Abstract: In a camera, a circular array of flash lamps is arranged radially with respective ignition ends of the lamps closer to one another than respective opposite ends of the lamps. Each one of the lamps has respective ignition stems projecting from the ignition ends of the lamps to be struck to ignite the lamps. A one-piece reflector ring is located behind the circular array of lamps with respective disk portions of the reflector disk extending radially over each one of the lamps between the ignitions ends and opposite ends of the lamps to reflect flash illumination from the lamps non-radially. A one-piece striker ring is located behind the reflector ring and has respective striker fingers extending radially over the lamps for striking the ignition stems of the lamps. The circular array of flash lamps, the reflector disk and the striker ring are supported for simultaneous rotation to position respective trios of the lamps, the disk portions and the striker fingers successively behind a flash emission window.

Abstract: A multiple exposure-format camera comprises an exposure opening having an aspect ratio, and a flexible curtain-mask provided with a plurality of mask openings having respective aspect ratios that are different than the aspect ratio of the exposure opening. The curtain-mask is supported for movement from one storage chamber to another storage chamber to successively locate the mask openings at the exposure opening to change the aspect ratio for the exposure opening. At least one of the storage chambers is configured to receive a film container to store a portion of the curtain-mask about the film container. This allows the camera to be made relatively compact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photographic camera with a watertight body for receiving a film transport and film guidance unit, an object lens (13) and a viewfinder unit. Weatheproofing and watertightness are achieved in that the body comprises two body shells whose parting line formed in the assembled state is sealed by an all-round sealing means designed as an elastic endless weatherstrip visible from the outside.

Abstract: A bi-directional driver device for opening and closing a light shield of a film cassette is alternately biased open and closed via an overcenter spring, to open and close the light shield. The final opening torque the spring exerts against the driver device when the light shield is completely opened is substantially less than the final closing torque the spring exerts against the driver device when the light shield is completely closed. Thus, the final opening torque will not cause any deformation of the light shield that might allow light leakage into the cassette interior when the light shield is closed.

Abstract: A camera for use with a film cassette having a light lock movable to be closed after an exposed filmstrip is wound into the cassette, comprises a chamber for the cassette from which the cassette can be removed, and a driver movable to close the light lock before the cassette is removed from the chamber. An ingress opening to the chamber is provided to admit an insertion tool into the chamber to push the cassette out of the chamber. A cover is movable relative to the ingress opening to uncover the ingress opening after the driver is moved to close the light lock, to permit the insertion tool to be moved through the ingress opening to push the cassette out of the chamber when the light lock is closed.

Abstract: An easy loading camera comprising a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a film cartridge with a protruding film leader, and a leader insertion slit beginning at the cartridge receiving chamber, is characterized by a leader guide supported in a guiding position within the cartridge receiving chamber to guide the protruding film leader into the leader insertion slit before the film cartridge is loaded into the chamber and to be moved to a retracted position to make room for the film cartridge when the film cartridge is loaded into the chamber. Preferably, the leader guide is located in its leader guiding position for the film cartridge to push the leader guide out of the way as the film cartridge is loaded into the cartridge receiving chamber.

Abstract: A water-resistant camera assembly comprising a camera body in which a light-sensitive film is to be exposed, and a water-resistant casing enclosing the camera body, is characterized in that the water-resistant casing and the camera body together have a common casing section and the water-resistant casing has an independent casing section which fits over the camera body and connects with the common casing section to complete the water-resistant casing.

Abstract: A variable viewfinder mask assembly is adjustable to provide three different rectangular mask openings; the first and second of such openings being of the same height but of different widths and the first and third of said openings being of the same width but of different heights. Means are also provided to prevent overtravel of a drive member from influencing the adjustments of the mask openings.

Abstract: A film cartridge comprising a filmstrip having longitudinally successive perforations, and a housing for the filmstrip having a film passage slit through which the filmstrip can be moved into or out of the housing, is characterized by a reciprocatingly movable indicator, including an actuator pawl positioned for engagement and disengagement with each perforation of the filmstrip as the filmstrip is moved through the slit to move the indicator forward and backward alternately for providing a visible motion-indication that the filmstrip is moving through the slit.

Abstract: A camera comprises a taking lens having an integral collar, a main body portion including a rigid fixed lens-support for the taking lens, and a front cover portion for the main body portion including an integral lens-surround arranged at least opposite the collar to leave a space between the lens-surround and the collar. The lens-surround can be forcibly depressed into the space towards the taking lens. The resilient lens-retaining means, interconnects the lens-surround and the collar within the space, for urging the taking lens against the lens-support and for providing increased resistance when the lens-surround is forcible depressed into the space to prevent the lens-surround from disturbing the taking lens.

Abstract: A photoflash lamp comprising a lamp housing, a combustible material burning inside the lamp housing to produce a flash illumination, and ignition means for igniting the combustible material, is characterized by optical element means on the lamp housing for changing from a substantially uniform thickness to being thicker in a center than at an edge, responsive to the lamp housing becoming heated when the combustible material is burned inside the lamp housing to produce the flash illumination. The optical element, when changed from a substantially uniform thickness to being thicker in the center than at the edge, forms a positive lens that converges the light rays during flash illumination to enhance the light output.

Abstract: A camera assembly comprises a plurality of encodement-on-film recording means adapted to receive electrical energy to provide various film encodements, an encodement-on-film selector movable to various selection positions to select one or more of the recording means to provide the film encodements, a flash charge storage capacitor, and a shutter-flash synch contact connected to the flash capacitor to enable the flash capacitor to supply electrical energy when a shutter blade impacts the synch contact. Respective ones of the recording means are coupled via the synch contact to the flash capacitor to receive electrical energy from the flash capacitor. The synch contact supports the selector for movement to its selection positions and is coupled to the selector to permit the selector to select one or more of the recording means to receive electrical energy from the flash capacitor. This arrangement provides a savings of parts desirable in a low cost camera.

Abstract: A camera comprises a chamber for receiving a film cartridge that contains a film spool having a spool end which is exposed to allow it to be engaged for rotation to wind a filmstrip into the cartridge, and a door for the chamber that covers the spool end. The door has a normally light-tight access opening arranged to be located over the spool end to permit a spool driver to be inserted through the access opening to engage the spool end for rotation to wind the filmstrip into the cartridge without having to open the door.

Abstract: A manually rotatable film wind thumbwheel for a camera comprising a peripheral series of interdental spaces having a uniform pitch, is characterized in that a continuous series of finger-receiving indentations is located adjacent the peripheral series of interdental spaces and has a uniform pitch which is greater than the uniform pitch of the interdental spaces to permit the finger-receiving indentations to be more easily fingered than the interdental spaces to manually rotate the thumbwheel, whereby the interdental spaces can be used as locking spaces which individually receive a film metering pawl of the camera to arrest the thumbwheel and/or an anti-backup pawl to prevent counter-rotation of the thumbwheel.

Abstract: A camera for use with a film cassette having a spool rotatable to wind an exposed filmstrip including a trailing film end portion into the cassette and a light lock movable to be closed after the trailing film end portion is wound into the cassette, comprises a manual film winder rotatable in engagement with the spool in a film winding direction to rotate the spool in the same direction to wind the exposed filmstrip including the trailing film end portion into the cassette and locking means coupled with the light lock to prevent further rotation of the film winder in the film winding direction when the light lock is closed.