Patent ID: 8243250

Claim:
A photographic lens unit comprising: a lens barrel frame which includes a first end part and a second end part located away from the first end part, the first end part including a first opening through which light is incident, and the second end part including a second opening through which light from the first opening passes outward; photographic lenses which are located inside the lens barrel frame to form an optical image from the incident light in a side of the second end part of the lens barrel frame which has an optical axis, and which includes a liquid crystal optical element having a plurality of transparent electrode plates holding a liquid crystal between them, at least one of the transparent electrode plates including at least one first side and at least one second side extending in a direction crossing the at least one first side; a board which is located on the second end part of the lens barrel frame and which includes an opening section surrounding the optical axis; an imaging element which converts the optical image formed by the photographic lenses into an electric signal; an imaging element holder which holds the imaging element; a two-dimensional drive mechanism which is capable of driving the imaging element holder in directions perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographic lenses with respect to the board, and a liquid crystal optical element holder which is fixed to the lens barrel frame, which includes first and second retention members having facing portions facing each other, the first and second retention members holding the liquid crystal optical element between the facing portions, and each having an opening section surrounding the optical axis, the facing portion of the first retention member including a first positioning section which includes at least one first positioning reference surface and at least one second positioning reference surface extending in a direction crossing the at least one first positioning reference surface, the at least one first positioning reference surface and at least one second positioning reference surface being in contact with the at least one first side and at least one second side of the at least one of the transparent electrode plates of the liquid crystal optical element and positioning the liquid crystal optical element in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographic lenses, and the facing portion of the second retention member including a second positioning section which presses the liquid crystal optical element on the facing portion of the first retention member and which specifies a position of the liquid crystal optical element in a direction along the optical axis of the liquid crystal optical element.