The anamorphic objective zoom lens includes, along an optical axis and in order from an object space to an image space: at least a negative (−) power spherical first lens group; an anamorphic second lens group, spherical third lens group preferably having positive (+) power, a variable power spherical fourth lens group and a positive (+) power spherical fifth lens group. The aperture stop is located before, after or preferably within the spherical fifth lens group. All spherical lens groups contain spherical and piano refractive optical surfaces. The anamorphic second lens group contains cylindrical and plano optical surfaces with at least one cylindrical surface oriented at substantially 90 degrees about at least one other cylindrical surface. The spherical first lens group may provide focusing. The variable power spherical fourth lens group provides zooming. The spherical third and fifth lens groups may provide compensation for thermal defocus.

An optical element driving system is provided. The optical element driving system includes an optical element driving mechanism and a control assembly. The optical element driving mechanism includes a movable portion, a fixed portion, a driving assembly, and a position-sensing assembly. The movable portion is used for connecting to an optical element. The movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion. The movable portion is in an accommodating space in the fixed portion. The driving assembly is used for driving the movable portion to move relative to the fixed portion. The control assembly provides a driving signal to the driving assembly to control the driving assembly. The position-sensing assembly is used for detecting the movement of the movable portion relation to the fixed portion and providing a motion-sensing signal to the control assembly.

A composite optical element comprises a first base member, an optical resin layer, a bonding layer, and a second base member which are sequentially laminated such that the optical resin layer and the bonding layer are sandwiched between light entering/exiting surfaces of the first base member and the second base member. The thickness of the bonding layer changes along a straight line extending from the center toward the outer periphery of the bonding layer. Specifically, the thickness along the straight line is greater at an intermediate position between a first position and a second position than either of the thicknesses at the first position and at the second position. The first position is apart from the center by 0.8 times of half the diameter of the optical resin layer, and the second position corresponds to the outer periphery of the bonding layer.

Disclosed herein is a lens comprising a central portion that comprises a first polymer; and a peripheral portion that comprises a second polymer; where the peripheral portion surrounds the central portion; and where the peripheral portion has a skeletal density that is greater than its bulk density. Disclosed herein too is a method of manufacturing a lens comprising injecting into a mold a molten polymer to produce the lens; where the lens comprises a central portion; and a peripheral portion; where the peripheral portion surrounds the central portion; and where the peripheral portion has a skeletal density that is greater than its bulk density.

A camera module includes a lens barrel configured to receive a lens, a substrate on which an image sensor is disposed, a housing configured to receive the lens barrel and to contact the substrate, a heat transfer member configured to contact the housing, and a heat dissipation member configured to contact the heat transfer member and dissipate heat from the heat transfer member in different lateral directions about the lens.

A lens unit includes: a resin lens including a flange forming an outer peripheral portion of the resin lens and a fitting portion having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the outer peripheral portion of the flange; a lens barrel including a lens housing chamber and an abutting surface, the lens housing chamber housing the resin lens with the fitting portion facing the abutting surface; and a pressing member pressing the resin lens against the abutting surface along an optical axis of the resin lens. The fitting portion being fit into the lens housing chamber over an entire circumference of the fitting portion with clearance between the entire circumference and the lens housing chamber to position the resin lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the resin lens.

A lens unit includes a guided portion that includes a first bearing portion and a second bearing portion disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a direction X and is slidably supported by a guide shaft, and a lens holding member. The lens unit includes a first tilt-preventing member having a linear expansion coefficient lower than a linear expansion coefficient of the lens holding member. The first tilt-preventing member is fixed to a region of the guided portion positioned between the first bearing portion and second bearing portion.

A digital video camera, including a heat management system, which includes at least one inlet and at least one outlet in the housing to enable air to flow through the housing. The heat management system also includes a first heat sink thermally connected to an image sensor(s), and a second heat sink thermally connected to a data processing unit(s), and a centrifugal fan. The centrifugal fan is configured to draw air into the front of the fan in an axial direction and push air radially out in a sideways direction, whereby air travels through the inlet(s) over the first heat sink and then over the second heat sink to the outlet(s).

A blended optical device includes a first objective with a first axis and a first image position adjustment means for adjusting the position of a first image. An electronic control circuitry is configured to control the first adjustment means to adjust a position of the first image. A second objective includes a second axis and a variable focus mechanism, and a blender configured to form a blended image from the first image and a second image. The electronic control circuitry is configured to receive data from the second objective regarding a range to a target of the second objective as a function of the focus setting, and to adjust the position of the first image so that the blended image is corrected for parallax errors.

In an imaging apparatus, a control unit controls driving of a lens based on a correction amount calculated from a temperature change acquired by a temperature detection unit and a correction coefficient of the lens.