Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film is pre-loaded with a photo film. Imaging frames are created on the photo film by a shutter releasing. There is aspect ratio information optically prerecorded on the photo film in an outside of the imaging frames, and associate with a respective one of the imaging frames. The aspect ratio information includes two dots, and represents an aspect ratio in two bits. The imaging frames are printed in accordance with the aspect ratio. The lens-fitted photo film unit has a viewfinder with a view field of the aspect ratio represented by the aspect ratio information.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device according to the present invention includes a lens drive section that drives and automatically focuses a photographing lens, a defocus amount detecting section that detects a defocus amount of the photographing lens, a locus setting section that determines an optimum locus of a characteristic relating to movement of the lens to a target point based upon the defocus amount detected by the defocus amount detecting section, and a control section that controls the lens drive section so as to move the photographing lens along the optimum locus determined by the locus setting section.

Abstract: A camera system comprises a brightness measuring circuit, a exposure line choosing circuit, an operable switch, a film driver and a film driving mode selector. The brightness measuring circuit measures brightness of a photographic scene to send a brightness value. The exposure line choosing circuit chooses one of a plurality of exposure lines in which each lines selects a combination of an aperture value and a shutter speed value at each brightness value. The film driver drives a film in either of a first mode in which the film is wound only one frame in response to the operation of the operable switch and a second mode in which the film is wound frame by frame continuously as long as the operable member is operated. The film driving mode selector selects one of the modes in accordance with the exposure line chosen by the choosing circuit.

Abstract: An improved bayonet mount for removably attaching the photo-taking lens barrel to a camera body in an interchangeable lens camera system, which bayonet mount includes a body-side mount surface and a lens-side mount surface which have a plurality of stop members severally provided on each interior surface thereof and electrical contact elements severally provided on each interior side thereof. In the bayonet mount, one pair of the correspondent pairs of stop members which mutually engage when the lens barrel is attached to the camera body are disposed at positions which overlap the electrical contact elements in a radial direction on the mount surfaces.

Abstract: A camera, equipped with a viewfinder having an optical axis different from the optical axis of the photographic lens system, has a parallax compensation apparatus for compensating for the parallax between the viewfinder and the photographic lens system. The parallax compensation apparatus includes a distance measuring device which measures an object's distance from the camera and an optical axis moving device which moves the optical axis of the photographic lens system according to the parallax, which is based on the results received from the distance measuring device, thereby matching the photographic image plane with the viewfinder field. In addition, the optical axis moving device moves the optical axis of the photographic lens system to compensate for hand trembling or other motion of the camera during shooting.

Abstract: A camera wherein exposure parameters fixed by a program line can be shifted along an exposure value EV line so that exposure parameters for an exposure operation are based on the shifted program line according to the preference of the camera user.The camera has setting means for temporarily changing these exposure parameters at a constant exposure value with respect to the values predetermined by a program line. A counting means counts the number of times that a shutter is released while the program line is shifted in one direction and control means stores the changed values for shifting the program line under certain conditions. In this way a learning function is provided to learn the aforementioned tendency of the user.

Abstract: A method of processing photographic still image film orders having sound information recorded at the camera in association with one or more images captured on the film in which the sound information is downloaded at an order entry station to create a sound file for transfer to the photofinishing laboratory. Order identification data linking the recorded sound information to the film order is created and assigned to the sound file and the film order. The order identification data is employed at the photofinishing laboratory to create a sound recording medium from the sound file which is linked to prints produced from the film order, the sound recording medium then being attached to the image prints using the linking order identification data. Sound information associated with individual image prints may also be accumulated and recorded on a single sound recording medium for attachment to an index print produced from the film order.

Abstract: A finder has a finder field frame switching mechanism for switching and indicating two field frames relative to a reference field frame. The finder field frame switching mechanism performs switching of one field frame by a mechanical type switching mechanism, and switching of another field frame by liquid crystal. As a result, an inexpensive finder field frame switching mechanism of a simple structure can be provided.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus includes an optical unit provided on an image plane side of an objective lens for detecting a focus state of the objective lens, the optical unit forming a plurality of light quantity distributions, a photoelectrical changing unit having a plurality of elements for outputting a relative positional signal between the plurality of light quantity distributions, and a circuit for detecting a focus state of the objective lens. The optical unit includes a reflecting mirror having a light condensing property for reflecting a light beam from the objective lens to form an object image on a predetermined surface, a secondary imaging lens having at least a pair of lenses for causing the object image formed on the predetermined surface to be reimaged on the photoelectrical changing unit and a pair of apertures having aperture portions respectively corresponding to the pair of lenses.

Abstract: A shake preventing apparatus in a camera, comprises a shake detecting device for detecting an amount of shake upon small motion of the camera, a shake correcting device for correction-driving a photo taking optical system in a direction to keep an image on a plane of a film unshaken, based on the amount of shake detected by the shake detecting device, a shake correction limit determining device for determining a shake correction limit amount which is a limit for the shake correcting device to correct the shake, and a shutter controlling device for controlling a shutter to close when the amount of shake detected by the shake detecting device exceeds the shake correction limit amount determined.

Abstract: When appropriate information related to an image blur is not input in accordance with the movement state of a moving member, e.g., when the lens length becomes larger to cause an area sensor for detecting the image blur to be partially in the shade of a lens, and a light beam as the image blur information is not incident on a portion of the area sensor, a portion of the information is invalidated, e.g., information from the portion of the area sensor, which is in the shade of the lens, is not used for image blur detection, so that inappropriate information is not used for image blur prevention, thereby preventing an inappropriate image blur prevention operation.

Abstract: A camera with an optical system having an autofocus function and a motion compensation function and which is adapted to quickly perform communication of data relating to the motion compensation function and the autofocus function to a camera body. The camera is provided with a communication device having a body side control device, provided in the camera body, for controlling an autofocus adjustment device and a motion compensation device. The body side control device is adapted to issue a single command to request data regarding the optical system. An optical side control device is provided in the optical system, the optical side control device controls the autofocus adjustment device and the motion compensation device. The optical side control device transmits data relating to the autofocus adjustment device and to the motion compensation device to the body side control device based on the single command received from the body side control device.

Abstract: In a shake correcting apparatus incorporating a lock function, if shake correcting control is executed immediately after unlocking, an impact is exerted on a shake correcting mechanism, and respondency of the shake correcting apparatus worsens due to the control for avoiding this impact. For preventing this, in a photographing apparatus including a shake correcting device and a lock device, there are provided a first communication unit, provided in the lens device, for transmits data about detected result of a locked-state to a body device, and a second communication unit, provided in the body device, for receiving the data about the detected result of the locked state.

Abstract: A driving mechanism is disclosed for photographic lens having a stationary lens barrel, a first driving lens barrel adapted to be rotated and moved back and forth relative to the stationary lens barrel, a second driving lens barrel operatively associated with the first driving lens barrel by the aid of a rotation transmitting structure so as to be rotated and moved back and forth relative to the first driving lens barrel, and a movable lens barrel holding a front lens group and being movable back and forth relative to the second driving lens barrel. With this arrangement, power varying or focusing is achieved with a relatively small-sized lens barrel assembly by moving a rear lens group back and forth under a regulating action of the second driving lens barrel. The first driving lens barrel is rotatably received by and operatively associated with the stationary lens barrel through helicoids formed on these two lens barrels.

Abstract: A variable-focus photographic camera is described having a photographic lens adapted to be driven by an electric motor disposed at a location as remote as possible from the photographic lens so that a group of elements serving to transmit a driving force from a drive source to the photographic lens can be arranged substantially in a common plane and thereby a thickness or depth, as viewed in the direction of the optical axis of a space destined to be occupied by the above-mentioned group of elements, can be reduced. Such an arrangement also positively contributes to realization of a thin and compact camera. A dry battery and a main capacitor for powering a strobe device are disposed on the same lateral side of a camera body. The electric motor is disposed below on the dry battery and an output shaft of the electric motor is oriented in parallel to the optical axis of the photographic lens.

Abstract: In a program reset processing, a camera confirms stopping of the lens by a focus lens drive state obtaining communication. Then, a lens request obtaining communication is performed. When the lens can return to the AF mode and is in the MF mode, an "AF/MF switch instruction" is transmitted. When a "lens request obtain" communication is performed and it is confirmed that the mode has been switched to the AF mode, "mechanism resetting" is performed. Thus, troubles in setting the focus mode can be prevented.

Abstract: A lens barrel has first, second and third barrels concentrically arranged in this order from an optical axis. The lens barrel includes at least one cam slot formed on the second barrel and extending oblique to a direction of the optical axis, at least one guide groove formed on an inner periphery of the third barrel, at least one follower formed on an outer periphery of the first barrel and engaging with the at least one guide groove through the at least one cam slot, and at least one member integrally formed on an outer periphery of the second barrel adjacent to an end of the at least one cam slot. The at least one member includes a surface formed thereon to contact the at least one follower when the at least one follower moves to the end of the at least one cam slot.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for displaying motion pictures. In one embodiment, a substantially transparent and faceted cylindrical body includes a series of motion picture images imprinted on each one of the facets of the cylindrical body. When the cylindrical body is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body, the images on the opposite side of the cylindrical body to a viewer are observed through the interior of the cylindrical body through the facets of the cylindrical body near the viewer. When the cylindrical body is rotated about its longitudinal axis, the facets of the cylindrical body wipe across in front of the images behind the facets on the opposite side of the cylindrical body such that each image is dissolved into a neighboring or an adjacent one of the series of motion picture images to produce an animated effect.

Abstract: A single lens reflex camera includes a pair of vibration-type gyros as camera shake detecting sensors which are arranged on a pair of roof planes of a pentagonal prism forming a finder optical system. The detecting directions of the vibration-type gyros are different from the directions of the short side and the long side of a film plane, so that the vibration-type gyros can be arranged at a high degree of freedom and the size of the camera can be reduced.

Abstract: An automatic light modulating camera effecting a preliminary light emission and a main light emission, extracts effective light metering areas from plural light metering areas based on the light metering signals obtained at the preliminary light emission and on lens signals indicating the states of a phototaking lens at the preliminary light emission, and terminates the main light emission based on the light metering signals obtained in the effective light metering areas.