Abstract: Film unwinding apparatus is to be used with a film spool having a hook that extends substantially in a film winding direction of rotation of the spool and through a hole in a trailing end portion of a filmstrip to engage the trailing end portion to prevent it from being pulled off the spool. The unwinding apparatus is adapted to pull the filmstrip off the film spool in a way that makes the spool rotate with the filmstrip in a film unwinding direction. A weighted body is connected to the film spool to be rotated by the spool in the film unwinding direction as the filmstrip is pulled off the spool. This allows the weighted body to provide a momentum to rotate the film spool relative to the trailing end portion in the film unwinding direction when the filmstrip except for the trailing end portion has been pulled off the spool, to back the hook out of the hole to allow the trailing end portion to be pulled off the spool without ripping the filmstrip.

Abstract: A photographic camera comprises a camera body, a lens carrier for an objective lens supported for movement outwardly and inwardly of the camera body between respective picture-taking and storage positions, and a lens cover supported for movement relative to the camera body between a covering position in front of the objective lens when the lens carrier is in its storage position and a non-covering position removed from the objective lens when the lens carrier is in its picture-taking position. According to the invention, the lens cover includes an elastic sheet-like piece located to deform over the objective lens when the lens carrier is in its storage position and the lens cover is in its covering position, whereby the lens cover is prevented from abrading the objective lens.

Abstract: A camera is intended to be used with a film cartridge that has a normally curled film leader protruding from the cartridge. In the camera, a first cartridge-receiving chamber portion has an open end and side which allow the cartridge to be received in the first chamber portion laterally through the open side with one end of the cartridge protruding from the open end and the curled leader protruding from the open side. This permits the end of the cartridge protruding from the first chamber portion to be manually grasped in order to rotate the cartridge within the first chamber portion in the particular direction of curl of the leader. An elongate surface is arranged proximate the first chamber portion to force the leader to uncurl against the elongate surface to substantially flatten when the cartridge is rotated within the first chamber portion in the particular direction of curl of the leader.

Abstract: In a camera, one photosensor is located next to the taking lens and another photosensor is located next to a built-in flash unit for sensing whether a camera user's fingers are obstructing the taking lens and/or the flash unit.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a flange has a central opening into which a spool core for a filmstrip extends to allow rotation of the spool core relative to the flange in film unwinding and film winding directions. According to the invention, a locking pawl supported on a resilient cantilever of the flange biases the locking pawl into the central opening to move from the periphery of the spool core into a cut-out in the spool core to engage with the spool core when the spool core is rotated relative to the flange in the unwinding direction and to allow the locking pawl to move out of the cut-out to disengage the spool core when the spool core is rotated relative to the flange in the winding direction.

Abstract: Multiple mode "tele," "pan" and "normal" prints are produced automatically using a tele/pan camera. With the camera set to a single frame - multiple mode option, a single exposed frame is encoded with a composite fiducial representing all of the chosen modes. During subsequent printing, in response to sensing the composite code, a printer produces multiple prints from the single frame, each print corresponding to a different one of the modes. With the camera set to a multiple frame - multiple mode option, a single depression of a shutter release button initiates a rapid sequence of exposures of multiple frames, each exposure being coded to correspond with a different single one of the multiple modes. Subsequent printing then proceeds on a one frame - one print basis to produce prints in each mode.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a light blocking device is supported for movement to a light blocking position for preventing ambient light from entering a cassette shell and to a non-blocking position, and a separate cassette element such as a film spool is supported for movement to use the film cassette. According to the invention, locking apparatus for normally engaging the cassette element to prevent movement of the cassette element is coupled with the light blocking device for movement, when the light blocking device is moved to its non-blocking position, to a non-locking position disengaged from the cassette element to allow movement of the cassette element. Thus, the film cassette cannot be used unless the light blocking device is in its non-blocking position.

Abstract: A photographic film comprises an elongated light-sensitive strip having a longitudinal series of similar size rectangular exposure areas whose proportion of the width to the height is less than 2:1. Each exposure area is pre-exposed along a top-most portion and/or a bottom-most portion to limit the useable size of each exposure area during picture-taking to one whose proportion of the width to the height is at least 2:1. Thus, the useable size of each exposure area provides a panorama-like image format.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a spool is supported for rotation in an unwinding direction inside a cassette shell, a convoluted film roll whose outermost convolution is a film leader is coiled in the unwinding direction about the spool and a film stripper is located substantially adjacent a passageway to the exterior of the shell to be received between a leading edge portion of the film leader and a next-inward convolution of the film roll responsive to rotation of the spool in the unwinding direction to divert the leading edge portion to between a pair of light-trapping pads spaced opposite each other in the passageway. According to the invention, one of the light-trapping pads is located closer to the stripper than the other of the pads and has a cut-out.

Abstract: In a photographic camera, a flash unit is pivotable about an axis extending through the top and bottom faces of the camera body between a storage position integrated with a wedge-shaped end portion of the body and an operative position protruding forward of the front face of the body.

Abstract: A phtographic camera includes a handle mounted for swinging movement equally in opposite directions from a center position to right-hand and left-hand positions to permit similar right-hand and left-hand use of the handle. The camera body has an integral wrist rest which serves as an alternative right-hand/left-hand support for one's wrist when the handle is in its right-hand position or its left-hand position. An objective lens is mounted on a forward end portion of the wrist rest.

Abstract: A new film cassette assembly comprises a thrust type cassette and a roll of a photographic film having particular properties. One such property is a low coefficient of friction between the emulsion side and back side of the film. In preferred embodiments the film has a stiffness sufficient to avoid buckling of the film when the film spool is rotated in the unwinding direction and is very thin. Most preferably, it is formed from a hydrophilic copolyester having the desired stiffness.

Abstract: In a camera, a film presence sensing switch is located to detect the beginning of a full width main section of a filmstrip after a reduced width leading section of the filmstrip is wound at least partly onto a take-up spool. When a sufficient time has elapsed during the film winding operation for the reduced width section of the filmstrip to be wound onto the take-up spool, a motor drive for rotating the spool in a winding direction is de-energized should the switch fail to detect the beginning of the full width section of the filmstrip. Alternatively, the motor drive is allowed to remain energized to continue the film winding operation should the switch detect the beginning of the full width section.

Abstract: A stylus writing member is formed as part of a camera housing to avoid detracting from the camera's appearance. The writing member is coupled to a stylus by a universal joint which permits both rotational and pivotal movement of the writing member relative to the stylus.

Abstract: In a camera having a cartridge load door on a body portion and a battery load door on a battery containing handgrip, each of the doors and the handgrip are supported for pivoting individually only about a single common axis. Pivoting the handgrip from a folded position to an extended position pivots the battery load door flush aginst the cartridge load door. The battery load door is opened by pivoting it flush against the cartridge load door when the handgrip is in the folded position. The cartridge load door is opened by pivoting it flush against the battery load door when the handgrip is in the folded position. This arrangement provides a compact, simple design.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a film spool supported within a lighttight shell for rotation in an unwinding direction to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool to the exterior of the shell and for rotation in a winding direction to return the filmstrip to the interior of the shell. According to the invention, a locking device is connected to the spool and the shell for preventing rotation of the spool in the unwinding direction, and is enabled for such purpose in response to rotation of the spool in the winding direction. This prevents a photographer from reusing the cassette in a camera after the filmstrip is fully exposed. The locking device can be manually defeated to reuse the cassette in the camera when the filmstrip is only partly exposed.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a film spool comprises a spool core supported for rotation in an unwinding direction to thrust a leader section of a film roll coiled about the spool core to the exterior of the cassette, a pair of flanges radially confining the film roll and loosely coupled coaxially with the spool core normally to permit the spool core to be rotated relative to the flanges in the unwinding direction, and engagement means rotatably fixed to the spool core for rotation with the spool core relative to the flanges in the unwinding direction to move into engagement with one of the flanges to make the one flange rotate in unity with the spool core in the unwinding direction. According to the invention, the one flange is resiliently flexible, and biasing means distorts the one flange for urging the one flange firmly against the engagement means to ensure the engagement means will engage the one flange when the spool core is rotated relative to the flanges in the unwinding direction.

Abstract: A camera comprises a first optical device including a plurality of spaced upstanding optical elements, and a second optical device including a plurality of spaced upstanding optical elements. According to the invention, the first optical device is supported for movement toward the second optical device to intersperse the optical elements of the first optical device among the optical elements of the second optical device, to store them, and for movement away from the second optical device to remove the optical elements of the first optical device from among the optical elements of the second optical device, to permit their respective use.

Abstract: A close-up attachment, including a close-up accessory lens and a corresponding finder lens, is attached to a single-use camera by means of a plug-like insert which is manually positioned in an open viewfinder tunnel of the camera.