Abstract: The present invention provides a direct printing apparatus which prevents noise at a time of operation, downsizes the apparatus, prevents decrease of strength, and enables to certainly clean remaining printing particles. An endless belt member 92 disposed between a backing electrode 44 and a printing head 50 of printing station 16, the endless belt member 92 receiving the printing particles 38 which are propelled from the printing head and cleaning means for cleaning the printing particles adhering to the surface of the endless belt member are provided, whereby the printing particles adhering to the apertures of the printing head are collected on the endless belt member so that the printing particles are recovered by the cleaning means. Concretely, the backing electrode is applied with a voltage of opposite polarity to the printing particles adhering to the printing head whereby the printing particles adhering to the apertures of the printing head is cleaned.

Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera comprising; first means for measuring light from a central area of an object field, said first measuring means including a plurality of means for receiving light from different portions within the central area, respectively; second means for measuring light from a surrounding area other than the central area, the surrounding area being greater than each portion within the central area; means for selecting between a first exposure control mode and a second exposure control mode; and means for controlling exposure in accordance with one of said plurality of receiving means in said first exposure control mode, and in accordance with all of said plurality of receiving means and said second measuring means in said second exposure control mode.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus of an electronic camera according to the present invention has a lens barrier arranged on an object side of a photographing lens; an imaging device capable of changing electric charge storage time; a lens barrier state-detecting means for outputting a signal indicating an opening state of the lens barrier after detecting the opening state of the lens barrier; a release switch for starting a photographing operation; an imaging device control means for starting electric charge storage of the device when the signal of the opening state of the lens barrier is outputted from the detecting means and for outputting a charge termination signal when the charge is terminated; and a lens barrier opening and closing driving means for driving the lens barrier to open on the basis of a turning-on signal of the release switch and for driving the lens barrier to close on the basis of the charge termination signal outputted from the control means.

Abstract: A still camera for recording a still image by making use of an electronic signal has a taking lens system incorporated in a camera body in such a manner that one end portion thereof is directed to an object to be photographed for making an image of the object to obtain the electronic signal; a light emitting portion of an electronic flash device incorporated in the camera body in such a manner that one end portion thereof is directed to the object for emitting a flash light toward the object; and a recording medium containing portion arranged between the light emitting portion and taking lens system.

Abstract: A pseudo format camera system comprises a film cartridge including a memory which stores film speed data and limitation data, and a camera including a means for setting pseudo focal length, a means for inputting the film speed data and the limitation data from the memory, a means for controlling exposure based on the film speed data, and a means for limiting the pseudo focal length depending on the limitation data. In this camera system, the pseudo focal length can be limited based on the limitation data stored in the memory in the film cartridge, and therefore it is surely prevented that a picture becomes rough because of a bad grainness of a film.

Abstract: A lens retracting apparatus for a photo-taking device which comprises an interchangeable photo-taking lens, a main switch selectively switchable between an ON position for enabling an operation of the photo-taking device and an OFF position for inhibiting the operation of the camera, a focus detecting unit, a drive unit for selectively retracting and extending a focusing lens of the photo-taking lens toward an in-focus position on the basis of a result of focus detection carried out by the focus detecting unit, a discriminating unit for determining whether or not the photo-taking lens is retracted to a predetermined position, and a control means for driving the drive unit to retract the photo-taking lens only by switching off the main switch and also for stopping the drive unit when a condition in which the photo-taking lens is retracted to the predetermined position is determined by the discriminating unit.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprises a chamber in which a film is contained and a semiconductor memory such as nonvolatile memory, e.g., E.sup.2 PROM having a plurality of memory areas for storing various kinds of photographing data of each photography. In this semiconductor memory, photographing data are stored in different areas at each photographing and therefore the preceding photographing data stored in the memory are not deleted by this time photographing and photographing data of a desired film frame are accessible. Data used at a photo processing shop and a photofinishing laboratory can be also stored in the memory of the film cartridge.

Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera comprising;first means for measuring light from a central area of an object field, said first measuring means including a plurality of means for receiving light from different portions within the central area, respectively; second means for measuring light from a surrounding area other than the central area, the surrounding area being greater than each portion within the central area; means for selecting between a first exposure control mode and a second exposure control mode; and means for controlling exposure in accordance with one of said plurality of receiving means in said first exposure control mode, and in accordance with all of said plurality of receiving means and said second measuring means in said second exposure control mode.

Abstract: A still camera for recording an object image by making use of an electronic signal such as a still video camera is so constructed that a recording medium is positioned nearly in parallel with an optical axis of a taking lens system and also in the lateral direction to the taking lens system. Therefore, the camera body thereof can be formed in a flat shape, and additionally a red-eye phenomenon can be prevented from occurring by arranging a light emitting portion of an electronic flash device and the taking lens system sufficiently apart from each other.

Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera comprising; first means for measuring light from a central area of an object field, said first measuring means including a plurality of means for receiving light from different portions within the central area, respectively; second means for measuring light from a surrounding area other than the central area, the surrounding area being greater than each portion within the central area; means for selecting between a first exposure control mode and a second exposure control mode; and means for controlling exposure in accordance with one of said plurality of receiving means in said first exposure control mode, and in accordance with all of said plurality of receiving means and said second measuring means in said second exposure control mode.

Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera comprising:first means for measuring light from a central area of an object field, said first measuring means including a plurality of means for receiving light from different portions within the central area, respectively; second means for measuring light from a surrounding area other than the central area, the surrounding area being greater than each portion within the central area; means for selecting between a first exposure control mode and a second exposure control mode; and means for controlling exposure in accordance with one of said plurality of receiving means in said first exposure control mode, and in accordance with all of said plurality of receiving means and said second measuring means in said second exposure control mode.

Abstract: A multi-point photometric apparatus for use in a camera or the like operative to measure the luminance of several divided areas in an objective field. Among the luminance signals produced by the photometric circuit for the several areas, a signal from one area which is used for automatic focus adjustment is designated as a reference value, and the maximum and minimum values of luminance signals and the differences of these from the reference value are evaluated. The reference value and differences in the form of digital data and information on the film latitude are processed with a microprocessor to calculate the exposure value. The exposure value is modified to an extent that the reference remains within the film latitude.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a camera provided with an automatic focus adjusting apparatus in which, in addition to the function of carrying out an AE lock based on an in-focus detection, an AE lock can be carried out either before or after an AF operation is completed or when an AF operation is impossible. In other words, irrespective of the condition of an automatic focus adjusting means, an AE lock can be accomplished at any desired moment. Therefore, the degree of freedom in a photography operation is expanded.

Abstract: An exposure display device for a camera, which can display not only the density of the background to be photographed on a film but also the density of a primary object to be focused with respect to an exposure control value used for exposure control operation. In natural light photography, the brightness of the primary object area at which automatic focus detection is conducted and the brightness of divided object field areas are measured, the density distribution of the primary object area and those of the divided object field areas reproduced on the film are calculated basing on the measurement, and the results are displayed in correspondence to the exposure control value. In flash light photography, the expected brightness of the primary object area and divided object field areas are measured, and the density distribution of the primary object area and object field areas reproduced on the film are calculated and displayed in correspondence to the exposure control value.

Abstract: A multi-point photometric apparatus for use in a camera or the like operative to measure the luminance of several divided areas in an objective field. Among the luminance signals produced by the photometric circuit for the several areas, a signal from one area which is used for automatic focus adjustment is designated as a reference value, and the maximum and minimum values of luminance signals and the differences of these from the reference value are evaluated. The reference value and differences in the form of digital data and information on the film latitude are processed with a microprocessor to calculate the exposure value. The exposure value is modified to an extend that the reference remains within the film latitude.

Abstract: A flash photographing apparatus, including a camera and an electronic flash device, comprises a plurality of photoelectric elements for measuring brightness of a main and sub objects to be photographed. A diaphragm aperture value and shutter speed value of the camera are controlled according to the brightness of the sub object. A quantity of flash light emission is controlled according to a difference between the brightness information of the main and sub objects.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a camera provided with an automatic focus adjusting apparatus in which, in addition to the function of carrying out an AE lock based on an in-focus detection, an AE lock can be carried out either before or after an AF operation is completed or when an AF operation is impossible. In other words, irrespective of the condition of an automatic focus adjusting means, an AE lock can be accomplished at any desired moment. Therefore, the degree of freedom in a photography operation is expanded.

Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera in flash photography comprising;first means for measuring light from a central area of an object field; second means for measuring light from another area surrounding the central area; means responsive to said first and second measuring means for detecting a rear light condition; means for controlling exposure in response to said second measuring means to cause an over-exposure by a given value when said detecting means detects the back light condition; means for directing a flash light emission; and means for integrating light reflected from the object field upon the flash light emission to stop the flash light emission when the integrated light reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: A frame member is bonded on a base plate having a plurality of electrical contacts thereon. The frame member includes a plurality of apertures corresponding to the electrical contacts. Bonding means bonding the frame member on the base plate is formed by a waterproof double faced bonding member including a waterproof sheet and waterproof bonding agent applied to both sides of the sheet, the double faced bonding member separates the electrical contacts from each other to prevent accidential conduction between the adjacent electrical contacts due to a water drop.

Abstract: A film information reading device of a camera adapted for use with a film cartridge having on an outer periphery film information pattern consisting of a combination of a plurality of conductive or insulated code areas, including a chamber wall for defining a film loading chamber, and a plurality of electrical contact members which are in contact with the code areas on the film cartridge, when the film cartridge is loaded into the camera. The film information, such as film sensitive speed, can be read out by detecting whether the contact members are in contact with the conductive or insulative code areas.The chamber wall (11c, 11d, 21) has an opening (21a) opened toward the inside the film chamber (12). A base member (22) is slidably fitted within the opening (21a) so as to be slidingly movable between a projected position and a retracted position.