Abstract: An apparatus and method for digitally duplicating and storing film images. The apparatus has a projection section that includes a low-power, white-light source of illumination and an image receiving section that includes a digital camera with a charge-coupled device. The apparatus also has a tunable liquid crystal filter that is used to produce monochromatic images onto the image receiving section. In operation, light from the illumination section is transmitted through the liquid crystal filter that is operating at a first, predetermined frequency, through the film image and onto the image receiving section for subsequent recordation. Then, the liquid crystal filter is tuned to a second, predetermined frequency and light from the illumination section is again transmitted through the same film image, and recorded. Once the requisite number of monochromatic images are recorded, they are recombined into a single image and transferred to an optical recording medium.

Abstract: Optical apparatus incorporating a lighting source capable of providing a substantial equal irradiance at each point of an image plane for use in backlighting transparencies during their reproduction and recordation. There is also disclosed and claimed apparatus using the lighting source to produce for the first time high quality electronic images in an analogue format of medical imagery originally or subsequently produced in a tangible form such as X-ray, CT, or MR images. There is further disclosed an integrated system providing apparatus for converting, storing, and retrieving images originally produced in tangible or intangible form that are subsequently converted to an analogue electronic format and stored in analogue format on an optical disc in an optical disc library. The system includes the apparatus for converting the tangible images into high quality electronic images and for converting digital images produced during CT or MR imaging or the like into a common analogue medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing and recording images from an original slide, film strip, microfiche, or the like to the same or another medium, including a portable modular system which may be readily moved from one location to another. The portable modular system includes an image support module which supports the image to be recorded along the optical axis of the system. An image recorder module is provided with a recording surface upon which the original is to be recorded. A condensing lens module is positioned between the image support module and the recorder module, and a projection lens module is positioned along the optical axis between the condenser lens module and the image support module. A zoom optics lens is positioned along the optical axis adjacent the recorder module.