression is satisfied: Imaging device. 0.5<Fsw2 / Fsw1<1.8...(1) -0.2<Fst2 / Fst1<0.5...(2) however, Fsw1: movement amount of the positive lens group at the wide-angle end during focusing Fsw2: movement amount of the negative lens unit at the wide-angle end during focusing Fst1: movement amount of the positive lens group at the telephoto end during focusing Fst2: Amount of movement of the negative lens unit at the telephoto end during focusing Let's say.

Images