Abstract: A mechanism for capturing an image of an object client includes a camera having an optical axis extending in a direction toward the object client. A half mirror is mounted across and at an angle to the optical axis of the camera. A monitor displays an image taken by the camera. The monitor has an optical axis extending perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera and is reflected by the half mirror toward the object client. The camera is located at a position such that the optical axis thereof is offset from and not coincident with the optical axis of the monitor reflected from the half mirror.

Abstract: An automatic photographic processor apparatus automatically produce a set of photographic prints, e.g. identification photos or self-portraits, in a short period of time when a human object or client takes an image of himself or herself.

Abstract: When a rewriting instruction, which designates a specified rewriting bank is received, a rewrite processing unit copies data of the rewriting bank into a backup bank and, thereafter, writes new data prepared in a work memory such as an RAM or the like and clears the backup bank after completion of the writing operation. In this instance, flag information indicating whether data is valid or invalid is set into a plurality of banks of a flash memory. A restarting process after the writing process was interrupted is recovered by checking the flag information in all of the banks before the start of the rewriting operation and by executing the rewriting process from the beginning or in the middle of the process.

Abstract: A negative film masking system for use in a photographic processing and printing machine includes a negative film masking assembly formed mainly of a mask and a negative film hold-down and a masking mount to which the negative film masking assembly is located. Photographic prints are produced from a negative film loaded in the negative film masking assembly and having standard size frames and panoramic size frames in random combination. A panoramic size frame is designated by masking both widthwise edges of the film in shooting to make two unexposed regions in a standard frame. The negative film masking system further includes a four-sided film gate aperture in the mask and which is identical in the size to the panoramic size frame and a four-sided film gate aperture in the negative film hold-down which is identical in the size to the four-sided film gate aperture of the mask.