A variable magnification optical system capable of realizing a high-resolution observation image display system that can arbitrarily change an observation field of view without changing a working distance of an observation optical system while keeping the observation optical system small in size and an imaging apparatus including the variable magnification optical system.

An optical unit includes a movable section that holds a movable lens group and includes a rotation restricting section, a fixed section that holds a fixed lens group and has specific permeability larger than 1.0, n thinned-down sections being provided in the fixed section, and a voice coil motor including an n magnet sections disposed at every (360/n)° around a center axis of the movable section and a coil section disposed in the fixed section. The n magnet sections are respectively housed in n thinned-down sections in a noncontact manner. The n thinned-down sections are formed in asymmetrical positions different from every (360/n)° around the center axis.

An optical system includes: a first optical element; a first movable frame; a holding frame; a voice coil motor; a first position detection unit configured to detect information related to a position of the first movable frame with respect to the holding frame and generate a first position signal; a determination unit configured to determine whether the first position signal is normal; and a drive control unit configured to perform, when the determination unit determines that the first position signal is normal, first drive control for driving the first movable frame by controlling, based on the first position signal, a current allowed to flow in the coil or configured to perform, when the determination unit determines that the first position signal is not normal, second drive control for driving the first movable frame by flowing a current with a predetermined value in the coil.

A surgical camera system comprising: a camera head including a housing; an image sensor within the housing; and the housing including a liquid lens therein for focusing an image received in the housing prior to transmission of the image to the image sensor, and a fixed solid lens adjacent the liquid lens.

An endoscope apparatus includes a camera and circuitry. The camera is detachably connected to a base of an endoscope adapted to be inserted in a subject and includes a sensor configured to image a subject image captured by the endoscope. The circuitry is configured to process an image captured by the camera and generate a video signal for display, calculate a gain in white balance based on the captured image, and perform mask edge detecting processing for detecting a boundary point between the subject image and a mask area other than the subject image included in the captured image.

A disinfection system is provided. The disinfection system may utilize ultraviolet light and/or ozone for disinfection of infected tissue. For example the system may involve an endoscopic ultraviolet light to disinfect lung tissue. In another aspect, the system may involve a ventilator which provides ozone in small doses to disinfect the tissue. Combinations and variations are further disclosed.

An endoscope system includes: an electric lens capable of changing a focal length by applying a voltage; an imaging unit configured to capture a subject image formed by the electric lens to generate image signals; a focus controller configured to perform control to periodically repeat sequential switching of the focal length of the electric lens between two or more values; and a video signal generator configured to generate a video signal to be provided to a display device from the image signals generated by the imaging unit.

Improved fluoresced imaging (FI) endoscope devices and systems are provided to enhance use of endoscopes with FI and visible light capabilities. An endoscope device is provided for endoscopy imaging in a white light and a fluoresced light mode. A chromatic adjustment assembly, typically implemented with prisms, compensates for a chromatic focal difference between the white light image and the fluoresced light image caused by the dispersive properties of the optical materials or optical design employed in the construction of the optical channel. The assembly is placed optically between the most proximal rod lens of the endoscope and the focusing optics, typically at an internal telecentric image space, to improve the chromatic correction. The prism assembly directs incoming light with different spectral content along separate paths which compensate for chromatic aberration.

Improved fluoresced imaging (FI) endoscope devices and systems are provided to enhance use of endoscopes with FI and visible light capabilities. An endoscope device is provided for endoscopy imaging in a white light and a fluoresced light mode. A chromatic adjustment assembly, typically implemented with prisms, compensates for a chromatic focal difference between the white light image and the fluoresced light image caused by the dispersive properties of the optical materials or optical design employed in the construction of the optical channel. The assembly is placed optically between the most proximal rod lens of the endoscope and the focusing optics, typically at an internal telecentric image space, to improve the chromatic correction. The prism assembly directs incoming light with different spectral content along separate paths which compensate for chromatic aberration.

The endoscope includes an observing optical system having a magnified-observation function which enables a proximity observation by approximating an object, and at least three illuminating optical systems which are, a first illuminating optical system, a second illuminating optical system, and a third illuminating optical system. An amount of light of the first illuminating optical system which is at a distance nearest from the observing optical system, out of at least the three illuminating optical systems which are the first illuminating optical system, the second illuminating optical system, and the third illuminating optical system, is not more than half of an amount of light of the second illuminating optical system and the third illuminating optical system, and the endoscope satisfies the following conditional expressions (1), (2), (3), (4), (6), and (7).
0.5<rd1/rd3<0.75 (1)
0.5<rd1/rd2<0.75 (2)
0.3<(rd2.sup.2LI1)/(rd1.sup.2LI2)<1.2 (3)
0.3<(rd3.sup.2LI1)/(rd1.sup.2LI3)<1.2 (4)
1.05<1/2<1.45 (6)
1.05<1/3<1.45 (7)