The present invention relates to a color separating-combining optical system
of a configuration having a separating optical system which separates light from
a light source into a plurality of color spectrums; a combining optical system
which combines light spectrums from a plurality of image display elements illuminated
by the respective color spectrums; a filter which transmits a color spectrum of
a specific wavelength band out of the plurality of color spectrums separated by
the separating optical system; and a plurality of polarizing elements each disposed
on the light entrance side of the plurality of image display elements, the polarizing
elements being adapted to analyze the corresponding color spectrums incident to
the respective image display elements. The color separating-combining optical system
is further characterized in that the filter is placed apart from the polarizing
element corresponding to the color spectrum transmitted by the filter.
