Patent ID: RE42898

Claim:
An electronic zoom image input method that enables zooming without degrading the resolution, by imaging apparatus, comprising : a fixed focus input image compressing optical system configured to form a compressed zoom input image having a function of compressing , the compression of the input image more largely as it moves being a function of distance to the a circumferential part , thereof such that the compression of the input image increases as the distance to the circumferential part decreases; an image sensor configured to receive the compressed zoom input image with reduced input image plane area providing preferably uniform pixel density, and a conversion unit for the processing of the zoom image converting and correcting of to provide data representing the compressed zoom input image to reproduce zoom output images ; and a conversion unit connected to said image sensor for converting and correcting the data representing the compressed input image to produce output data representing a standard angle image and wide angle image, a length of the wide angle image being at least twice a length of the standard angle image, wherein a resolution of the wide angle image is higher in a central portion than a resolution of the standard angle image and the same at an outer edge .