Abstract: A method is described for communicating printing instructions on exposed photographic film to photo finishing equipment to enable imaging parameters to be set automatically which includes the steps of splicing a first exposed strip of film to a second exposed strip of film with a film-splicing label, encoding the label with low resolution indicia, and feeding the spliced first and second films to a film-splicing label reader for reading the code and automatically setting the parameters for printing. A film-splicing label encoded with indicia for identifying the scene orientation, the number of prints and/or whether sound is to be provided.

Abstract: An index print includes a recording sheet having a plurality of imagettes representing images stored on a motion picture image recording medium such as a video tape. The plurality of imagettes are less in number than an entire number of images stored on the video tape. An indicator, such as a time or count from the beginning of the video tape, is provided on the recording sheet adjacent the imagettes for indicating substantially where images, corresponding to the imagettes, are stored on the video tape.

Abstract: A film cartridge has a housing with a film exit slit, and a film roll support rotatable inside the housing to unwind a filmstrip beginning with a film leader outwardly through the slit to accomplish film loading in a camera. A visible film-loaded indicator is provided on the housing to be seen through a window in a camera. A flexible cover strip has a leading end portion secured to a forward end portion of the film leader which protrudes from the slit, an opaque trailing end portion extending over the film-loaded indicator to prevent the indicator from being seen through the window in the camera, and an intermediate folded portion interconnecting the leading and trailing end portions to unfold as the film leader is moved outwardly through the slit. The folded portion is of suitable length to draw the trailing end portion from over the film-loaded indicator to permit the indicator to be seen through the window in the camera when the film leader is moved substantially completely through the slit.

Abstract: To determine the orientation of a set of recorded images, the recorded images are scanned. The scanning operation obtains information regarding at least one scene characteristic distributed asymmetrically in the separate recorded images. Probability estimates of orientation of each of the recorded images for which at least one scene characteristic is obtained are determined as a function of asymmetry in distribution of the scene characteristic. Probability of orientation for the set of recorded images is determined from the probability estimates of orientation of each of the recorded images in the set.