Solid-state image pickup device and optical instrument using the same for adjusting curvatures of solid-state image pickup device based on focal length of lenses in optical instrument

An optical instrument comprising:

• a lens unit which includes at least two groups of lenses;
• a solid-state image pickup element which is curved in a concave shape toward the lens unit and picks up an image focused by the lens unit;
• a curvature changing portion comprising a moving member which is in direct physical contact with the image pickup element and is movable in a first direction that crosses a second direction in which light is incident on the solid-state image pickup element to change a curvature of the solid-state image pickup element;
• and
• a zoom unit which zooms the lens unit by changing a distance between at least two groups of lenses among the groups of lenses,
• wherein the curvature of the solid-state image pickup element is changed by the curvature changing portion together with the change in distance between the groups of lenses in the zoom unit.

An optical instrument comprising:

• a lens unit which includes at least two groups of lenses;
• a solid-state image pickup element which is curved in a convex or concave shape toward the lens unit and picks up an image focused by the lens unit;
• a curvature changing portion comprising a moving member which is in direct physical contact with the image pickup element and is movable in a first direction that crosses a second direction in which light is incident on the solid-state image pickup element to change a curvature of the solid-state image pickup element;
• and
• a zoom unit which zooms the lens unit by changing a distance between at least two groups of lenses among the groups of lenses,
• wherein the curvature of the solid-state image pickup element is changed by the curvature changing portion together with the change in distance between the groups of lenses by the zoom unit.

An optical instrument comprising:

• a photographing lens unit whose focal distance can be changed;
• a solid-state image pickup element which picks up an image focused by the lens unit, and
• a curvature changing portion comprising a moving member which is in direct physical contact with the image pickup element and is movable in a first direction that crosses a second direction in which light is incident on the solid-state image pickup element to change a curvature of the solid-state image pickup element,
• wherein the curvature of the solid-state image pickup element is changed by the curvature changing portion to form a concave cubic surface when viewed from the lens unit, in conjunction with the changing of the focal distance of the lens unit.

An optical instrument comprising:

• a photographing lens unit;
• a solid-state image pickup element which is curved in a light incident direction, and
• a curvature changing portion comprising a moving member which is in direct physical contact with the image pickup element and is movable in a first direction that crosses the light incident direction to change a curvature of the solid-state image pickup element,
• wherein a light receiving surface of the solid-state image pickup element does not correspond to an imaging surface of the photographing lens unit.

An optical instrument comprising:

• a photographing lens unit whose focal distance can be changed by changing a shape thereof;
• a solid-state image pickup element which picks up an image focused by the lens unit, and
• a curvature changing portion comprising a moving member which is in direct physical contact with the image pickup element and is movable in a first direction that crosses a second direction in which light is incident on the solid-state image pickup element to change a curvature of the solid-state image pickup element,
• wherein the curvature of the solid-state image pickup element is changed by the curvature changing portion to form in conjunction with a change in focal distance of the lens unit.

An optical instrument comprising:

• a photographing lens unit which includes a plurality of groups of lenses and whose focal distance can be changed,
• a part of the groups of lenses being capable to be inserted into an optical path and removed from the optical path;
• a solid-state image pickup element which is curved in a light incident direction;
• and
• a curvature changing portion comprising a moving member which is in direct physical contact with the image pickup element and is movable in a first direction that crosses the light incident direction to change a curvature of the solid-state image pickup element.