The present application provides a micromechanical (MEMS) based zoom lens system, for use in miniature device applications, such as miniature electronic imaging devices. The MEMS-based zoom lens system comprises at least four optical elements, or two Alvarez or Lohmann lenses, that are configured for passage of optical signals therethrough along an optical signal path. Each optical element is MEMS-driven and displaceable in a direction substantially transverse to the optical signal path. In use, the transverse displacement of the optical elements vary an overall focal length of the MEMS zoom lens system such as to provide an optical zoom function. A method of manufacturing a MEMS zoom lens system is also provided in a further aspect.

The effective focal length of an optical system can be electronically controlled using switchable wave plates in conjunction with polarized light.

Methods and apparatus for performing zoom in and zoom out operations are described using multiple optical chains in a camera device. At least one optical chain in the camera device includes a moveable light redirection device, said light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism. Different zoom focal length settings correspond to different scene capture areas for the optical chain with the moveable light redirection device. Overlap between scene areas captured by different optical chains increases during zoom in and decreases during zoom out. Images captured by different optical chains are combined and/or cropped to generate a composite image corresponding to a zoom focal length setting.

Provided is a lens assembly including a reflective optical member, an image sensor configured to receive at least a portion of light transmitted through the reflective optical member, at least three lenses disposed sequentially along a direction of an optical axis of the lens assembly between the reflective optical member and the image sensor, and a tunable lens between the at least three lenses and the image sensor, the tunable lens being configured to have a variable refractive power or curvature, wherein the reflective optical member is configured to reflect light incident in a direction intersecting the optical axis.

An optical system includes: a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power and a third lens group having a negative refractive power, sequentially arranged from an object side, when focusing, the second lens group moves along an optical axis, the first lens group and the third lens group are fixed relative to the imaging plane; when a distance from a face closest to the object side to a face closest to an image side of the second lens group is OAL2, and a distance from a face closest to the object side of the entire optical system to the imaging plane is OAL, it is satisfied that: 0.06OAL2/OAL.

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.

Methods and apparatus relating to image capture of image portions using optical chains with non-parallel optical axis are described. In some embodiments different portions of a scene area of interest captured by different optical chains operating in parallel are combined. The use of multiple optical chains in parallel facilitates generation of an image with a higher overall pixel count than would be possible using a single sensor of one of the optical chains and/or with more light capture than would be captured using a single one of the optical chains.

Methods and apparatus relating to image capture of image portions using optical chains with non-parallel optical axis are described. In some embodiments different portions of a scene area of interest captured by different optical chains operating in parallel are combined. The use of multiple optical chains in parallel facilitates generation of an image with a higher overall pixel count than would be possible using a single sensor of one of the optical chains and/or with more light capture than would be captured using a single one of the optical chains.

A zoom lens for projection consists of a negative first lens group, which is fixed during magnification change, a middle group, which includes plural lens groups that move during magnification change, and a positive last lens group, which is fixed during magnification change, in this order from a magnification side. A reduction side is non-telecentric. Both of a lens group closest to the magnification side and a lens group closest to the reduction side in the middle group have positive refractive power, and move from the reduction side toward the magnification side during magnification change from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. The last lens group includes at least two positive lenses and at least two negative lenses. A positive lens is arranged closest to the reduction side in the last lens group. A predetermined conditional expression about a focal length of the last lens group is satisfied.