Abstract: A driving mechanism is described for a variable-focus photographic lens adapted to move back and forth. The driving mechanism includes a first driving lens barrel movably received within a stationary lens barrel without rotating the first driving lens barrel around an optical axis with a driving force transmitted from an electric motor. The driving mechanism of the present invention provides a so-called three-state extension lens barrel which advantageously eliminates the necessity for incorporation of driving ring members into the stationary lens barrel and/or the first driving lens barrel, as well as the necessity for constructing the stationary lens barrel and/or the first driving lens barrel in multiple structure. Such an arrangement positively contributes to the realization of a thin and compact camera. A portion of the first driving lens barrel is formed with a support block which is, in turn, formed with a guide hole into which a guide rod extending in parallel to the optical axis is loosely inserted.

Abstract: A driving mechanism is described for a variable-focus photographic lens adapted to move back and forth. The driving mechanism includes a first driving lens barrel movably received within a stationary lens barrel without rotating the first driving lens barrel around an optical axis with a driving force transmitted from an electric motor. The driving mechanism of the present invention provides a so-called three-state extension lens barrel which advantageously eliminates the necessity for incorporation of driving ring members into the stationary lens barrel and/or the first driving lens barrel, as well as the necessity for constructing the stationary lens barrel and/or the first driving lens barrel in multiple structure. Such an arrangement positively contributes to the realization of a thin and compact camera. A portion of the first driving lens barrel is formed with a support block which is, in turn, formed with a guide hole into which a guide rod extending in parallel to the optical axis is loosely inserted.

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: A driving mechanism for a photographic lens in a variable-focus photographic camera adapted to move back and forth, a first driving lens barrel movably received within a stationary lens barrel, and a second driving lens barrel movably received within the first driving lens barrel with driving forces separately transmitted from a common electric motor serving as a drive source and thereby to provide a so-called three-stage extension lens barrel which advantageously eliminates the necessity for incorporation of driving ring members into the stationary lens barrel and/or the first driving lens barrel as well as the necessity for constructing the stationary lens barrel and/or the first driving lens barrel in multiple structure. Such an arrangement also positively contributes to realization of a thin and compact camera.

Abstract: An initial focusing mechanism for a variable-focus photographic camera having a three-stage extension lens barrel, in which a first driving lens barrel is linearly moved back and forth along linear guiding means relative to a stationary lens barrel in the direction of the optical axis and an initial position of the first driving lens barrel relative to the stationary lens barrel is adjusted by attaching or detaching a focusing member to or from the linear guiding means. The operation of initial focusing is thereby simplified. A support block is formed on a portion of the first driving lens barrel and a nut member formed with a female screw is loosely inserted into a nut holder formed in a portion of the support block followed by threading a driving screw extending in parallel to the optical axis with the female screw.

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 panoramic camera has masking plates selectively movable for masking the exposure aperture so as to form a picture frame of a panoramic size or for opening the whole exposure aperture. A plate actuating mechanism provided on the fixed lens mount selectively sets the masking plates in either the full size position or the panoramic position. According to a preferred embodiment, the camera has a taking lens of the collapsible mount type having movable and fixed lens mounts. A guide groove formed on the movable lens mount engages with a pin formed on an operating knob upon retracting the movable lens mount into the fixed lens mount. The masking plates are thereby retracted from the path of the movable lens mount. The camera includes spring members for biasing the masking plates toward the full size position. An indicator indicates the frame size upon operating the operating knob. The operating knob is arranged in a film passageway for operating the plate actuating mechanism.

Abstract: A variable focal length camera having at least one auxiliary lens system which is inserted into or withdrawn from the optical axis of a main lens system. A lens holder holding the auxiliary lens system is swingably mounted on a shaft extending in the direction of the optical axis, and moves forward and rearward along the shaft for focus adjustment. In order to cancel the component of a force in the direction of the optical axis exerted by a tool by which a focus adjusting device is operated, the shaft is arranged to be motionless in the direction of the optical axis. According to a preferred embodiment, on the intermediate portion of the shaft, there is formed a thread meshing with a base portion of the lens holder so that the position of the lens holder is adjusted through rotation of the shaft, and after this lens position adjustment the base portion is fixed to the shaft.

Abstract: A focal length changeable camera has a taking lens system which is changed between at least two different focal lengths, namely, a relatively long focal length suitable for a telephotographic mode and a relatively short focal length suitable for a wide-angle photographic mode, and is equipped with a focal length changing mechanism comprising a rotatable changing member driven by a motor, a lever displacing member provided on the rotatable changing member, a motor switching lever engageable with the lever displacing member for switching a motor switch, and a focal length changing member for changing the focal length of the taking lens upon rotation of the rotatable changing member.

Abstract: A focal length changeable camera has a taking lens system which is changed between at least two different focal lengths, namely, a relatively long focal length suitable for a telephotographic mode and a relatively short focal length suitable for a wide-angle photographic mode, and is equipped with a focal length changing mechanism comprising a rotatable changing member driven by a motor, a lever displacing member provided on the rotatable changing member, a motor switching lever engageable with the lever displacing member for switching a motor switch, and a focal length changing member for changing the focal length of the taking lens upon rotation of the rotatable changing member.

Abstract: In a film wind-up mechanism of a photographic camera, a wind-up shaft to which a wind-up lever is fixed is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion. The wind-up lever is fixed to the upper portion, and the lower portion is fixed to a spool gear for driving a film take-up spool. A friction means is provided between the spool gear and the take-up spool.

Abstract: In a data printing device built in a camera body, the data carrying disc is located close to the bright frame in the viewfinder optical system so that the data may be viewed together with the bright frame in the viewfinder without an additional diopter correcting lens. The data carrying plate consists of a number of discs carrying different data of different diameter so that the data carrying portions of the different data carrying discs may face to the film in the camera directly, namely without any intervention between the data carrying portions and the film, whereby sharp images of the data are printed. A light intercepting plate is provided in parallel to the data carrying discs to selectively print the data.