Varioptic is a name to reckon with, when it’s about Liquid Camera lenses, but anyways it’s not about Varioptic today. It’s about a Japanese company Itochu which has made a deal with liquid lens manufacturing US based small firm Holochip.
Currently Holochip manufactures liquid lenses for industrial use only, but Itochu’s plans are to bring the technology of future to personal products. They want to launch products that use this technology in Asian market.
Liquid lens works on the principle of human eye, it is all about a membrane enclosing liquid whose focal length can be changed by changing size of lens. And that is done by applying pressure to the liquid lens. Mechanism is explained in the photo displayed on top.
Major benefit of this type of lens is that they can be smaller than normal glass lenses and are clearer with better optical zoom options.
Critics may say that Liquid lenses can freeze or that they can get misty in hot conditions, but Holochip says that they are efficiently operational from -20º to +60º C.
I just can’t wait to see one of their products. I can at least imagine a mobile phone that provides real good camera options, though it will take couple of years to happen.
Via: DigitalWorldTokyo
