Abstract: A film rewinding apparatus for a camera is described whereby the completion of film rewinding is accurately timed even if environmental conditions change. First edge detecting mechanism is positioned on a winding-spool side of the camera on a path on which perforations of the film pass and second edge detecting mechanism is positioned on the film cartridge side of the camera. A set time period used by a timer for timing the completion of the film rewinding is calculated based on a time period during which perforation edges detected by the first edge detecting mechanism are detected by the second edge detecting mechanism. If the perforation edges of the film are not detected within the set time period, a determination is made that the film rewinding has been completed and the rewinding operation is terminated.

Abstract: A camera with a locking mechanism for a vibration correction device in the camera. The camera includes a photographic optical system having a blur correction lens and is detachable from the camera body, a blur correction mechanism which moves the blur correction lens, a locking mechanism which has a first position that restricts the movement of the blur correction lens and a second position which allows the blur correction lens to move unrestricted by the locking mechanism, and a removal regulation member which regulates the detachment of the photographic optical system from the camera body, wherein the operation of the removal regulation member is conditional upon the position of the locking mechanism. The movement of the blur correction lens is restricted when the photographic optical system is detached from the camera body, thereby preventing damage to the blur correction lens, the photographic optical system, or other camera components.

Abstract: In a flash photographing system having a light receiving circuit arranged to receive a reflected light from an object caused by a light flux emitted from a flash tube and controlling the amount of flash light emission according to the amount of light thus received, the output of the light receiving circuit is inputted to an analog-to-digital conversion circuit to be converted into digital values at intervals of a predetermined period, and an adding process on the digital values is performed to detect the amount of received light, so that the amount of flash light emission is controlled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera for performing magnetic recording in a magnetic track on a film. In such a camera, the type of the film is judged, and data necessary for printing is prohibited from being recorded when the film is a positive.

Abstract: An image blur suppression device for suppressing blur caused by motions imparted to a main optical system. A motion compensation optical system is supported by an elastic supporting material that permits the motion compensation optical system to shift perpendicular to an optical axis of the main optical system. A magnet is fixed to a stationary member surrounding the motion compensation optical system. A coil is linked to the motion compensation optical system. By supplying electrical current to the coil, an electromagnetic force is created which moves the motion compensation optical system. The magnet possesses two poles aligned in the direction of movement of the motion compensation optical system. The coil is wound in the direction approximately parallel to the optical axis of the main optical system.

Abstract: In order to allow a quantitative measurement of the operation of an image blurring correction function by adding an effective test function to a camera, an image blurring correction mechanism detects the shaken states of the camera with respect to two orthogonal axes around the photographing optical axis of the camera. The image blurring correction mechanism is arranged in the optical path between a photographing lens and a film and has two axes of freedom corresponding to the above two axes. An external communication (control) terminal is used for external communication with a main microcomputer in the camera. When a test mode command is externally input to the camera via the external communication terminal, a sub-microcomputer in a shake compensation circuit performs specific operation control, through the main microcomputer, to execute a shake compensation function with respect to the image blurring correction mechanism.

Abstract: A camera accessory mounting and fixing device, having an outer periphery of a mounting foot member to be inserted into an accessory shoe of a camera to which a camera accessory is fixed. The camera accessory mounting and fixing device has a clamping member which is engaged with the mounting foot member and clamps the mounting foot member to the accessory shoe. A cam member is engaged with the clamping member and rotates during an initial rotation of the clamping member. While the cam member is rotated, a stop pin is urged toward or away from a stop hole formed in the accessory shoe.

Abstract: A used lens-fitted photo film unit has a photo film containing section and a front cover. The photo film containing section has a first retaining hook. The front cover has a second retaining hook. The second hook is retained on the first hook, and couples the front cover to the photo film containing section. In a disassembling station, the photo film unit is set in a predetermined orientation. An access plate is advanced toward the photo film unit. The access plate flexes the first hook apart from the second hook, and disengages it from the latter. The access plate is retracted while the front cover is captured by the access plate, thereby to remove the front cover from the photo film containing section. In a preferred embodiment, a flash device from the used photo film unit is supported so as to face upward a flashing face of the flash device. Cleanser liquid is sprayed on the flashing face. Cleaning tape comes in contact with the flashing face.

Abstract: A photographic camera having an exposure frame at the rear end of a lens barrel. A camera body is molded integrally with the lens barrel. Flanks are formed by a pair of vertical surfaces lying in planes parallel to the optical axis on inner surfaces of the frame receiving surface at locations that define four corners of an exposure aperture so as to extend radially outward from the inner surface of the lens barrel adjacent the rear end thereof. An aperture frame is detachably mounted on the camera body from behind the camera to define the exposure aperture. The flanks formed adjacent the rear end of the lens barrel or the frame receiving surface are effective to prevent individual frames of film from being subjected to undesirable vignetting. The aperture frame is mounted on the camera body from behind. A pair of masking plates is provided for panoramic photography.

Abstract: A stereo photographing system having a stereo adapter for photographing two separate images of a same subject viewed from different points and formed onto one picture frame next to each other, and a camera including a finder and a photographing lens to which the stereo adapter can be detachably attached at the front end of the photographing lens. The stereo photographing system further includes a finder viewing field determining means provided in an optical path of the finder for selectively determining either a regular viewing field or a stereo viewing field, a detecting means which detects the stereo adapter when the stereo adapter is mounted to the camera, and a switching means which swatches between the regular viewing field and the stereo viewing field determined by the viewing field determining means in accordance with the detecting means.

Abstract: A shutter operation control apparatus of the present invention includes at least two shutter sectors between which a size of an aperture is defined. The apparatus comprises a shutter control plate which is moved in one direction upon a shutter release operation, and a sector cam surface formed on the upper surface of the shutter control member. The sector cam surface is provided for changing the size of the aperture according to a profile of the sector cam surface. The profile includes a curved surface which is capable of reducing an opening rate of the aperture while the size of the aperture is set to be small.

Abstract: Magnetic record/reproduce apparatus for recording or reproducing information on a magnetic layer of a filmstrip in a camera, and more particularly, modular magnetic recording apparatus for optional attachment to photographic still cameras. Power and control signals supplied from within the module define the format and content of information recorded or reproduced from tracks in a substantially transparent magnetic layer. In one embodiment, the camera contains a record/reproduce head in the film transport path. In a further embodiment, the module contains the record/reproduce head, and the camera is adapted to receive the record/reproduced head in a record/reproduced aperture and position it in the film transport path on attachment of the module to the camera housing. In both embodiments, the magnetic head is preferably an elongated multi-head element array.

Abstract: A camera is provided with a loading chamber insertion mechanism for receiving a film cartridge of the type having a retention slot formed therein inserted manually into an insertion position by positively engaging the retention slot, pulling the cartridge into the chamber, and seating the cartridge in a seated position. A movable clamp and escapement mechanism are operable in an initial, insertion position for latching a carriage against movement in response to a biasing force provided by a tensioning spring. The movable clamp is pivotally mounted to the clamp for movement within escapement channels that cooperatively latch the carriage in the insertion position. The clamp pivots on the carriage within the escapement channels on being contacted by the film cartridge during its initial end-wise insertion by the user.

Abstract: An optical system for monitor cameras to be mounted on vehicles comprising a camera body disposed so as to be accommodatable into a support erected on a vehicle, a photographic lens system disposed in the camera body, an image pickup device having a light receiving surface which is disposed at an imaging location of the photographic lens system and directed perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the support, and a prism for changing a direction toward a visual field which functions to image a visual field in a horizontal direction onto the light receiving surface of the image pickup device.

Abstract: A photographic camera system is disclosed in which LEDs are used to record different gray levels or colored information on the film and an optical image of a subject is also recorded on the film.

Abstract: A photographic film cassette has a cassette shell and a spool of film contained rotatably therein. The photographic film is completely contained in the cassette shell before use. The photographic film cassette is contained in a box-shaped transparent P case. The P case is then externally packaged. The outer is an opaque card arranged face to face with the passage mouth of the cassette and shrink wrap for retaining the P case on the card. In the improved cassette, the cassette shell is constituted of first and second shell halves respectively formed from resin. In manufacturing the cassette, indication representing general information is printed onto the first shell half. The spool with the photographic film is arranged between the shell halves. The shell halves are attached together while keeping the spool rotatable. Subsequently, the label, having indication representing information related to a particular type of the photographic film, is attached to the cassette.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear mechanism consisting of a first driven gear, a second driven gear and a rotation regulating member. The first driven gear meshes with a planet gear when the planet gear revolves about a sun gear in one direction and is rotationally driven when the planet gear rotates on its axis in the same position. The second driven gear meshes with the planet gear when the planet gear revolves in the other direction and is rotationally driven when the planet gear rotates on its axis in the same position. The rotation regulating member is actuated by interlocking with the revolving motion of the planet gear. The rotation regulating member regulates the rotation of the second driven gear by engaging with the second driven gear when the planet gear meshes with the first driven gear. The same member regulates the rotation of the first driven gear by engaging with the first driven gear when the planet gear meshes with the second driven gear.

Abstract: A preparatory winding type camera wherein one frame is rewound after the whole film in the patrone is previously wound up, and thereafter, the film is automatically rewound into a patrone frame after frame each time a shutter release is performed. During the winding of the film at the time of the preparatory winding processing, a central processing unit causes a liquid crystal display device (LCD) to display the number of film frames always smaller one frame than the normal display, and, when one frame is rewound after the whole film in the patrone is wound up, the number of film frames currently displayed on the LCD is maintained as it is. With this arrangement, the number of film frames displayed on the LCD can avoid the up-down fluctuations during the preparatory winding processing.