Multiple magnification stereo video telescope objective lens system

A stereoscopic objective lens system for a stereo video telescope, the objective lens system having elements disposed along an optical path to convert light propagated from an object and received at an objective end of the objective system to pixel-mapped left and right optical images at an image plane end of the objective system, the objective lens system comprising:

• A. a collimator lens system proximate to the objective end for collecting light propagated from points on the object, said collimator lens system being disposed along said optical path and having a defined optical axis, a selected diameter and a selected optical power, whereby said collimator lens system images the object points substantially to infinity so that light transmitted by said collimator lens system from the object points is substantially collimated,
• B. a right/left stereo lens pair, said pair including a right stereo lens and a left stereo lens, said right and left stereo lenses being adjacent to said collimator lens system and disposed for collecting light from said collimator lens system, said right stereo lens and said left stereo lens each having a respective optical axis substantially parallel to the optical axis of the collimator lens system, said optical axes of said right/left stereo lens pair each being a parallel sub-component part of said optical path,
• wherein said collimator lens system and said right/left stereo lens pair cooperate so that the collimator lens system presents equal-angle chief ray pairs from symmetrically disposed object points to the lenses of said right/left stereo lens pair,
• C. a dual telescope including a first Galilean telescope including two doublets extending along a first axis and a second Galilean telescope including two doublets extending along a second axis, wherein said first and second Galilean telescopes are each rotatable about a respective pivot axis perpendicular to said optical axes of said right and left stereo lenses to selectively be in a first state wherein:
• said first axis is in alignment with said optical axis of said left stereo lens and said second axis is in alignment with said optical axis of said right stereo lens, whereby said doublets of said first and second Galilean telescopes are in the optical path of said system, or
• in a second state wherein
• said first axis is out of alignment with said optical axis of said left stereo lens and said second axis is out of alignment with said optical axis of said right stereo lens, whereby said doublets of said first and second Galilean telescopes are out of said optical path of said system,
• whereby said right stereo lens generates a right image at the image plane, and
• said left stereo lens generates a left image at the image plane, such that corresponding portions of each right/left image are mapped to within a selected distance of each other.

A multiple field stereoscopic objective lens system for a stereo digital camera, the objective lens system having elements disposed along an optical path to convert light propagated from an object and received at an objective end of the objective system to pixel-mapped left and right optical images of said object at an image plane end of the objective system, the objective lens system comprising:

• A. a first collimator doublet lens disposed along said optical path and proximate to the objective end for collecting light from points on the object, said first doublet lens having a first optical axis, a selected diameter and a selected optical power,
• B. a second collimator doublet lens for collecting light from said first collimator doublet lens, said second collimator doublet lens being disposed along said optical path and adjacent to said first collimator doublet lens and having a second optical axis substantially collinear with said first optical axis of the first collimator doublet lens, said second collimator doublet lens having a selected diameter and a selected optical power, whereby said first and second collimator doublet lenses cooperate to image the object points substantially to infinity so that light transmitted by the second collimator doublet lens from the object points is substantially collimated,
• C. a multiple field left/right stereo lens pair assembly including on a base:
• i. a first right/left stereo lens pair, said first pair including a first pair right stereo lens and a first pair left stereo lens, said first pair right and first pair left stereo lenses being adapted for positioning adjacent to said second collimator doublet lens and disposed for collecting light from said second collimator doublet lens, said first pair right stereo lens and said first pair left stereo lens each having a respective optical axis substantially parallel to said second optical axis of the second collimator doublet lens,
• ii. a second right/left stereo lens pair, said second pair including a second pair right stereo lens and a second pair left stereo lens, said second pair right and second pair left stereo lenses being adapted for positioning adjacent to said second collimator doublet lens and disposed for collecting light from said second collimator doublet lens, said second pair right stereo lens and said second pair left stereo lens each having a respective optical axis substantially parallel to said second optical axis of the second collimator doublet lens, wherein the magnification of said first and second pair right and left stereo lenses are different,
• wherein said base and said first and second right/left stereo lens pairs are rotatable about a pivot axis parallel to said first optical axis to selectively be in a first state wherein:
• said optical axes of said first right/left stereo lens pair are each a parallel sub-component part of said optical path, and said first and second collimator doublet lenses and said first right/left stereo lens pair cooperate so that the first and second collimator doublet lenses present equal-angle chief ray pairs from symmetrically disposed object points to the lenses of first said right/left stereo lens pair, and whereby said first pair right stereo lens generates a right image at the image plane, and said first pair left stereo lens generates a left image at the image plane, such that corresponding portions of each right/left image are mapped to within a selected distance of each other, and
• in a second state wherein
• said optical axes of said second right/left stereo lens pair are each a parallel sub-component part of said optical path, and
• said first and second collimator doublet lenses and said second right/left stereo lens pair cooperate so that the first and second collimator doublet lenses present equal-angle chief ray pairs from symmetrically disposed object points to the lenses of said second right/left stereo lens pair, and whereby said second pair right stereo lens generates a right image at the image plane, and
• said second pair left stereo lens generates a left image at the image plane, such that corresponding portions of each right/left image are mapped to within a selected distance of each other.