A zoom lens, a camera module, and a mobile terminal. The zoom lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group arranged along an axis extending from an object side to an image side, where the first lens group is a fixed lens group with positive focal power nearest an object side, where the second lens group is a zoom lens group with negative focal power, where the third lens group is a compensative lens group with positive focal power nearest an image side to an image side, and where the second lens group is configured to move, in a zooming process of the zoom lens from a short-focal end to a long-focal end, toward the image side along an optical axis, and the where third lens group is configured to move toward the object side along the optical axis.

A lens interchangeable digital camera includes an image sensor in which a subject image is formed on an imaging surface through an imaging optical system including a zoom lens and a sensor movement type shake correction mechanism that performs a sensor movement operation of moving the image sensor in a direction to cancel a shake. A zoom operation determination unit determines whether or not a zoom operation in which the zoom lens moves is being performed. In a case where the zoom operation determination unit determines that the zoom operation is being performed, an operation deciding unit prohibits a shift operation which is at least a part of a sensor movement operation which is allowed while the zoom operation is stopped.

A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group of which at least a part moves for focusing, a plurality of lens groups which move in zooming, an aperture stop, and a final lens group which does not move for zooming. The final lens group includes a separation element PR for separating an incident light thereon into a transmitted light and a reflected light, a relay unit LR having a positive refractive power on which the transmitted light is incident, and a relay unit LA having a positive refractive power on which the reflected light is incident. An inequality about Fwp/Fw is satisfied, where Fw is a focal length at a wide angle end of the zoom lens via the relay unit LR and FwP is a focal length at the wide angle end of the zoom lens via the relay unit LA.

A camera module includes: a housing defining an internal space; a first lens module disposed in the internal space to move along an optical axis direction, the first lens module including at least one first bearing member; a second lens module disposed in the internal space to move along the optical axis direction, the second lens module including at least one second bearing member; a shaft disposed in the housing and supporting a first side of the first lens module and contacting the at least one first bearing member and supporting a first side of the second lens module and contacting the at least one second bearing member; at least one first ball member supporting a second side of the first lens module; and at least one second ball member supporting a second side of the second lens module.

A variable magnification optical system according to the present invention includes a C lens group having positive refractive power, a B lens group having negative refractive power, and an A lens group having positive refractive power in order from an image side and includes an N lens group having negative refractive power on an object side in relation to the A lens group, wherein when zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, at least the A lens group, the B lens group, and the N lens group are moved relative to an image plane and a predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.

A variable magnification optical system according to the present invention includes, in order from an object side: a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, and a following lens group, wherein at least the second lens group is moved so that a gap between the first lens group and the second lens group increases and a gap between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases when zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, and a predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.

Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera having a depth which is less than the maximum length of the outer lens of at least one optical chain of the camera are described. In some embodiments a light redirection device, e.g., a mirror, is used to allow a relatively long optical chain with a relatively large non-circular outer lens. In some embodiments the light redirection device has a depth, e.g., front of camera to back of camera dimension, which is less than the maximum length of the aperture of the outer lens in the aperture's direction of maximum extent. Multiple optical chains with non-circular outer lenses arranged in different directions may and in some embodiments are used to capture images with the captured images being combined to generate a composite image.

Zoom digital cameras comprising a Wide sub-camera and a folded fixed Tele sub-camera. The folded Tele sub-camera may be auto-focused by moving either its lens or a reflecting element inserted in an optical path between its lens and a respective image sensor. The folded Tele sub-camera is configured to have a low profile to enable its integration within a portable electronic device.

A camera module disclosed in an embodiment of the invention includes: a first holder having a plurality of first lens groups arranged in a first direction; a second holder having a plurality of second lens groups arranged in the first direction; and a first driving means for moving the first holder having the plurality of first lens groups in the optical axis direction, wherein each of the plurality of first lens groups may include a plurality of lenses, and each of the plurality of second lens groups may include a plurality of lenses.

The 1-2nd lens group is divided into three lens groups which move when focusing is performed during the magnification change. Even in a case in which the second optical group is formed of one mirror, it is possible for a primary image to contain appropriate aberration and to hereby reduce aberration of an image which is finally projected onto a screen through the second optical group.