An image-capturing device includes: a plurality of micro-lenses disposed in a two-dimensional pattern near a focal plane of an image forming optical system; an image sensor that includes a two-dimensional array of element groups each corresponding to one of the micro-lenses and made up with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which receive, via the micro-lenses light fluxes from a subject having passed through the photographic optical system and output image signals; and a synthesizing unit that combines the image signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements based upon information so as to generate synthetic image data in correspondence to a plurality of image forming areas present on a given image forming plane of the image forming optical system, the information specifying positions of the photoelectric conversion elements output image signals that are to be used for generating synthetic image data for each image forming area.

An image-capturing device includes: a plurality of micro-lenses disposed in a two-dimensional pattern near a focal plane of an image forming optical system; an image sensor that includes a two-dimensional array of element groups each corresponding to one of the micro-lenses and made up with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which receive, via the micro-lenses light fluxes from a subject having passed through the photographic optical system and output image signals; and a synthesizing unit that combines the image signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements based upon information so as to generate synthetic image data in correspondence to a plurality of image forming areas present on a given image forming plane of the image forming optical system, the information specifying positions of the photoelectric conversion elements output image signals that are to be used for generating synthetic image data for each image forming area.

An autofocus lens system includes no conventional moving parts and has excellent speed and low power consumption. The system includes a small electronically-controlled focusing-module lens. The focusing-module lens includes two adjustable polymeric surfaces (e.g., two adjustable-surface lenses in a back-to-back configuration). The curvature of the surfaces can be adjusted to change focus. The performance of the autofocus lens system is extended by adding a conventional first and second lens, or lens group, on either side of the focusing-module lens. What results is an autofocus lens system with excellent near field and far field performance.

An autofocus lens system includes no conventional moving parts and has excellent speed and low power consumption. The system includes a small electronically-controlled focusing-module lens. The focusing-module lens includes two adjustable polymeric surfaces (e.g., two adjustable-surface lenses in a back-to-back configuration). The curvature of the surfaces can be adjusted to change focus. The performance of the autofocus lens system is extended by adding a conventional first and second lens, or lens group, on either side of the focusing-module lens. What results is an autofocus lens system with excellent near field and far field performance.

An optics system includes at least one emitting fiber tip that transmits a divergent beam. The divergent beam includes a global maximum intensify of radiation centered with an output optical axis. The divergent beam includes central beams for collimating and periphery beams for disposing. The periphery beams include parasitic radiation of the divergent beam. The optics system includes at least one collimating lens having an output size, output shape, and output optical axis centered thereto and configured to redirect the central beams to a target and redirect the periphery beams into free-space; and at least one redirecting element positioned in between the at least one emitting fiber tip and the at least one collimating lens. The redirecting element includes a first area having an interior size and interior shape to transmit the central beams, and at least one second area outside of the first area to transmit the periphery beams.

An image forming lens system includes an aperture stop, and an image-side lens unit group which is disposed on an image side of the aperture stop. The image-side lens unit group includes a first image-side lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second image-side lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third image-side lens unit having a negative refractive power. Any one of the first image-side lens unit, the second image side lens unit, and the third image-side lens unit is a focusing lens unit which moves along the optical axis at the time of focusing, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied:
0.06<|f.sub.fo/f|<0.4(1) where, f denotes a focal length of the image forming lens system at the time of focusing at an object at infinity, and f.sub.fo denotes a focal length of the focusing lens unit.

An annular optical spacer includes a first side portion, a second side portion, an outer annular portion and an inner annular portion. The second side portion is disposed opposite to the first side portion. The outer annular portion connects the first side portion and the second side portion. The inner annular portion connects the first side portion and the second side portion, wherein the inner annular portion is closer to a central axis of the annular optical spacer than the outer annular portion. The inner annular portion includes a plurality of annular grooves, wherein the annular grooves are disposed coaxially to the central axis, and each of the annular grooves includes a plurality of stepped surfaces.

Embodiments regard fabrication of air gap regions in multicomponent lens systems. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a first lens, the first lens including a pattern of photoresist material; a second lens bonded with the first lens by the photoresist material; and an air gap region between the first lens and the second lens. The photoresist pattern defines the air gap region between the first lens and the second lens.

An optical imaging system is described including first to sixth lenses sequentially disposed from an object side to an image side, and an image sensor configured to convert incident light reflected from a subject, having passed through the first to sixth lenses, into an electrical signal. One of the first to sixth lenses includes a spherical object-side surface and another of the first to sixth lenses includes corresponding aspherical object-side surfaces. The first to sixth lenses include corresponding aspherical image-side surfaces, and a lens of the first to sixth lenses that is closer to the object side than the one of the first to sixth lenses including the spherical object-side surface, has a highest refractive index among the first to sixth lenses.

An optical imaging system is described including first to sixth lenses sequentially disposed from an object side to an image side, and an image sensor configured to convert incident light reflected from a subject, having passed through the first to sixth lenses, into an electrical signal. One of the first to sixth lenses includes a spherical object-side surface and another of the first to sixth lenses includes corresponding aspherical object-side surfaces. The first to sixth lenses include corresponding aspherical image-side surfaces, and a lens of the first to sixth lenses that is closer to the object side than the one of the first to sixth lenses including the spherical object-side surface, has a highest refractive index among the first to sixth lenses.