Abstract: Apparatus, and an accompanying method, for use in a photographic camera for selecting a lens aperture setting for a full flash exposure of a scene based upon re-assessed depth-of-field requirements for that scene. Specifically, full flash lighting will cause the exposure of both the primary and background subjects in a scene to increase. Inasmuch as increased background illumination attributable to the full flash will render the background subject increasingly visible in the flash exposure, a lens will need to provide additional depth-of-field in order to sharply photograph the entire scene including not only the primary subject but also the background subject.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an accompanying method, for use in a photographic camera for determining whether to utilize fill flash illumination in photographing a current scene. Specifically, fill flash illumination is used if both an initial value of the scene lighting contrast, based upon measured near primary and distanct primary (or background) subject lighting levels, indicates that a distant primary or background subject is lighter than a near primary subject and use of fill flash illumination will reduce the scene lighting contrast from its initial value. Fill flash illumination will be inhibited if the distant primary or background subject will not be adequately illuminated to generate a proper exposure thereof or if the near primary subject will be excessively illuminated relative to the distant primary or background subject so as to cause a reversal in the scene lighting contrast to occur.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an accompanying method, for use in a photographic camera for determining a lens aperture value for use during a fill flash exposure of a scene wherein the aperture value will impart a sufficient depth-of-field to a photographed image of the scene to capture both near and distant (background) subjects therein with pre-defined, typically ISO normal, exposures. Specifically, minimum and maximum aperture limit values are first determined from the permissible fastest and slowest shutter speeds that can be used to provide an ISO normal exposure of the distant subject. The fastest shutter speed is the fastest shutter speed to which a flash unit in use can be synchronized, while the slowest shutter speed is governed by the focal length of the lens in use.

Abstract: Exposure control apparatus and methods for use in a photographic camera to improve the overall quality of photographed images over that obtainable by adherence to ISO/ANSI exposure standards. The quality improvement is attained through automatic selection of photographic exposure parameters primarily based upon scene requirements (including providing sufficient depth-of-field and avoiding image blur) and film exposure characteristics, rather than through use of the ISO/ANSI exposure standards. Specifically, the present invention: (a) determines the initial exposure settings, e.g. shutter speed and lens aperture size and, where appropriate, flash parameters, necessary to provide a baseline, typically an ISO normal exposure of a scene to be photographed; (b) ascertains corresponding exposure settings (and, where appropriate, flash parameters) that actually meet the scene requirements, such as e.g.