Compact stereoscopic picture taking system

A stereoscopic picture taking system, comprising:

• a first camera comprising a first optical objective;
• a second camera comprising a second optical objective, wherein optical characteristics of the first optical objective are substantially identical to optical characteristics of the second optical objective;
• and
• a plane semi-reflecting plate disposed in front of the first optical objective and inclined by a predetermined angle on an optical axis of said first optical objective,
• wherein the first optical objective comprises, in the following order, a first divergent group of lenses, a thick glass plate, a first convergent group of lenses, a first variator comprising two movable groups of lenses, and a first fixed assembly comprising two group of lenses,
• wherein the second optical objective comprises, in the following order, a second divergent group of lenses, a return prism comprising a plane reflecting surface, a second convergent group of lenses, a second variator comprising two movable groups of lenses, and a second fixed assembly comprising two group of lenses, the second divergent group of lenses being identical to the first divergent group of lenses, the second convergent group of lenses being identical to the first convergent group of lenses, the second variator being identical to the first variator, and the second fixed assembly being identical to the first fixed assembly, and
• wherein an optical thickness of said return prism being identical to an optical thickness of the thick glass plate, said plane reflecting surface being inclined substantially by the predetermined angle on an optical axis of said second optical objective such that a main part of the optical axis of the second optical objective is substantially parallel to the optical axis of the first optical objective.