Abstract: A sheet of exposed and developed instant-camera film is discharged from an instant camera and then inserted by the user into a film-holding structure on the back of the camera which very accurately positions the film sheet, such that upon removal and reinsertion of the film sheet into the holding structure the film sheet will always assume a predetermined position. The camera is provided with a multihead magnetic head unit mounted for reciprocating motion along a magnetic strip or coating provided at a marginal portion of the inserted film sheet. During first-direction travel of the head unit, one head records, and during second-direction travel of the head unit a different and differently located head records onto a further segment of the magnetic strip. After recording, the recorded information, e.g., spoken words identifying the subject just photographed, can be reproduced, and if desired erased.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of, and an apparatus for, photographically making positive pictures from individual frames of motion-picture films, film strips and microfilms. The image from a respective selected film frame is exposed onto a self-developing ("instant-picture") film sheet which is then developed to produce a positive paper picture of this image.

Abstract: A camera has an objective which can be moved from an extended, operative position to an inoperative position retracted into the camera housing for dimensional compactness. The objective is driven by a motor from one to the other of those two positions and moved by hand back in the other direction, or is motor driven in both directions. The motor employed is the film transport motor anyway present. The objective is coupled to and decoupled from the drive motor in dependence upon the setting of a manual selector, so that the objective not be driven at improper times, and is preferably coupled and decoupled in automatic response to the setting of a manual selector used to implement other camera functions, so that extension and/or retraction of the camera objective occur automatically as a logical incident to the other camera functions selected by the user.

Abstract: During the ongoing course of the exposure, the aperture area increases linearly to a maximum value and then stays at the maximum value, the instantaneous amount of exposure light therefore changing correspondingly, even if the ambient-light level remains constant during the exposure. A pulse generator includes a photodetector exposed to ambient light and generates a pulse train of light-dependent repetition frequency, the pulses of which are counted by a light-totalizing counter which eventually generates a terminate-exposure signal. Ideally, the repetition frequency should increase steplessly and linearly, for maximum accuracy, or second best increase stepwise in small steps to approximate to a stepless linear increase, but in order to use an extremely low number of stepwise frequency changes, without loss of system accuracy, no attempt is made to per se keep the light-indicating repetition frequency accurate.

Abstract: A camera includes a viewfinder, an objective and a manually operated focus adjuster. An optical system located in the path of incoming image light splits the incoming image light beam into two component beams projected into respective first and second focal planes. First and second planar arrays of photosensitive elements are located in respective first and second photodetector planes. When the objective is correctly focussed and then defocussed in a first direction, the sharpness of the image on the first array increases and that on the other decreases; if the objective is defocussed in the opposite direction, the opposite occurs. A comparator has two outputs, connected to the elements of the first and second arrays via respective first and second circuit branches. Each circuit branch includes at least one subtractor producing an absolute-value output signal independent of the polarity of the difference between the input signals applied thereto.

Abstract: A motorized still camera has a housing which can receive film cassettes in a film chamber at the rear side of the housing. A motor-drive of the camera includes a motor which is located forwardly of the cassette take-up section, in direction towards the front side of the camera. A motor-controlling mechanism and a film transporting mechanism of the motor drive are so dimensioned as to require relatively little space in direction vertically of the camera and in direction between the front and rear side, but instead to have their major dimensions extending lengthwise of the housing so as to make optimum use of the space available in the housing.

Abstract: A first photodetector arrangement comprises three adjoining photodetectors, and a second comprises six. First and second optics, and the two photodetector arrangements, are located immovable on the camera, and the optics project onto the first arrangement an image of a subject which is to form the basis of a subject-distance measurement, without shift between image and photodetectors of the first arrangement so long as the subject-distance is within one of the ranges the system is to furnish; whereas the image projected onto the second photodetector arrangement shifts relative thereto in dependence upon the distance to the subject. The six photodetectors of the second arrangement are subdivided, for signal-processing purposes, into four successive groups, respectively comprised of the first, second and third photodetector, the second, third and fourth, the third, fourth and fifth, etc.

Abstract: A focussing system emits an infrared light beam towards the subject, the reflected beam passing through an infrared filter and being projected by a spot optics as a small spot onto a pair of photosensitive elements. The spot optics shifts in a plane normal to the camera's optical axis in dependence upon rotation of the camera's focussing ring, to vary the distribution of the reflected beam onto the two elements, the distribution being equal between them when the state of focus is correct. A circuit derives, from the output signals of the two photosensitive elements, a state-of-focus signal used to automatically focus or else to indicate to the user the direction in which he should manually adjust focus. When focussing is finished, the photosensitive elements are disconnected from the focussing circuitry and connected to the camera's exposure-control circuitry, to thereby serve a dual function. The infrared filter moves out of the light path of the photosensitive elements.

Abstract: An infrared measuring beam is emitted from the camera towards the subject, and reflected back as a tiny light spot projected, by an optics which transversely shifts in dependence upon exposure-objective subject-distance setting, onto one, the other or both of two infrared photodiodes. The signals from the two photodiodes are transmitted in processed form to two output flip-flops through the intermediary of a single, shared signal-processing stage, employing time-division-multiplexed transmission of the two photodiode signals, to assure that the signal processing of the two photodiode output signals be as identical as possible.

Abstract: An arrangement for setting camera functions in dependence upon a characteristic of film being used in the camera. The arrangement includes a manually operable setting knob which can be turned to a plurality of settings and is arrested in each by an arresting device. This knob is used when the film cassette employed in the camera has no film-characteristic (e.g., film speed) mark. When the cassette does have such a mark, the insertion of the cassette into the film chamber of the camera causes disengagement of the arresting device and automatic turning of the knob to a position corresponding to the detected mark. Since the knob is visible to the user it serves as an indicator of the film in the camera, whether the camera setting is manually or automatically made.

Abstract: A film transport system includes an electric transport motor. Upon completion of an exposure, the motor is energized to perform a film-transport operation and upon conclusion thereof a perforation-feeler causes the motor to become short-circuited for quick arrest. A flash unit comprises an energy-storing capacitor connected in series with flash-unit batteries. When the film transport motor, which is powered off a motor battery, is motionless or in short-circuited condition, the energy-storing capacitor of the flash unit is permitted to charge both of the flash-unit batteries and the motor battery. When the film transport motor is in operation, the input terminals of the flash unit are conductively shunted together, thereby connecting the flash-unit batteries across the energy-storing capacitor so that the latter may continue to charge off its own batteries but not off the camera batteries.

Abstract: A photographic camera has an exposure objective and a focus adjuster device for changing the subject-distance setting of the exposure objective, as well as a transducer generating actual-setting signals dependent upon the setting of the focus adjuster device. An evaluating circuit, operative for ascertaining camera-to-subject distance on one basis or another, produces digital required-setting signals, expressed using a first encoding scheme, whereas the actual-setting signals generated by the aforementioned transducer are expressed using a different, second encoding scheme. The actual-setting signals are applied to the first input of a comparator stage, whose second input receives a transformed version of the required-setting signals, transformed from the first to the second encoding scheme, i.e.

Abstract: When the user presses the trigger button, a rod is pulled longitudinally by a drive spring in a first direction from a first to a second position triggering the shutter in the process and a coupling thereafter couples the rod to a transport motor which returns the rod in the opposite second direction back to first position, the rod resetting the shutter in the process, the rod when returned to second position becoming decoupled from the motor so that the latter will not oppose the force of the drive spring for the next first-direction movement of the rod. The crank rod is blocked against first-direction movement by two blocking levers, the first initially being in blocking position and the second initially in unblocking position.

Abstract: When the trigger button is depressed, a crank rod is pulled by a biasing spring in a first direction from a first to a second position triggering the shutter in the process, and an associated crankwheel drives a gear segment coupled thereto to an angular position engaging a motor-driven transmission, which latter then drives the gear segment, crankwheel and thereby the crank rod in an opposite second direction back to first position, the crank rod resetting the shutter in the process, whereupon the gear segment reaches an angular position once more disengaged from the film-transport motor.

Abstract: The reproducing apparatus, such as a motion-picture film projector, stops recording medium transport in response to interrupt-transport frame markings on the recording medium and reproduces the thusly marked image frames as still images. Interrupt-transport frame markings are provided at the terminal frame of each motion-picture scene on the recording medium, or at each still-shot image frame on the recording medium, or both. The user of the reproducing apparatus can select automatic reproduction of motion-picture scenes interspersed with automatic still reproduction of still shots, and can additionally select automatic still reproduction of the terminal frame of each motion-picture scene.

Abstract: A still-camera film transport system includes a perforation feeler and cooperating perforation-detecting switch generating a perforation signal. A time-delay circuit initiates a time delay upon the commencement of film transport and generates a time-delay-elapsed signal when the time delay has elapsed. The duration of the delay is greater than the time required for the film transport motor to transport film from the last film perforation to the actual end of the film. A shutter-state switch generates a signal indicating whether the shutter is in set or unset state. A motor-control switch is controlled from the output of a logic-circuit stage which receives the above three signals. During normal operation before the last perforation is passed, the perforation signal is used to generate a deenergize-motor signal, but in dependence upon the shutter-state signal.

Abstract: A photographic apparatus which can accept cassettes for high-speed or lower-sensitivity film has a mechanical or electronic switch which automatically deactivates a light-emitting diode which serves to indicate the intensity of scene light as soon as a cassette for high-speed film is properly inserted into the body of the apparatus. Such cassette further causes a filter to move out of register with the light-sensitive resistor which is in circuit with the diode and is exposed to scene light. The diode is also deactivated if the diaphragm is adjusted to furnish an aperture of maximum or minimum size; alternatively, the diode is deactivated only when the body of the apparatus contains high-speed film and the diaphragm is adjusted to furnish an aperture of maximum or minimum size.

Abstract: A still or cinematographic camera has a zoom lens movable between two focal-length settings. An eyelevel viewfinder is provided. Also provided is an actuating arrangement which is coupled with both the zoom lens and with components of the viewfinder so as to change the image are a visible in the viewfinder as it moves the lens from one to the other of the focal-length settings.

Abstract: The user of a motion-picture camera selects between motion-picture and single-exposure operation, and presses a release member to initiate shooting, letting go of it to terminate motion-picture shooting. Each time the user lets go of the release member, an internal device provides an interrupt-transport marking alongside the just exposed film frame, or phase shifted relative thereto. Alternatively, the interrupt-transport marking is provided the next time the user presses the release member. In this way, the terminal frame of each motion-picture scene, and each and every one of the interspersed single-exposure shots, is provided with an interrupt-transport frame marking. Thus, if the film is run through a reproducing apparatus provided with a marking detector, detection of each interrupt-transport marking during motion-picture reproduction causes the terminal frame of each motion-picture scene, and also each one of the still shots, to be persistently reproduced as a still image.