Abstract: A lens shutter type of camera is disclosed in which a zoom lens is positioned in a lens block (1) which has a sector gear (15) rotatably associated with the lens block and with a rotatable cam ring (14). The cam ring and sector gear are rotatable in a substantially constant axial position. A movable finder optical assembly (8) and a movable strobe assembly (9) are movable in association with movement of the zoom lens. The zoom lens is movable between an extreme telephoto position and an extreme wide angle position, as well as into a fully collapsed lens position beyond the extreme wide angle position and a macro or close-up photographing position beyond the extreme telephoto position. When the camera is in its macro mode, a prism (P1) is inserted into the finder optical assembly to correct for parallax; the strobe assembly is moved to change its illumination angle; and an optical wedge (4e) is pivoted into the path between a light receiver (4) and a light emitter (3e).

Abstract: A camera to which an external flash device may be mounted has a focal length detecting device which detects the focal length of a photo-taking lens, a conversion device which converts the detected focal length information into focal length information having a prescribed relationship to the detected focal length information, and a transmitter which transmits the converted focal length information to the external flash device.

Abstract: A lens barrel and a camera system are capable of precisely calculating a photographic magnification and a field range. The lens barrel having a focusing or zooming movable lens unit is stored with effective focal length data corresponding to a position of the movable lens unit, detects the position of the movable lens unit, outputs the corresponding effective focal length data and calculates the photographic magnification and the field range. An accuracy of a calculated value is thereby enhanced enough not to cause an underexposure on the whole or the underexposure in a peripheral portion as compared with a central portion.

Abstract: In order to vary a light emission angle, a light source is moved so that its position relative to a reflector is varied. In one mode, by compulsively moving the light source to one end of a movement range of the light source, the one end is set as an original position. In another mode, after the light source is compulsively moved to the one end, by detecting that the light source has reached a position preset in the movement range while the light source is being moved to the other end of the movement range, a distance by which the light source is moved from the one end to the preset position is detected and stored as control information. The subsequent operation to move the light source to a desired control position is controlled based on the original position which is the one end or based on the control information.

Abstract: Different exposures of an electronically represented, pictorial scene are combined into a final image having expanded dynamic range yet still capturing subtle differences in exposure. The final image provides increased shadow, midtone and highlight detail notwithstanding the limited response of the system (electronic or photographic) that produced the component images. The invention features automatic identification of optimally exposed regions (on a pixel-by-pixel basis) from the component images, as well as automatic combination into a final image. The invention may also be used to make a camera, of possibly unknown response function, behave as an array of photometric measurement instruments (e.g., an array of light meters) to within a constant scale factor.

Abstract: A lens camera having a viewfinder mechanism and an adjustable strobe light generating unit, wherein the zoom viewfinder mechanism has a disk cam to cause a lens group of a viewfinder optical system to move back and forth in an optical axis direction according to a difference of the distances in the radial direction from the rotation center of shafts of individual lenses of the lens group, the shafts fitting in grooves of the disk and driving the individual lenses of the lens group in order to perform variable power of a zoom viewfinder. Drive gears drive the disk cam and one of the drive gears is a helical gear which has a predetermined angle for a lead angle, the rotation center of the disk cam and the rotation axis direction of the one drive gear being positioned so as to intersect.

Abstract: In a zoom finder of a zoom lens camera, a movable variable power lens is supported to move in an optical axis direction and is moved to predetermined positions by a cam member which is driven in association with movement of the zoom lens. The cam member is provided with a groove or a projection at a reference position. The cam member is held in the reference position by a holding member which is engaged by the groove or the projection before assembling the finder to the zoom lens camera.

Abstract: An apparatus for eliminating a backlash in a zoom finder of a zoom lens camera. A cam member is provided with a cam surface that is engaged with movable variable power lens of the finder. The cam member is driven in association with the zoom-photographing lens, and the cam surface is provided with a zoom section as well as a transfer section in which no movement of the movable variable power lens occurs. A backlash eliminating cam surface is provided separately from the cam surface on the cam member for the movable variable power lens. An oblique cam surface is provided on the backlash eliminating cam surface and is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the movable variable power lens. The oblique cam surface is formed in a section corresponding to the zoom section side of the transfer section of the cam surface. A backlash eliminating member is biased and pressed against the oblique cam surface to exert a drive force on the cam member.

Abstract: An emission angle variable flash apparatus of the invention alters an angular aperture to be formed by side reflection plates disposed oppositely to both side surfaces of a reflector in linkage with a change of a distance between a Xe tube and a reflector on their optical axis, thereby enhancing the efficiency of utilization of flash from a light source and expanding a variable range of an emission angle in the horizontal direction. As a result, the emission angle variable flash apparatus of the invention is made smaller in size than in the prior art.

Abstract: An improved zoom strobe device is provided. When a zoom lens changes its focal length from a first length to a second length, the zoom strobe device changes its illumination angle from its minimum angle to maximum angle when the focal length of the zoom lens is changed from the first length to a third length which is smaller than the second length but greater than the first length, and then the strobe device maintains the maximum illumination angle when the focal length of the zoom lens changes between the third length and the second length.

Abstract: A camera wherein a finder cam follower and a flash cam follower are elastically pulled in a wide direction and are in contact with a cam surface of a cam. The cam rotates clockwise or counterclockwise following a zoom movement of a photographic lens. With the rotation of the cam, the finder cam follower moves, thereby moving a finder lens, and the flash cam follower moves, thereby moving a xenon flash lamp and a reflector.

Abstract: An interconnection mechanism for a zoom camera having a zoom finder and a zoom flash is comprised of a finder zooming cam rotating in cooperation with a zoom lens, and a flash angle changing cam rotating in cooperation with the finder zooming cam. The finder zooming cam has at least a helicoid cam surface and a rotational axis extending in parallel to a moving path of a movable lens element of the zoom finder. The flash angle changing cam has at least a helicoid cam surface and a rotational axis extending in parallel to the rotational axis of the finder zooming cam. The flash angle changing cam is disposed adjacent to the finder zooming cam, and rotates with the finder zooming cam through gears. These cams are disposed between the zoom finder and the zoom flash.

Abstract: A camera intended to be used with a multiple flash bulb unit selects an unused flash bulb farthest from the taking lens to reduce a red-eye effect when a near range camera-to-subject distance is chosen and selects an unused flash bulb closest to the taking lens when a far range camera-to-subject distance is selected.

Abstract: A photographic flash apparatus includes a flash tube for producing a flash of light; a reflector located behind the flash tube for concentrating the light produced by the flash tube into a beam having a particular scene coverage angle; and an adjustable wave-lens device positioned in the beam to adjust the scene coverage angle of the beam. The adjustable wave-lens device includes first and second wave-lens elements and a lever for displacing one of the wave-lens elements with respect to the other to vary the optical power of the adjustable wave-lens element, thereby adjusting the scene coverage angle of the beam.

Abstract: A camera including a camera body and flash unit, in which the camera includes a drive source in the camera body, a moving mechanism for causing the flash unit to move from a non-projected position to a projected position, an illumination-angle switching mechanism for varying an illumination angle of the flash unit, the illumination-angle switching mechanism being driven by a force of the drive force in one direction and being capable of stopping in any one of a plurality of specific illumination angle states, a focal length detecting device, and a controlling device that causes the illumination-angle switching mechanism to selectively switch one illumination angle to another in accordance with the focal length detected by the focal length detecting device, in response to the operation of the moving mechanism to move the flash unit from a non-projected position to a projected position.