IMAGE ACQUISITION SYSTEM WITH FLEXIBLE TRANSMISSION ELEMENT

The invention relates to an image capture system (10) with a camera unit (20) that serves to capture images of the exterior area of a motor vehicle, and a protective element (21), wherein at least the camera unit (20) and/or the protective element (21) are movable via a mechanism (22) by means of a drive (60) from at least one closed position (Ia) into at least one open position (IIa), wherein in the closed position (Ia) of the protective element (21) at least one lens (20.1) of the camera unit (20) is inaccessible from the outside behind the protective element (21), and in the open position (IIa) at least the lens (20.1) of the camera unit (20) is released by the protective element (21) for image capture. It is essential to the invention that at least one deflection element (30, 31) is arranged on the mechanism (22), which serves to change the direction of a force acting on the mechanism (22), whereby, among other things, a compact installation space is realized.