The present invention comprises a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power and a rear group (GR) having a plurality of lens groups, the first lens group and the rear group being arranged side by side on the optical axis in order from an object side, wherein: when the magnification is varied from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the distance between the first lens group (G1) and the rear group (GR) changes; distances between the plurality of lens groups constituting the rear group (GR) change from each other; the rear group (GR) has, in order from the object side, a first focusing lens group (GF1) having a negative refractive power and a second focusing lens group (GF2) having a negative refractive power; both the first and second focusing lens groups move toward an image side on the optical axis when focusing from infinity to a short distance position; and the following conditional expression is satisfied.

0.000<(MWF1/MTF1)/(MWF2/MTF2)<0.500

where

MWF1, which is an amount of movement of the first focusing lens group when focusing from infinity to a short distance position in the wide-angle end state, MTF1, which is an amount of movement of the first focusing lens group when focusing from infinity to a short distance position in the telephoto end state,

MWF2, which is an amount of movement of the second focusing lens group when focusing from infinity to a short distance position in the wide-angle end state, and

MTF2, which is an amount of movement of the second focusing lens group when focusing from infinity to a short distance position in the telephoto end state, are all set such that the movement toward the image side is positive.

A variable magnification optical system (ZL) comprises a front group (GA) and a rear group (GB). The rear group (GB) has a first focusing lens group (GF1) and a second focusing lens group (GF2). From focusing on an object at infinity to focusing on a short-distance object, the front group (GA) is fixed with respect to an image surface, and the first focusing lens group (GF1) and the second focusing lens group (GF2) move on different trajectories along an optical axis. The variable magnification system satisfies the following conditional expressions.

0.25<βF1t/βF1w<2.00

0.25<βF2w/βF2t<2.00 where βF1t is the magnification of the first focusing lens group (GF1) in a telephoto end state, βF1w is the magnification of the first focusing lens group (GF1) in a wide-angle end state, βF2t is the magnification of the second focusing lens group (GF2) in the telephoto end state, and βF2w is the magnification of the second focusing lens group (GF2) in the wide-angle end state.

The zoom lens consists of, in order from an object side, a first lens group that has a positive refractive power, a second lens group that has a negative refractive power, a middle group that includes one or more lens groups, and a final lens group. The middle group has a positive refractive power as a whole throughout an entire zoom range. During zooming, a spacing between the first lens group and the second lens group changes, a spacing between the second lens group and the middle group changes, and a spacing between the middle group and the final lens group changes. The zoom lens satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.

A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side along an optical axis, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, and a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state W to a telephoto end state T, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 increases, and a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 decreases. Given conditions are satisfied. Accordingly, a zoom lens having high optical performance with suppressing variations in aberrations, an optical apparatus equipped therewith, and a method for manufacturing the zoom lens are provided.

Multi-cameras and in particular dual-cameras comprising a Wide camera comprising a Wide lens and a Wide image sensor, the Wide lens having a Wide effective focal length EFL.sub.W and a folded Tele camera comprising a Tele lens with a first optical axis, a Tele image sensor and an OPFE, wherein the Tele lens includes, from an object side to an image side, a first lens element group G1, a second lens element group G2 and a third lens element group G3, wherein at least two of the lens element groups are movable relative to the image sensor along the first optical axis to bring the Tele lens to two zoom states, wherein an effective focal length (EFL) of the Tele lens is changed from EFL.sub.T,min in one zoom state to EFL.sub.T,max in the other zoom state, wherein EFL.sub.Tmin>1.5×EFL.sub.W and wherein EFL.sub.Tmax>1.5×EFL.sub.Tmin.

Folded Tele cameras comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding a first optical path OP1 to a second optical path OP2, a lens including N=8 lens elements, the lens being divided into three lens groups numbered, in order from an object side of the lens, G1, G2 and G3, and an image sensor, wherein G1 and G3 are included in a single G13 carrier, wherein G2 is included in a G2 carrier, wherein both the G13 carrier and the G2 carrier include rails for defining the position of G2 relative to G13, wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor continuously between a minimum zoom factor ZF.sub.MIN and a maximum zoom factor ZF.sub.MAX by moving the G2 carrier relative to the G13 carrier and by moving the G13 carrier relative to the image sensor, and wherein an effective focal length (EFL) is 7.5 mm<EFL<50 mm. The G2 carrier may be positioned by a lens transporter within the G13 carrier at a particular zoom factor to form a lens pair to enable optical investigation and/or transporting of the lens pair.

A zoom lens consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens group that has a positive refractive power; a second lens group that has a negative refractive power; and a subsequent group that has a plurality of lens groups, wherein: the zoom lens includes an aperture stop at a position closer to the image side than a lens surface closest to the image side in the second lens group, a lens group closest to the image side in the subsequent group includes at least one negative lens of which an object side lens surface is a concave surface being in contact with air, during zooming, a spacing between the first lens group and the second lens group changes, a spacing between the second lens group and the subsequent group changes, and spacings between all adjacent lens groups in the subsequent group change.

A projection lens system and method therefor relate to a Fourier lens assembly including a first attachment section, the Fourier lens assembly configured to form a Fourier transform of an object at an exit pupil of the Fourier lens assembly; an aperture configured to block a portion of 5 incident light, the aperture located approximately at a plane of the Fourier transform; and a zoom lens assembly including a second attachment section configured to be removably attached to the first attachment section.

A projection lens system and method therefor relate to a Fourier lens assembly including a first attachment section, the Fourier lens assembly configured to form a Fourier transform of an object at an exit pupil of the Fourier lens assembly; an aperture configured to block a portion of 5 incident light, the aperture located approximately at a plane of the Fourier transform; and a zoom lens assembly including a second attachment section configured to be removably attached to the first attachment section.

Systems are presented with special mechanical means to switch a set of lens elements to form a compound lens from a storage position to an imaging position, In the storage mode, these arrangements offer highly efficient space saving schemes suitable for use in application where space is a premium. In the imaging mode, a plurality of lens singlets are brought together on a common imagine axis whereby they operate to form very high quality images at a single image plane. Singlet lenses are held in a lens mount device of a disk element. A plurality of similar cooperating disk elements move against adjacent coupled disks to cause well-regulated desirable motion and positioning. Specifically, portions of the disk include a cam system which permits smooth movement as disk elements are counter rotated with respect to each other thus driving the preferred positioning.