Patent ID: 8457485

Claim:
An optical element holder utilized in order to take stereo images with two cameras, the optical element holder comprising: a rectangular parallelepiped beam splitter having a rectangular incident surface and a facing surface opposing the rectangular incident surface; a pair of holding members arranged facing each other and configured to retain the beam splitter with either of lengthwise end portions of the beam splitter fitted into the pair of holding members; and a pressing member configured to press on the pair of holding members to draw them toward each other; wherein the holding members each have a flat-surface portion covering a lateral surface of the beam splitter, and a peripheral wall portion standing peripherally along the flat-surface portion, and a width, along the beam splitter lengthwise, whereby its facing surface and each holder peripheral wall portion overlap is greater than a width, in the same direction, whereby the beam-splitter incident surface and each holder peripheral wall portion overlap.