Image pickup optical system comprising a prism fixing member for preventing a deterioration in the capability of correcting decentration abberation, and apparatus therefore

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member and a second prism member,
• said first prism member comprises, as optical acting surfaces, at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration,
• said second prism member comprises an entrance surface, a reflection surface and an exit surface, at least said reflection surface of said second prism member and one of said entrance surface and said exit surface of said second prism member comprise a combined transmission and reflection surface constructed of the same surface, and
• a fixing member to fix a position relation between at least said first prism member and one other optical element is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration due to a misalignment upon setting.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member, and at least one optical element in said plurality of optical elements is fixed to said first prism member and is constructed of a filter,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member to fix a position relation between at least said first prism member and one other optical element is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration due to a misalignment upon setting.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member, a second prism member and a filter, said filter being located between said first prism member and said second prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member to fix a position relation between at least said first prism member and one other optical element provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration due to a misalignment upon setting, and said first prism member, said filter and said second prism member are integrally fixed together by said fixing member.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member, a second prism member and a stop, said stop being located between said first prism member and said second prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member for fixing a position relation between at least said first prism member and one other optical element is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration due to a misalignment upon setting, and said first prism member, said stop and said second prism member are integrally fixed together by said fixing member.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member for fixing position relations among at least said first prism member, one other optical element and said image pickup member is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration aberration due to a misalignment upon setting,
• wherein a filter is located between said first prism member and at least one optical element fixed to said first prism member, and said first prism member, said filter and said at least one optical element fixed to said first prism member are integrally fixed together by means of said fixing member.

An image pickup optical system comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises, as optical acting surfaces, at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member constructed to fix position relations among at least said first prism member, one other optical element and said image pickup member, is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration aberration due to a misalignment upon setting,
• wherein said fixing member comprises a frame structure having an opening, said image pickup member is located at a position different from that of said opening, said opening is brought into contact with the exit surface or a side surface of said first prism member, so that said first prism member and said image pickup member are mutually fixed to each other.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least a first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member to fix a position relation between at least said first prism member and one other optical element is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration due to a misalignment upon setting,
• wherein said fixing member fixing together said first prism member and at least one optical element fixed to said first prism member is constructed of a spacer member connected to a side of said first prism member and a side of said at least one optical element fixed to said first prism member.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises at least one first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member for fixing a position relation between at least said first prism member and said image pickup member is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration aberration due to a misalignment upon setting,
• wherein said rotationally asymmetric curved surface of said first prism member is constructed of a three-dimensional surface that is symmetric with respect to a plane and has only one symmetric plane, and said fixing member is constructed such that a position relation of said first prism member to said image pickup member is fixed thereby locating a center of said image pickup surface of said image pickup member on a plane extending from said symmetric surface of said first prism member.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises at least one first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration, and
• a fixing member for fixing a position relation between at least said first prism member and said image pickup member is provided so as to prevent a deterioration in a capability of said rotationally asymmetric curved reflection surface of said first prism member of correcting decentration aberration due to a misalignment upon setting,
• wherein said rotationally asymmetric curved surface of said first prism member is constructed of a three-dimensional surface that is symmetric with respect to a plane and has only one symmetric plane, said image pickup member comprises an image pickup surface in a quadrangular form, and said fixing member is constructed such that a position relation of said first prism member to said image pickup member is fixed, thereby making said fixing member parallel with said symmetric plane of said first prism member and at least one side of said quadrangular form forming said image pickup surface of said image pickup member.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image;
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system;
• and
• a holding member constructed and arranged to hold said image pickup member, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises at least one first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises as optical acting surfaces at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration,
• said first prism member includes a first coupling mechanism, and
• said holding member includes a second coupling mechanism, so that said first and second coupling mechanisms are coupled together to position said first prism member and said image pickup member.

An image pickup optical system, comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least one first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises, as optical acting surfaces, at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration,
• said first prism member includes a first coupling mechanism, and
• one of said plurality of optical elements includes a second coupling mechanism, so that said first and second coupling mechanisms are coupled together to position said first prism member and said one of the plurality of optical elements.

An image pickup optical system comprising:

• an image formation optical system configured to form an object image, and
• an image pickup member adapted to receive said object image formed by said image formation optical system, wherein:
• said image formation optical system comprises a plurality of optical elements including at least one first prism member,
• said first prism member comprises, as optical acting surfaces, at least an entrance surface on which a ray bundle strikes, a reflection surface for reflecting said ray bundle within said first prism member, and an exit surface through which said ray bundle leaves said first prism member,
• said reflection surface is constructed in a curved surface form that gives power to said ray bundle, said curved surface being constructed of a rotationally asymmetric curved surface having an action on correction of decentration aberration,
• said first prism member includes a first coupling mechanism,
• one of said plurality of optical elements includes a second coupling mechanism, and
• a spacer member includes a coupling portion configured to couple to said first coupling mechanism and a coupling portion to couple to said second coupling mechanism, so that said first prism member and said one of the plurality of optical elements are positioned via said spacer member.