Anamorphic Lens System with Modular Rear Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anamorphic objective lenses are expensive, large, heavy, and complex, making them costly and impractical for applications requiring multiple focal lengths, especially in cinematography and still photography, where they often produce lower image quality, especially at close distances.
Innovation Solution
An anamorphic objective lens system comprising a single front anamorphic section paired with multiple rear non-anamorphic sections, allowing for the creation of different focal lengths without the need for additional cylindrical lens elements or complex focusing optics, using standard quick-release mounts for easy attachment and maintaining consistent axial length across assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional anamorphic objective lenses are used to achieve different focal lengths, then the anamorphic imaging characteristics are maintained, but the cost, size, and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is divided into two functional segments: a front anamorphic section containing cylindrical lens elements and a rear spherical section containing spherical lens elements. This segmentation allows the heavy anamorphic components to be separated from the spherical components, enabling the spherical section to be optimized for different focal lengths while the anamorphic section remains constant, thus reducing overall weight for multi-focal-length applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The anamorphic optical function is extracted and isolated into a dedicated front section that remains fixed across different focal length configurations. This extraction allows the rear spherical section to be independently optimized for each focal length without carrying unnecessary anamorphic complexity, reducing the weight of individual lens assemblies.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional anamorphic objective lenses are used to achieve different focal lengths, then the anamorphic imaging characteristics are maintained, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is divided into two functional segments: a front anamorphic section containing cylindrical lens elements and a rear spherical section containing spherical lens elements. This segmentation allows the expensive anamorphic components to be produced once and reused across multiple focal length configurations, while the spherical section can be manufactured using more cost-effective processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The front anamorphic section serves as a universal component that can be paired with multiple different rear spherical sections to create various focal length configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need to manufacture complete anamorphic lens assemblies for each focal length, significantly lowering overall manufacturing costs.
3Reliability
If front anamorphic optical construction is used to enhance anamorphic look, then the bokeh shape and depth of field are improved, but the cylindrical lens elements become large in diameter and more costly
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is segmented into a front anamorphic section with cylindrical elements and a rear spherical section. This segmentation allows the cylindrical elements to be positioned where they are most effective for creating anamorphic effects, while the spherical elements handle the bulk of the light gathering and focusing, reducing the required diameter and cost of the expensive cylindrical components.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the optical system are assigned different qualities: the front section uses cylindrical elements with specific optical properties to create anamorphic effects, while the rear section uses spherical elements optimized for light gathering. This local optimization allows each component to be sized appropriately for its function, reducing overall cost.
4Reliability
If additional cylindrical surfaces are added to improve close focusing performance, then the image quality at close distances is improved, but the cylindrical lens elements become larger and more costly
Solution Approach 1:
The focusing function is separated from the anamorphic function by placing the focusing optics in the rear spherical section rather than adding complexity to the front anamorphic section. This allows close focusing to be achieved through spherical lens elements that are more cost-effective and smaller in diameter.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly reduces the cost and size of anamorphic objective lens assemblies while maintaining high image quality and consistency across focal lengths, enabling practical hand-held use and improved performance at close distances.
Implementation Method 1
an anamorphic lens group with axially stationary first and third lens sub-groups and a second lens sub-group between the first and third lens sub-groups that is axially movable for focusing
Implementation Method 2
a second lens sub-group between the first and third lens sub-groups that is axially movable for focusing
Data Source
AI summary
The anamorphic objective lens systems (100LS) and methods for forming a set of anamorphic objective lens assemblies (100(i)) having different focal lengths (FLY) and that utilize a front anamorphic section (20) and a set of two or more non-anamorphic sections (50(i)). The non-anamorphic sections are optically matched to the front anamorphic section and their front ends (52) are configured to be easily attached to and detached from the back end (24) of the front anamorphic section to create the anamorphic objective lens assemblies having the different focal lengths. Because the anamorphic objective lens system uses only a single front anamorphic section and multiple non-anamorphic attachments, the cost of having multiple anamorphic objective lens assemblies is substantially reduced as compared to using individual anamorphic objective lenses for each of the desired focal lengths.