Patent ID: 7167304
Filing Date: 2007-01-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A binocular stereoscopic observation apparatus comprising: an imaging section forming left and right images with parallax in at least two directions; and an observing section in which the images with parallax are stereoscopically observed with a viewer's eyes, wherein the imaging section has an imaging lens forming images of an object at imaging positions on each of left and right optical paths and i imaging positions on an optical axis of the imaging lens, satisfying the following conditions: where L j is a distance, measured along the optical axis, from the imaging lens to a jth imaging position, Ek is a difference between distances, measured along the optical axis, from adjacent imaging positions to the imaging lens, and Dd is an image-side depth of an optical system of the imaging section, the observing section has an eyepiece optical system and i display devices on each of the left and right optical paths so that an image formed at the jth imaging position from the imaging lens on each optical path of the imaging section is displayed on a jth display device from the eyepiece optical system on a corresponding optical path, satisfying the following condition: where M j is a distance, measured along the optical axis, from the eyepiece optical system to the jth display device, and the observing section further has means for superimposing i displayed images on a viewer's pupil, and here, i is an integer of 2 or more and j is an integer satisfying conditions, 1≦j≦i and j≧2.