Abstract: An information recording/reproduction apparatus for a camera includes a magnetic reading unit which can contact a magnetic recording medium arranged in advance on a film, and a drive control unit for, when the magnetic reading unit reaches a predetermined position with respect to the film, bringing the magnetic reading unit into contact with the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A film feeding apparatus in a camera comprises a feeding device for feeding film from a film cartridge, a take-up spool device for taking up the film fed by the feeding device, and a judgment device for judging on the basis of a variation in the movement speed of the film whether the film has been taken up by the take-up spool. The movement speed of the film is determined by the feeding device before the film extending from the film cartridge is taken up by the take-up spool device, and the movement speed of the film is determined by the take-up spool device after the film has been taken up by the take-up spool device. The movement speed of the film driven by the feeding device differs from the movement speed of the film driven by the take-up spool device.

Abstract: The camera of the present invention is adapted to use a cartridge of a type in which when a film spool rotates in the forward direction to push the film out from the cartridge and in the backward direction to rewind the film into the cartridge. The cartridge is equipped with a bar code rotating as a whole with the film spool. The camera comprises a photoelectric reading device reading out the bar code and output the bar code signal, a decoder deciphering the bar code signal, and a microcomputer controling the circuit or the device so as to read out the bar code during film forward process, to decipher the bar code signal thus read out, to judege as to whether decipherment proves impossible to decipher the bar code signal, and to rewind the film when decipherment proves impossible to decipher the bar code signal.

Abstract: A camera of this invention can load a film cartridge, and has a spool around which a film is wound, a case for rotatably storing the spool, and an indicator for discriminatively indicating a use state of a film according to a rotational angular position of the spool. The camera has a spool drive, which can be engaged with the spool of the loaded cartridge at a predetermined rotational angular position, and can rotate the spool upon engagement, a first drive control for controlling the spool drive so as to rotate the spool to an angular position where the indicator indicates a used state of the film after the film is rewound, and an unloading detector for detecting an unloading operation of the film cartridge from the camera. The camera also has a second drive control for controlling the spool drive to assume an angular position where the spool drive can be engaged with the spool of the film cartridge on which a film unused state is indicated after the unloading operation of the film cartridge is detected.

Abstract: This invention is applicable to a camera having a cartridge chamber into which a film cartridge is detachably insertable along its axis direction. The camera is equipped with a cartridge-load detection switch for outputting a load signal when the cartridge is loaded in the cartridge chamber, and outputting a non-load signal when the loaded cartridge is drawn out from the cartridge chamber by at least a predetermined amount. When the photographed cartridge is partially drawn out from the cartridge chamber and then reloaded into the cartridge chamber as it is, the output of the load signal is continued if the draw-out amount is below the predetermined amount, thereby preventing an erroneous judgment that a new cartridge is loaded into the cartridge chamber. Therefore, for example, the double exposure can be prevented.

Abstract: A camera includes a cartridge chamber for holding a film cartridge having a film usage indicator. An ejection member can eject the loaded cartridge from the cartridge chamber by at least a fixed amount. A loading prevention member projects and retracts from the cartridge chamber and when projecting prevents loading of a film cartridge with used film, stopping the film cartridge a first fixed amount from its fully loaded position. The loading prevention member retracts from the cartridge chamber to allow loading when a film cartridge with new film is loaded and returns to the projected position when the loaded cartridge is ejected a fixed amount. In a refinement, an operation completion detection switch cooperates with a cartridge chamber lid switch to help prevent double exposures by preventing feeding of film until the film cartridge has been ejected a second fixed distance from the fully loaded position.

Abstract: A camera has a magnetic head for data recording and reproduction disposed in opposed relationship with a data recording portion provided on film loaded into the camera and adapted to be biased against the film, a pad for pushing the film into contact with the fore end surface of the magnetic head, and a positioning portion formed on the magnetic head. Further, a reference surface is formed in opposed relationship with the positioning portion and bears against the positioning portion to thereby position that surface of the magentic head which contacts with the film at a position in which no deformation is caused in the film. As the reference surface, use may be made of an outer film guild rail which is originally provided in the camera.

Abstract: A camera for magnetically recording predetermined information in a magnetic recording area of a film is provided with a magnetic head to be maintained in contact with the magnetic recording area of the film for magnetically recording predetermined information in the magnetic recording area; a power supply holding device for starting power supply by turning on a half-stroke depression switch in response to a half-stroke depression of a shutter release button, holding the power supply at least until the lapse of a predetermined period after the cancellation of the half-stroke depression and terminating the power supply only after the lapse of the predetermined period; and a head contact/retracting device for contacting the magnetic head with the magnetic recording area of the film and retracting the magnetic head from the magnetic recording area; and a controller for controlling the head contact/retracting device in such a manner as to maintain the magnetic head in a contact position in contact with the magneti

Abstract: A camera, capable of loading a cartridge housing a film which is provided with image recording areas and a magnetic recording area in which plural sets of a same magnetically recorded information are consecutively recorded along the longitudinal direction, is provided with a film feeding device for effecting a pre-winding operation for winding the film in the loaded cartridge to the end onto a winding spool prior to the photo-taking operations; a magnetic head capable of being contacted with or separated from the magnetic recording area of the film and reading the magnetically recorded information in the contacted state; a contact/separating mechanism for contacting or separating the magnetic head with or from the magnetic recording area of the film; and controller for controlling the contact/separating mechanism so as to contact the magnetic head with the magnetic recording area, in the course of the pre-winding operation, for a period which is shorter than the time required from the start to the end of the

Abstract: A film feeding device for a camera uses first and second electric motors associated with first and second planetary gearing mechanisms, respectively. In one embodiment, the first motor and first planetary gearing mechanism drive a spool shaft of a film cartridge to supply film to a winding spool. The winding spool is driven by the second motor and second planetary gearing mechanism to wind film onto the winding spool, at which time the first motor is stopped and the first planetary gearing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the spool shaft. For rewinding, the second motor is operated in reverse and the second planetary gearing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the winding spool and connected to the spool shaft of the film cartridge.

Abstract: A winding/rewinding apparatus for a camera comprises a winding spool on which a film advanced thereto is wound when the winding spool rotates; a rewinding shaft for engaging a spool of a film cartridge loaded into the camera so as to rotate the spool; a motor; a transmission for transmitting the drive force of the motor to the winding spool and the rewinding shaft so as to advance the film from the cartridge to the winding spool, the transmission transmitting the drive force of the motor so that a speed at which the film is advanced by the rewinding spool is higher than a speed at which the film is advanced by the rewinding shaft; and a clutch which disengages so as not to transmit the drive force of the motor to the rewinding shaft when the rewinding shaft is driven at an increased speed by the film which is being wound by the winding spool.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for preventing the camera shaking, provided with a light metering circuit for receiving the light from an object and releasing luminance signal corresponding to the luminance of the object; a detection circuit for detecting the camera shaking at phototaking operation; a counter for counting the number of phototaking operations identified as involving camera shaking and the number of phototaking operations identified as not involving camera shaking; a discriminator for comparing the above-mentioned numbers and discriminating the relation of the numbers; and an exposure control circuit for varying the shutter time, calculated from the luminance signal, to a shorter shutter time if the count of phototaking operations identified, by the discriminator, as involving camera shaking is larger than the count of phototaking operations identified as not involving camera shaking.

Abstract: There is disclosed a focus state display device, adapted for use in a camera which has plural focus detection areas in the phototaking image field and effects focusing in one area (focusing area) selected from such plural focus detection areas. The device has a display with two different display modes, and displays the focusing area in one display mode when the lens of the camera is in an infocus state to the object in the focusing area, and in the other display mode when the lens is in an out-of-focus state to the object in the focusing area. In another embodiment, the device has a display with three different display modes, and displays the focusing area by a display mode and other focus detection areas (namely nonfocusing areas) by two other display modes depending on whether the object in respective area is in focus or out of focus.

Abstract: A film cartridge driving mechanism of a camera, comprises: a spool driving member, capable of engagement with a spool shaft of a cartridge loaded, for rotating the spool shaft; and a power transmitting member for transmitting a driving force of a motor to the spool driving member, the spool driving member having an engaging part capable of engagement with the spool shaft, a locating part for locating the engaging part in a predetermined position with respect to a camera body, a biasing member for effecting a bias so that the locating part engages with the camera body to thereby set the engaging part normally in the predetermined position, and a centering part, forced by the spool shaft of the cartridge as the film cartridge is loaded, for moving the locating part with resistance to the biasing and simultaneously centering the engaging part with respect to the spool shaft by shifting the engaging part in the radial direction thereof.

Abstract: A still camera usable with film having a recording medium for recording optical information obtained by photographing and various magnetic information loaded in the camera body comprises a magnetic head for recording the magnetic information on the recording medium with movement of the film, a magnetic head driving device for selectively moving the magnetic head to a position retracted from the film surface and a position urged against the film surface, a discriminating device for discriminating between a one-frame photographing mode and a continuous photographing mode, and a control device for controlling the magnetic head driving device according to the photographing mode. With the one-frame mode, the magnetic head is urged against the film surface after termination of photographing to record magnetic information and is then moved to the retracted position after termination of one-frame movement of the film.

Abstract: A camera comprising a light press timer for maintaining a power source until a predetermined power source maintaining time elapses even if the power source is switched on by the half depression operation of a release button and the half depression operation is released, a time counting device for starting time counting with photographing, a memory device for finding the photographing interval time from the preceding photographing till the current photographing from the result of the time counting by the time counting device each time photographing is effected and memorizing it, and a determining device for determining a predetermined power source maintaining time from the memorized photographing interval time.

Abstract: There is disclosed a camera equipped with a mode setting device which counts the number of uses of each of plural modes, and sets the most frequently used mode as the initial mode. At the phototaking operation, the camera is set at such most frequently used mode. The above-mentioned plural modes can be plural exposure control modes, focal length control modes, photographing magnification setting modes, self-timer modes, automatic exposure value correcting modes, or alarm modes.

Abstract: A film feeding apparatus in a camera comprises a feeding device for feeding film from a film cartridge, a take-up spool device for taking up the film fed by the feeding device, and a judgment device for judging on the basis of a variation in the movement speed of the film whether the film has been taken up by the take-up spool. The movement speed of the film is determined by the feeding device before the film extending from the film cartridge is taken up by the take-up spool device, and the movement speed of the film is determined by the take-up spool device after the film has been taken up by the take-up spool device. The movement speed of the film driven by the feeding device differs from the movement speed of the film driven by the take-up spool device.

Abstract: There is disclosed a camera system consisting of accessories such as a speed light, a data back etc. and a camera capable of mounting these accessories, and capable of data communication between the camera and the accessory. When the power supply of the camera is turned off, a power supply activating signal is sent as a hardware signal from the accessory to the camera by the manipulation of the accessory. When the power supply of the camera is turned on, a power supply extending signal is sent as a software signal from the accessory to the camera by the manipulation of the accessory. The camera holds the operation of the power supply for a predetermined period from the latest entry of the power supply activation signal or the power supply extending signal.

Abstract: A camera capable of restarting the bracketing exposure mode even after all the frames of a film have been exposed during the bracketing exposure mode. An output derived from detector for detecting the trailing end of a film is delivered to controller which controls the arithmetic operation for obtaining an optimum exposure value as well as the bracketing exposure so that in response to the above-stated output, the controller inhibits the shutter release after the end of the film, but maintains the bracketing exposure mode. Furthermore, the remaining exposures of a predetermined number of exposures in the bracketing exposure mode are cancelled at the end of the film.