Patent ID: 8294764

Claim:
An imaging system for imaging an object within an extended depth-of-field (EDOF) at an imaging wavelength λ, comprising along an optical axis: a lens system having a total lens power φ T and an amount of spherical aberration SA, wherein 0.5λ≦SA≦1λ, the lens system comprising: a) a first most objectwise lens group that consists of first and second confronting meniscus lens elements that have an overall optical power φ 1 such that |φ 1 /φ T |≦0.05; b) a second most imagewise lens group comprising three lens elements, where two of the lens elements form a doublet that includes one negative lens element; c) an aperture stop arranged either between the first and second lens groups or within the second lens group; and an image sensor arranged to receive the image and form therefrom a digitized electronic raw image; and a controller arranged to send a control signal to activate said image sensor so that an image may be captured by a photosensitive surface of said image sensor.