Patent ID: 7448994

Claim:
An endoscope comprising: an endoscope tube; a lens system arranged in the endoscope tube and comprising lens components and first air gaps between the lens components; an illumination system arranged within the endoscope tube; wherein the endoscope lens components each have an axial lens length; wherein the endoscope lens components comprise first lens components and second lens components, wherein the axial lens length of the first lens components is the shortest axial lens length, respectively, and wherein the axial lens length of the second lens components is longer than the shortest axial lens length; wherein the first lens components with the shortest axial lens length are arranged in an area of an axial center of the endoscope tube; wherein the second lens components having the longer axial lens length are comprised of a first half and a second half and a second air gap arranged between the first and second halves; wherein the second lens components have a partial area having a reduced outer diameter, respectively.