Abstract: A camera is adapted for use with a film cassette in which a film spool is rotatable to unwind a filmstrip off the spool to automatically thrust a non-protruding leader portion of the filmstrip from the cassette to enable the leader portion to be propelled in the camera over an exposure opening and to a film take-up means. The filmstrip including the leader portion has a natural tendency to curve crosswise. In the camera, a pressure plate is resiliently biased to an operative position for pressing the filmstrip flat at the exposure opening. A restraining device is operated to hold the pressure plate in a retracted position sufficiently removed from the exposure opening. This permits the filmstrip to assume its natural cross-curvature in order to significantly increase the longitudinal strength of the leader portion to facilitate its being propelled over the exposure opening and to the film take-up means responsive to unwinding rotation of the film spool.

Abstract: In a film cassette, an "exposure-completed" indicator is positioned within a film passage slit to the outside of the cassette shell to be normally covered by the filmstrip. The indicator is uncovered by the filmstrip only when a leader section of the filmstrip is wound through the film passage slit further into the cassette shell, after the filmstrip is completely exposed in a camera. A window is provided in the cassette shell to view the indicator whenever it is uncovered by the filmstrip. This feature is useful to prevent double exposure of the filmstrip, by informing the photographer that the filmstrip should not be re-used in the camera.

Abstract: A film cassette is disclosed wherein a film spool having a filmstrip coiled about it is selectively rotatable in opposite directions to advance a leader portion of the filmstrip through a film passage slit to the outside of the cassette shell and to return the leader portion to the inside of the cassette shell. A pile-like material, such as velvet or plush, consisting of short close flexible fibers is secured to the cassette shell along the film passage slit to prevent ambient light substantially from entering the slit. The leader portion has at least one hole adapted to receive a sufficient number of the fibers to allow the fibers to engage the leader portion to prevent its casual creep rearward in the film passage slit. The fibers have a resistance to displacement from the hole which can easily be overcome by rotating the film spool to move the leader portion.

Abstract: A film cassette is disclosed wherein a film spool having a filmstrip coiled about it is rotatable in an unwinding direction to automatically advance a leader portion of the filmstrip along a film passage slit to the outside of the cassette shell, preparatory to initial film exposure, and is rotatable in a rewinding direction to wind the leader portion to the inside of the shell, following complete film exposure, at least until a leading end of the leader portion is positioned inward of the slit. The cassette shell includes first integral guide means, protruding from an inner circumferential wall of the shell to a predetermined location proximate the film passage slit and an outermost convolution of the filmstrip, for guiding the leading end of the leader portion between the inner wall and the outermost convolution to prevent the leading end from entering the slit.

Abstract: A film cartridge has indicator means arranged within a dedicated area on an exterior surface of the cartridge. The indicator means may be physically altered to provide a visible indication that the cartridge was used in a particular type camera requiring the exposed film to receive special handling at the photofinisher. An altering member is mounted on a back door of the camera to contact the indicator means of the cartridge, to physically alter the indicator means, in response to closing movement of the back door. Thus, the cartridge can be readily identified by the photofinisher as one that was used in the camera.Preferably, the indicator means of the cartridge is constructed of a light-reflecting material which when disfigured by the altering member in the camera will reflect light diffusely.

Abstract: In an aperture preferred exposure control apparatus for a photographic camera, scene light is received by an exposure time determining photocell and a low light determining photocell. The received light is attenuated at different rates respectively for the two photocells to change the shutter speed at which a low light signal will result as a function of the particular size exposure aperture selected.