A focussing and focal length adjusting device for an optical lens system in the
camera head of an endoscope. This device includes a focussing device which has
several piezoelectric bending actuators attached along and symmetrically to the
optical axis of the focussing lens. The piezoelectric bending actuators are via
in each case one joint member connected to a sleeve encompassing the focussing
lens in a manner such that with voltage impingement bending movements carried out
by the bending actuators are converted into a linear focussing movement for the
focussing lens. Furthermore a zoom drive adjusting the focal length of a zoom lens
system includes a stepper motor whose stepped rotation via a grooved roller and
a pin linearly moved by the helical groove of this roller is converted into a linear
movement of a zoom lens sleeve for the focal length adjustment. The activation
of the stepper motor for the zoom operation, and the production of the focus adjusting
signal for the piezoelectric actuators of the focussing device are effected during
the vertical blanking interval of the video signal, this interval being extracted
by an extraction circuit from the video signal and being led to a respective focussing
circuit and a zoom control circuit in the form of a time window.