Abstract: A flip-up flash unit for a camera has a viewfinder opening for viewing a subject to be photographed when the flash unit is swung to an operative position elevated from the body of the camera. A finder objective lens and a finder eyelens are each swung to individual viewing positions optically aligned with the viewfinder opening, responsive to movement of the flash unit to its operative position. The body of the camera, therefore, can be made more compact because the need for a viewfinder opening and finder lenses built into the body is eliminated.

Abstract: Magnetic recording apparatus for photographic still camera comprises a magnetic head mounted on a film platen to contact a magnetic coating on the film. A pressure pad on the opposite side of the film urges the film into contact with the head. The head is inclined transversely of the film to conform to the transverse film curl and is provided with angled surfaces to provide for better wrap of the film around the head and easier threading.

Abstract: A tele/pan camera is provided with automatic means cooperating with exposure control circuitry to reduce blur in a portion of an exposed frame coded for subsequent pseudo format enlargement, for increasing the normal shutter speed, with corresponding adjustment of other exposure parameters, in response to selection of the pseudo format.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a film spool rotatable inside a lighttight cassette shell to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool automatically to the exterior of the shell, and a film exposure status indicator movable from an unexposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is unexposed to respective partly exposed and fully exposed positions for providing visible indications that the filmstrip is only partly exposed or is substantially exposed. According to the invention, the spool and the status indicator include engagable means for moving the status indicator to its exposed position from its unexposed and partly exposed positions only in response to rotation of the spool.

Abstract: In a camera for daylight and underwater photography, an exposure control aparatus is adjusted automatically to change an exposure parameter as a function of increased water pressure. Preferably, a pressure sensitive member is mechanically connected to a multi-blade diaphragm to continuously increase the size of a lens opening as the camera is further submerged underwater.

Abstract: A film cassette capable of advancing a filmstrip automatically from a light-tight cassette shell whether the filmstrip is generally unexposed, partly exposed or substantially completely exposed, is characterized in that a film-exposure status indicator can be disposed in any one of three corresponding positions comprising unexposed, partly exposed and exposed positions.

Abstract: Magnetic recording apparatus for a photographic still camera comprises a fixed magnetic head mounted on a film platen. The head is adapted to contact a magnetic coating on the film adjacent the image area of the film. A pressure pad is mounted in the camera on the opposite side of the film and positioned in close proximity to the film. The pressure pad is biased by a spring to apply pressure on the head through pressure on the film to assure that the film is in intimate contact with the head when the film is advancing. During film exposure when the film is stationary, the pressure pad is retracted to avoid distortion of the image plane.

Abstract: A flip-up flash unit for a camera has a built-in viewfinder opening for viewing a subject to be photographed when the flash unit is swung to an operative position elevated from the body of the camera. The body of the camera, therefore, can be made more compact because the need for a viewfinder opening in the body is eliminated.

Abstract: Data printing device for a camera which takes normal and pseudo type images wherein the characters are printed near an edge of the selected image area in both the normal and pseudo modes, optionally with reduction in character size in the pseudo mode.

Abstract: In a camera to be used with a light-tight cassette which in inherently capable of automatically advancing a filmstrip from the cassette shell whether the filmstrip is generally unexposed, partly exposed or substantially completely exposed, and which has a status indicator for providing a visible indication of the exposure status of the filmstrip, a sensing/blocking member is included to cooperate with the status indicator to prevent cassette loading into the camera in one embodiment only when the status indicator indicates that the filmstrip is completely exposed and in another embodiment either when the status indicator indicates that the filmstrip is partly exposed or it indicates that the filmstrip is completely exposed.

Abstract: In a camera for exposing a filmstrip normally stored in a light-tight cassette which is inherently capable of thrusting the filmstrip out of the cassette regardless of the exposure condition of the filmstrip but has a film-exposure status indicator movable from an unexposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is generally unexposed, to a partly exposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is partly exposed, and to an exposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is substantially exposed, apparatus is provided for preventing exposure of the filmstrip when the status indicator is in its exposed position and for permitting exposure of the filmstrip when the status indicator is in its unexposed or partly exposed position.

Abstract: A compact camera comprising a camera housing, a pop-up electronic flash unit supported for movement between a storage position at least partly within the camera housing and a flash-emitting position elevated above the camera housing, and a film take-up drum rotatable within the camera housing to wind a filmstrip onto the drum, is characterized in that the take-up drum includes a central longitudinal cavity for receiving the flash unit when the flash unit is in its storage position. Since the flash unit can be stored within the take-up drum, a greater degree of compactness can be achieved as compared to prior art cameras.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a film spool is rotatable inside a cassette shell in an unwinding direction to thrust a leader section of a filmstrip coiled about the spool from within a light-tight film passageway to the exterior of the shell and in a winding direction to return the leader to the interior of the shell. A unidirectional arresting device is movable into engagement with the spool to prevent rotation of the spool in only the winding direction. The filmstrip includes an inclined edge for moving the arresting device out of engagement with the spool responsive to thrusting the leader substantially to the exterior of the shell, to allow the spool to be rotated in the winding direction in order to return the leader to the interior of the shell, and for permitting the arresting device to move into engagement with the spool responsive to return of the leader to within the passageway, to prevent the spool from being rotated further in the winding direction to thereby retain the leader in the passageway.

Abstract: In a camera adapted for use with a film cassette containing a non-protruding film leader which can be automatically propelled out of the cassette, a plurality of film guide members are located along opposite sides of a film advance path leading from a receiving chamber for the cassette to a film take-up means. The guide members are movable closer together to transversely bow the film leader to thereby increase the longitudinal stiffness of the leader to facilitate its being propelled along the film advance path without being snagged. When the film leader is secured to the film take-up means, the guide members are moved slightly apart to permit a film pressure plate to flatten successive imaging areas of the filmstrip over an exposure opening in the film advance path.

Abstract: In a photographic flash apparatus, a flash tube produces a brilliant flash of light, a reflector concentrates the light produced by the flash tube into a beam having a particular angle of coverage and redirects the light toward a subject to be illuminated, and an optical element is positioned across the beam to change the angle of coverage of the beam from that effected by the reflector. According to the invention, the optical element is supported for movement only within the beam, but out of its position crosswise of the beam to permit the reflector to restore the beam substantially to the angle of coverage effected by the reflector. This provides an improved compact design for use with dual mode telephoto/wide angle cameras, for example.

Abstract: A plurality of pivotally mounted lens frames are positioned by cam means and gear means to produce normal, tele, and pan viewing.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a film spool rotatable inside a lightight cassette shell in an unwinding direction to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool automatically to the exterior of the shell, and a film exposure status indicator movable from an unexposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is unexposed to an exposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is exposed. According to the invention, the spool, the shell, and the status indicator include respective cooperating means for preventing rotation of the spool in the unwinding direction when the status indicator is located in its unexposed position, but which can be rendered ineffective (by a camera device, for example) to allow rotation of the spool in the same direction.

Abstract: Automatic metering and registration, between exposures, relative to an exposure station in a still camera of a next available unexposed frame of a perforationless filmstrip is achieved by reading frame number identifying cues, including stop point flags, magnetically encoded on the film. Continuation of registration is confirmed and, if necessary, corrected automatically in preparation for the next exposure by reading the same cues and comparing a stored cue for a desired next frame with a cue read from a registered unknown frame. The direction of film movement for misalignment correction is set based on the frame number comparison.

Abstract: A camera has a flip-up flash unit including an overcenter spring part that urges the flash unit alternatively to a folded storage position and to a non-folded operative position.