Abstract: A method of achieving an optimal balance of wrap angle, strike angle, and film driving force parameters in a roller transport film processor, and a film processor so constructed, are disclosed. Purposes are to optimize performance and to eliminate or attenuate pi line artifacts on processed film. The method includes the following steps: (a) determining empirically a relationship of strike angle as a function of wrap angle; (b) determining empirically a relationship of film driving force as a function of wrap angle; (c) preselecting a maximum allowable strike angle; (d) from the relationship of strike angle to wrap angle, determining a maximum allowable wrap angle corresponding to the maximum allowable strike angle; (e) preselecting a minimum practical wrap angle corresponding to a minimum practical film driving force; and (f) establishing horizontal centerline distances between rollers in the film processor to achieve a wrap angle between the maximum allowable wrap angle and the minimum practical wrap angle.

Abstract: A film cassette is disclosed wherein a spool is rotatable within the cassette shell, a convoluted film roll is wound on the spool, and a pair of flanges are rotatable with the spool. The flanges have respective disks overlying opposite sides of the film roll and respective annular lips circumferentially extending from the disks to radially confine an outermost convolution of the film roll to prevent the outermost convolution from clock-springing against an interior wall of the cassette shell.

Abstract: In a 35 mm film cassette, the leading end of a film roll coiled about a film spool is located within the cassette shell. The film spool is comprised of two pieces constructed to telescopically receive one another. Each spool piece includes a radially extending flange normally disposed adjacent one of the opposite sides of the film roll. When the film spool is initially rotated in a film unwinding direction, a rotation-responsive cam device coupling the two spool pieces automatically moves one spool piece axially toward the other piece to cause the respective flanges to clamp the film roll at its opposite sides. As a result, the leading end of the film roll will be rotated past a stripper-guide which strips the leading end from between the flanges and guides it through a light-trapped opening in the cassette shell. Thus rotation of the film spool in the unwinding direction will advance the leading end to the outside of the film cassette.

Abstract: A compartment defining a cassette receiving chamber in a photographic camera is movable outwardly from the camera body to insert the type of 35 mm film cassette that contains a non-protruding film leader into the chamber. A loading opening to the chamber has a continuous enclosed perimeter commensurate in shape with an outline of the aforementioned film cassette. This feature prevents the type of film cassette that has a protruding film leader from being inserted into the chamber, by obstructing the protruding film leader.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a film spool is rotatable independently of a pair of coaxially spaced rotatable disks. The two disks have respective circumferential lips which prevent the outermost leader convolution of a film roll wound on the spool from clock-springing into contact with the cassette shell. When the spool is initially rotated, the disks may remain substantially stationary and the film roll, since its inner end is secured to the spool, tends to expand radially to ensure a non-slipping relation between the outermost leader convolution and the lips. Then, rotation of the spool must rotate the disks and stationary internal spreaders will deflect successive sections of the disks to an axial dimension exceeding the film width, thereby allowing corresponding sections of the outermost leader convolution to exit from the radial confinement of the lips. Stationary internal guides direct the freed end of the outermost leader convolution to the cassette opening.

Abstract: An elastomer pad which applies a compressive force against a flexible printed circuit to bias substantially parallel terminal portions of the printed circuit into electrical contact with substantially parallel terminal portions of a hardboard printed circuit is supported by an arched rib-like member to provide a uniform force at the respective locations of electrical contact. This assures a uniform impedance from one pair of contacting terminal portions to the next pair should the hardboard printed circuit be slightly bowed crosswise of its terminal portions by the compressive force of the elastomer pad.

Abstract: A film cassette is disclosed wherein a film spool is rotatable about an axis within the cassette shell, successive sections of the outermost convolution of a film roll wound on the film spool are automatically advanced to the outside of the cassette shell in response to rotation of the film spool, and a pair of rigid constraining rings radially confine the outermost convolution to prevent the film roll from clock-springing against an interior wall of the cassette shell. The constraining rings are supported along the interior wall for rotation about separate axes inclined with respect to the spool axis to position the rings to partially encircle the outermost convolution, to radially confine the outermost convolution, and to position relatively small opposite corresponding portions of the rings apart a distance greater than the width of the outermost convolution, to allow successive sections of the outermost convolution to exit the radial confinement of the rings when the film spool is rotated.

Abstract: A handgrip is adapted to be connected selectively to either one of two opposite sides of a camera body. The handgrip is secured in fixed relation to the camera body to prevent relative movement between the two. A manually operated shutter release member is arranged on the camera body at a location substantially midway between its two opposite sides. The handgrip is configured to enable one-hand holding of the camera body and the same hand operation of the shutter release member. Since the shutter release member is substantially centered between the two opposite sides of the camera body, alternative right-hand or left-hand operation of the release member is possible in accordance with whichever side of the camera body the handgrip is secured to.

Abstract: Automatic film advance in a camera to wind a film leader onto a take-up spool requires that an override switch be temporarily closed to nullify a film metering switch. Otherwise, the metering switch will de-energize a motorized film drive after the film leader is advanced only a single frame width, rather than the required several frame widths. To ensure that a mechanical exposure counter is rotated sufficiently from an initialized setting to close the override switch, when a drive member for the counter is rotated less than its normal distance because of lost motion in actuating the drive member following previous rewind of an exposed film off the take-up spool, the drive member and the counter include cooperating means adapted to rotate the counter the same angular distance from its initialized setting as the angular distance the counter is rotated from successive settings, with less rotation being required of the drive member during its first revolution.

Abstract: An artificial illumination control system for controlling the energization of an electronic flash device during a photographic exposure interval in a camera has three flash related modes of operation, full flash, no flash, and fill flash, one of which is automatically selected in accordance with the level of ambient light intensity each time the exposure interval is commenced.

Abstract: An electromagnetic control device for a camera or the like is provided with a magnet core having an attracting face and with an armature pivotally connected to a control member for movement about a pivot axis to allow tilting of an attracted face of the armature into intimate face contact with the attracting face of the magnet core. The control member is pivotally mounted for movement about a pivot axis, to swing the armature to urge its attracted face against the attracting face of the magnet core, until the attracted face is tilted into intimate face contact with the attracting face. A degree of free play exists at the pivotal mounting of the control member to allow the control member to move about the pivot axis of the armature after the attracted face of the armature is tilted into face contact with the attracting face of the magnet core.

Abstract: A protective container for a film cartridge includes a cannister adapted to store the cartridge and a clip member integrally formed with the cannister for securing the cannister to the shoulder strap of a camera case or the like. The clip member has a flexible hinge-like portion which permits the clip member to be pivoted away from the cannister to release the cannister from the strap. A press-on cap for closing the cannister has a cavity adapted to receive a reversible insert label upon which information pertaining to the film cartridge may be hand-written.

Abstract: An artificial illumination control system for controlling the energization of an electronic flash device during a photographic exposure interval in a camera has three flash related modes of operation, full flash, no flash, and fill flash, one of which is automatically selected in accordance with the level of ambient light intensity. If, however, the level of ambient light intensity warrants the fill flash mode, but the camera-to-subject distance exceeds a predetermined distance beyond which the flash output may be ineffectual for a fill flash exposure, the fill flash mode is prevented and the control system reverts to its no flash mode.

Abstract: A disposable single-use camera is generally of the type wherein an inner camera part is pre-loaded with film and includes a taking lens, and an outer sealed pack contains the camera part and has an opening for the taking lens. According to the invention, the inner camera part has flash synchronization access ports and the outer sealed pack is constructed of a perforable material which overlays the access ports. An accessory re-usable electronic flash unit intended for use with the disposable camera includes electrically conductive flash synchronization pins shaped to perforate the outer sealed pack to enter the access ports, whereby the flash unit is removably connected to the inner camera part.

Abstract: In a dual lens camera having a relatively longer focal length lens and a relatively shorter focal length lens selectively used for telephoto and wide angle photography, shutter and/or aperture plane defining means located behind each of the lenses is canted towards the exposure plane to provide additional interior space for the longer focal length lens. This arrangement allows for a decreased front to rear dimension of the camera.

Abstract: An orientation indicating device visibly indicates, preferably in the viewfinder of a camera, that the camera is deviated improperly from its normal horizontal position for picture-taking. The device comprises a pendulum controlled indicating circuit including electrically activated display means for indicating before a picture is taken that the camera is deviated inclined-left or inclined-right from horizontal, and therefore the picture should not be taken.

Abstract: A mode selector member and a recess are disposed in a relatively close relation on the front face of a camera to enable a finger of the user that operates the mode selector member to be readily transferred from the member to the recess, after the member is moved to a selected position. Thus inadvertent movement of the mode selector member from the selected position to an erroneous position, during picture-taking, will be prevented.

Abstract: A compact camera includes an elongate electronic flash unit that is mounted at the rear of the camera body, proximate a rear viewfinder window, for rotation generally about the viewfinder window. The flash unit is rotatable between a folded inoperative position within a recessed area of the camera body and an erect operative position sufficiently higher than the camera lens to substantially prevent red-eye druing a flash exposure.

Abstract: In a single lens reflex camera, a mirror can be positioned at an angle between the rear of the taking lens and the film to reflect the light rays that come through the lens, on to a focusing screen of the viewfinder, and it can be positioned out of the way to expose the film. The mirror is supported to swing in an arc about a single axis, without inverting the mirror, from its light-reflecting position to a non-reflecting position at least partially beneath the taking lens. This kind of movement of the mirror advantageously permits the back focus of the lens required to clear the mirror for its movement to be reduced.

Abstract: A photographic camera enables pseudo telephoto and pseudo panoramic prints to be produced from exposed film frames by coding the film frame to identify the selected pseudo format. In the camera, a manually operated member is movable to a position corresponding to the actual field of view of the objective lens and to respective positions corresponding to pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic fields of view reduced from the actual field of view. Code means, responsive to movement of the manually operated member to a position corresponding to a pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic field of view, encodes a film frame with indicia representative of the selected pseudo field of view to identify the portion of the film frame covered by the pseudo field of view. The identified portion of the film frame can then be enlarged to produce a pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic print.