Abstract: A folding camera including a first housing having a chamber for locating a film cassette in position for the exposure of a film unit contained therein, a second housing pivotally coupled to the first housing, a flexible bellows connected to the first and second housings, and an erecting assembly for guiding the second housing between a folded inoperative position and an erected operative position. During movement of the second housing into the folded position, members of the erecting assembly move into engagement with a wall of the bellows and assist in folding it inwardly toward an opposite wall of the bellows such that the members of the erecting assembly support that portion of the bellows and prevent it from drooping into the chamber.

Abstract: An exposure control system for a photographic camera apparatus includes a single latch mechanism for latching a shutter blade mechanism of the type which is resiliently biased to move toward its scene light admitting position from its scene light blocking position between photographic exposure cycles and for latching an automatically focused lens arrangement at its appropriate focal position during a photographic exposure cycle.

Abstract: A lens drive mechanism for an auto focus camera transmits a substantially uniform driving force to rotate a lens mechanism at a uniform rate from a drive member interconnecting a pair of shutter blade elements regardless of variations in the output of the camera battery supply which operate to impart variations in the speed at which the shutter blade connecting member is driven.

Abstract: A folding camera including first and second housings pivotally mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions and being interconnected by a flexible bellows. When the housings are in the operative position, areas of the bellows which would ordinarily be exposed to ambient light and to engagement by the fingers of a user are shielded therefrom by three planar, substantially rigid, opaque members which occupy a minimum of space when the housings are in the inoperative position.

Abstract: An improved "hybrid" exposure control system for a photographic camera apparatus operates to ignite a source of artificial illumination at a "hybrid" aperture value related to the camera-to-subject distance and having an overexposure capability which progressively diminishes in correspondence with increasing camera-to-subject distances.

Abstract: A photographic system for minimizing exposure tracking error under flash illumination using a low-cost camera in which an automatic shutter system constitutes the sole control of exposure illumination passed to the film. The source of flash illumination is a low-cost filament vaporizable flash bulb in which the effective burn time is increased without change in total illumination energy to the maximum interval of exposure time compatible with hand-held camera operation. The reduced maximum intensity and lengthened burn time reduces the proportionate amount of exposure illumination during shutter closing movement and, consequently, the deleterious effect of variation in shutter closing movement so that exposure with varying camera/subject distances and flash illumination is relatively unaffected.

Abstract: A "hybrid" exposure control system for a photographic camera apparatus controls exposure in response to both the firing of a quench strobe at an appropriate size aperture corresponding to the determined camera-to-subject distance and to the subsequent quenching of the strobe in response to the detection and integration of reflected strobe light from the scene in correspondence with the scene light admitted to the film plane. An increased degree of exposure correction can thus be made possible since a slight error in determining the camera-to-subject range can be compensated by the detection and integration of reflected strobe light to provide a flash quenching signal.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed which direct a preliminary pulse of radiation from a selectively energizable light source toward a subject, and a device for evaluating the amplitude of the reflected pulse of radiation therefrom so as to determine a weighted range signal as a function of the amplitude of generally non-visible radiation frequencies selected for reducing the non-uniformity in reflectivity values of reflected visible radiation in the scene, which weighted range signal includes a reflectivity factor and a range factor. The reflectivity factor, which detracts from the range factor for focusing, significantly enhances exposure control under certain scene lighting conditions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus usable for automatically controlling exposure of a photographic film by evaluating selected spectral scene light frequencies during certain ambient light portions of an exposure interval and evaluating additional spectral frequencies during a flash portion of the interval.

Abstract: A photographic camera is provided with a fully automatic exposure control system for determining the camera-to-subject range either directly by sonic ranging or indirectly by sampling reflected flash light immediately subsequent to the firing of a source of artificial illumination and for automatically responding to either the sonically determined subject range or the sampled flash light to provide either a shortened maximum exposure interval time out period under conditions where the photographic subject is located far enough from the camera as to be just beyond the effective range of the flash or within the effective range of the flash but without sufficient reflectance to effect the termination of exposure solely as a function of scene light integration or an extended maximum exposure interval time out period under conditions where the photographic subject is located far enough from the camera as to be far beyond the effective range of the flash where there is likely to be little or no reflected flash ligh

Abstract: In a photographic exposure control system of the type which provides a flash fire signal at an appropriate follow focus aperture value corresponding to the camera-to-subject distance range, the ambient scene light intensity is measured prior to exposure and thereafter utilized to progressively vary the follow focus aperture value within determinate limits in inverse corresponding relation to the progressive variation of the detected ambient scene light intensity prior to exposure.

Abstract: A calibrating arrangement is disclosed for use in accurately correcting for exposure errors in an exposure control system having a plurality of photoresponsive regions. A scene light detecting and integrating circuit includes a pair of photoresponsive regions. Each region provides an output response as a function of its photoresponsiveness to the scene radiation intensity incident thereon. A first light attenuating member is selectively positioned to attenuate scene radiation incident to at least one of the regions so that the output of the one region can be correlated to a preselected output therefor. Independently positionable relative to at least the other region is a second light attenuating member. The second attenuating member is movable independently of the first light attenuating member to attenuate scene radiation incident to at least the other region so that the output of the other region can be correlated to a preselected output therefor.

Abstract: An automatic camera apparatus includes an integrated exposure control system comprising a sonar rangefinder for first determining camera-to-subject range and then setting the objective lens focus condition to correspond to the determined camera-to-subject distance and thereafter firing an electronic flash at an appropriate exposure aperture also corresponding to the determined camera-to-subject distance in a manner providing for a proportional fill-in flash under conditions of high ambient scene light intensity.

Abstract: An automatic focusing control apparatus focuses subjects in any one of a plurality of different camera-to-subject distance ranges by transmitting a sonar ranging signal and at the same time displacing an objective lens to move through a plurality of different focal positions corresponding respectively to the different camera-to-subject distance ranges, and thereafter detecting an echo signal from a subject and utilizing the detected echo signal to provide a specially timed control signal to ultimately stop the displacement of the objective lens at the appropriate focal position corresponding to the distance range in which the subject is located.

Abstract: An exposure control system for a photographic camera apparatus of the type preferably having a fixed focus and a built-in electronic flash includes a scanning type shutter blade arrangement wherein the shutter blade elements have especially configured scene light admitting apertures which generally scan to an intermediate sized aperture during the predominantly ambient scene lighted mode of operation to provide a correspondingly increased depth of field and which scan to a maximum size aperture during the predominantly artificial scene lighted mode of operation to provide for a maximum effective range for the flash.

Abstract: An automatic focusing camera having a ranging device, which selects the nearest subject for focusing, including a manually operative member for defeating the ranging device and automatically signalling the lens drive arrangement to move the lens to a preselected focal position when focusing on other than the near subject is desired; as, for example, when focusing through a window with a sonic ranging camera.

Abstract: A photographic camera apparatus includes an improved exposure and electronic flash fire control system comprising a single light source for providing a visual indication to the photographer of electronic flash charging and a control light detectable by the exposure control system as an indicator of the commencement of an exposure interval.

Abstract: A photographic exposure control system is provided for controlling the firing of an electronic flash of the quench type so as to automatically provide a proportional fill flash under conditions of substantial ambient scene light intensity. The photographic exposure control system may also control the firing of electronic quench flash under conditions of negligible ambient scene light intensity wherein the proportion of the exposure value attributable to the artificial scene light automatically increases in correspondence with the decrease in the ambient scene light intensity.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus and method employing a diaphragm shutter having a time variable exposure aperture with flash firing, following actuation of the shutter, after a time interval dependent on subject range. The functional relationship between the time interval and subject range establishes a parametric relationship between the brightness of the subject due to its flash illumination and the scan time of the diaphragm shutter. The inverse of this parametric relationship constitutes the timewise variation in the exposure aperture area of the shutter. Consequently, whenever the subject is within a predetermined maximum distance from the camera, dependent upon the maximum aperture area attainable by the shutter, the instantaneous product of subject brightness and aperture area will be a constant with the result that proper exposure of the photographic film is achieved independent of the subject range.