Abstract: A camera comprising a manually actuatable operating button, an activatable light source located at the operating button to illuminate the operating button when the light source is activated, and a hand-pressure-responsive switch connected to the light source to be closed to activate the light source when one holds the camera, whereby the operating button can be seen in a darkened surrounding.

Abstract: A compact camera which comprises a viewfinder having a pair of spaced front objective and rear eye lenses for viewing a subject to be photographed when one's eye is brought close to the rear eye lens to look at the subject through the viewfinder, and a frame counter supported for movement in a space between the front objective and rear eye lenses to view exposure related indicia of the frame counter when looking through the viewfinder, is characterized in that the frame counter has a transparent carrier for the exposure related indicia which is movable adjacent the rear eye lens to permit the exposure related indicia to be viewed through the viewfinder only when one's eye is farther from the rear eye lens than when one's eye is brought close to the rear eye lens to look at the subject to be photographed and to permit one to view the subject without seeing the exposure related indicia when one's eye is brought close to the rear eye lens.

Abstract: An easy loading camera comprising a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a film cartridge with a protruding film leader, and a leader insertion slit beginning at the cartridge receiving chamber, is characterized by a leader guide supported in a guiding position within the cartridge receiving chamber to guide the protruding film leader into the leader insertion slit before the film cartridge is loaded into the chamber and to be moved to a retracted position to make room for the film cartridge when the film cartridge is loaded into the chamber. Preferably, the leader guide is located in its leader guiding position for the film cartridge to push the leader guide out of the way as the film cartridge is loaded into the cartridge receiving chamber.

Abstract: A photographic camera including a metering linkage and an exposure initiation member provided with extensions that interact to: a) block the linkage from energizing a film winding motor in one position of the member; and, b) release the linkage to energize the motor in another position of the member. The first or blocking position corresponds to depression of the member to initiate an exposure. The second or releasing position corresponds to the return of the member to its undepressed condition after initiating the exposure. The exposure initiation member includes a first tab and the metering linkage includes a second tab. In the depressed position of the member, the first and second tabs respectively engage each other, blocking movement of the linkage and thereby preventing energization of the motor. In the non-depressed position of the member, the first and second tabs respectively clear each other, releasing the linkage and energizing the motor.

Abstract: A film metering mechanism includes a metering slide that is released from a ready position by the pressing of a camera shutter release button such that the film metering slide is pulled by a drive spring and engages a shutter mechanism, temporarily opening the camera shutter, and at the same time is moved so an integral flag portion of the lever is visible in the camera viewfinder. As the film is moved to the next frame, the metering slide engages a perforation of the film and is pulled against the force of the drive spring by the film movement, moving the warning flag out of the viewfinder, until the metering slide returns to its initial position against a frame stop. Pressing the shutter release button disengages the metering slide from the film and starts the sequence over again.