Technologies are generally described for optical image diversion to provide image capture and display from one or more directions using an image sensor. In some examples, an optical assembly may be used to receive light or other electromagnetic radiation from multiple (including opposing) directions and to provide light or other electromagnetic radiation to an image sensor or detector to capture images. The optical assembly may be centrally-aligned or offset. The optical assembly may be configured to allow collection of light or other electromagnetic radiation from two or more locations. An auto focus or stabilization element may be integrated into one or more optical paths inside an optical switching device. In other examples, a conical or spherical element may be employed to allow capture of panoramic/360 degree images or video. Elements may also be stacked. Furthermore, the optical assembly may be configured to split an optical beam to allow tiling or superimposition of images from different directions at the image sensor.

An image capture system includes a plurality of image sensors arranged in a pattern such that gaps exist between adjacent image sensors of the plurality of image sensors. Each of the image sensors may be configured to capture sensor image data. The image capture system may also have a main lens configured to direct incoming light along an optical path, a microlens array positioned within the optical path, and a plurality of tapered fiber optic bundles. Each tapered fiber optic bundle may have a leading end positioned within the optical path, and a trailing end positioned proximate one of the image sensors. The leading end may have a larger cross-sectional area than the trailing end. Sensor data from the image sensors may be combined to generate a single light-field image that is substantially unaffected by the gaps.

A device for creating more natural three-dimensional image effects which may be recorded, for example, by video cameras. The device has an intermittent image pathway occluder for receiving at least two image pathways which alternately and intermittently occludes the two image pathways, a horizontal imaging-shifting component for shifting at least one of the image pathways leftward or rightward, a vertical imaging-shifting component for shifting the image pathways upward and downward, and an image pathway compositing component which forms a coincident superimposed composite three-dimensional image after the image pathways have been shifted by the horizontal and vertical imaging-shifting components, and after passing through the intermittent image pathway occluder. Also, a device for enhancing the more natural three-dimensional effect of such images which are created and which may be recorded and/or displayed.

A device for creating more natural three-dimensional image effects which may be recorded, for example, by video cameras. The device has an intermittent image pathway occluder for receiving at least two image pathways which alternately and intermittently occludes the two image pathways, a horizontal imaging-shifting component for shifting at least one of the image pathways leftward or rightward, a vertical imaging-shifting component for shifting the image pathways upward and downward, and an image pathway compositing component which forms a coincident superimposed composite three-dimensional image after the image pathways have been shifted by the horizontal and vertical imaging-shifting components, and after passing through the intermittent image pathway occluder. Also, a device for enhancing the more natural three-dimensional effect of such images which are created and which may be recorded and/or displayed.

A stereoscopic vision optical system includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power, disposed nearest to an object, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a rear-side lens group having a positive refractive power. The rear-side lens group includes a first rear group and a second rear group. The optical axis of the first lens group, an optical axis of the first rear group, and an optical axis of the second rear group is positioned on the same plane. The optical axis of the first lens group is positioned between the optical axis of the first rear group and the optical axis of the second rear group, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied:
0.08≤((−L/2)×(f1/f2))×(1/WD)≤0.25  (1).

An image-capturing optical system includes an aperture stop; a first lens group closer to an object than the aperture stop and composed of multiple glass lenses including a meniscus lens having a negative power closest to the object within the first lens group, and a second lens group closer to an image than the aperture stop. The second lens group includes a first plastic lens, a second plastic lens adjacent to the first plastic lens and closer to the image than the first plastic lens. The second plastic lens has a surface facing the image, in which curvature is positive in vicinity of the optical axis and an absolute value of the curvature increases within a range from the vicinity of the optical axis to an off-axis area of the surface, and a glass lens having positive power closest to the image within the second lens group.

An image capture device having a first integrated sensor lens assembly (ISLA), a second ISLA, and an image processor is disclosed. The first and second ISLAs may each include a respective optical element that have different depths of field. The first and second ISLAs may each include a respective image sensor configured to capture respective images. The image processor may be electrically coupled to the first ISLA and the second ISLA. The image processor may be configured to obtain a focused image based on a first image and a second image. The focused image may have an extended depth of field. The extended depth of field may be based on the depth of field of each respective optical element.

An image capture device includes a plurality of stacked ceramic circuit boards, an image sensor, signal conditioning electronics, and a connector. Each ceramic circuit board is parallel and directly coupled to at least one other circuit board. The image sensor is mounted to a first ceramic circuit board. The signal conditioning electronics are mounted to one or more of the stacked ceramic circuit boards and are coupled to receive electrical signals generated by the image sensor. The image capture device is enclosed by a shaft and the stacked ceramic circuit boards are stacked along a length of the shaft. The connector is mounted to a second ceramic circuit board that is on an opposite side of the plurality of stacked ceramic circuit boards from the first ceramic circuit board. The connector is mounted to a side of the second ceramic circuit board facing away from the first ceramic circuit board.

An image sensor includes a substrate, thin lenses disposed on a first surface of the substrate and configured to concentrate lights incident on the first surface, and light-sensing cells disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface facing the first surface, and the light-sensing cells being configured to sense lights passing through the thin lenses, and generate electrical signals based on the sensed lights. A first thin lens and second thin lens of the thin lenses are configured to concentrate a first light and a second light, respectively, of the incident lights onto the light-sensing cells, the first light having a different wavelength than the second light.

A multi-eye interchangeable lens is disclosed. In one example, it includes a lens barrel, a movable unit, individual-eye lenses, and a light source. The movable unit is movable along an optical axis with respect to the lens barrel. The individual-eye lenses are integrally movable with the movable unit and are arranged such that emission positions of imaging lights emitted via the individual-eye lenses do not overlap with one another. The light source is configured to be movable along the optical axis integrally with the movable unit and the individual-eye lenses, and is arranged such that an emission position of an irradiation light emitted to an image sensor provided in a camera body does not overlap with the emission position of the imaging light of each of the individual-eye lenses.