Abstract: A shutter release-thumbwheel brake for a camera has a thumbwheel, a shutter release, and a sprag. The shutter release is pivotable reative to the thumbwheel between a ready position and a first released position and also between the ready position and a second released position. The released positions are opposed. The sprag is joined to the shutter release and brakes the thumbwheel when the shutter release is in either of the released positions.

Abstract: A pressure indicator of an underwater camera housing has an indicator support surrounding an opening. An elastomer facing is united with the indicator support. The facing has a free region overlaying the opening. The free region has an inner surface and an outer surface. The free region is deflectable by a relative pressure differential between the inner and outer surfaces. Excessive inward excursion of the free region can be prevented by a backup.

Abstract: An underwater one-time-use camera has a housing having a front housing part and a rear housing part. A frame assembly is disposed within the housing. The housing and frame assembly have retention features releaseably sealing the has rear housing part water-tightly against said front housing part and holding the frame assembly in the front housing part independent of the rear housing part. The camera is unloaded by releasing the rear housing part from the front housing part. The film door of the frame assembly is then opened and the film unit is removed. The retention features retain the frame assembly in the front housing part, during and following the opening and the removing of the film unit.

Abstract: An underwater camera housing unit has a shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface. The shell has a passage extending between the two surfaces. The shell has an outer sidewall surrounding the passage. A facing is united with the shell. The facing has a bushing portion internal to and united with the outer sidewall. The bushing portion is resiliently compressible. The bushing portion and the outer sidewall together define a knob seat having an outer edge. A knob is disposed in the passage. The knob has a seal portion and a handle exterior to the seal portion. The knob is movable inward relative to the shell from a normal pressure position, through a series of intermediate positions, to a maximum pressure position. The handle is spaced from the outer edge in the normal pressure position. The handle bears on the outer edge in the maximum pressure position. The seal portion bears on the bushing portion in all of the positions.

Abstract: A shutter release-thumbwheel brake for a camera has a thumbwheel, a shutter release, and a sprag. The shutter release is pivotable relative to the thumbwheel between a ready position and a first released position and also between the ready position and a second released position. The released positions are opposed. The sprag is joined to the shutter release and brakes the thumbwheel when the shutter release is in either of the released positions.

Abstract: In a photography method, a partial vacuum is provided within a pressure housing of a camera having an unexposed film unit. The camera is sealed against both air entry and venting, while in the partial vacuum. The camera is kept sealed until the film unit is fully exposed and while sealed, a relative pressure differential between the interior of the camera and an environment external to the camera is continuous indicated. The camera has a housing having an internal cavity water-tightly sealed from the external environment. The internal cavity has an unsubmerged internal pressure, at room temperature, less than air pressure at sea level. The camera has a camera frame assembly disposed in the internal cavity and a seal integrity indicator that provides the continuous indication of the relative pressure differential.

Abstract: A pressure indicator of an underwater camera housing has an indicator support surrounding an opening. An elastomer facing is united with the indicator support. The facing has a free region overlaying the opening. The free region has an inner surface and an outer surface. The free region is deflectable by a relative pressure differential between the inner and outer surfaces. Excessive inward excursion of the free region can be prevented by a backup.

Abstract: An underwater one-time-use camera has a housing having a front housing part and a rear housing part. A frame assembly is disposed within the housing. The housing and frame assembly have retention features releaseably sealing the has rear housing part water-tightly against said front housing part and holding the frame assembly in the front housing part independent of the rear housing part. The camera is unloaded by releasing the rear housing part from the front housing part. The film door of the frame assembly is then opened and the film unit is removed. The retention features retain the frame assembly in the front housing part, during and following the opening and the removing of the film unit.

Abstract: An underwater camera has a frame assembly, which has a frame and front and rear covers mounted on the frame. The frame has a viewfinder tunnel. A pressure housing has an internal cavity holding the frame assembly. The pressure housing has opposed first and second viewports. The viewports each bear directly on the viewfinder tunnel and are disposed in non-load-bearing relation to said covers.

Abstract: An underwater housing has a shell having inside and outside surfaces and an opening extending between the surfaces. An actuator is disposed in the opening. The actuator has an outer member disposed external to the opening and an inner member disposed internal to the opening. The actuator has a torsion bar joining the members to the shell. The members are pivotable about an axis through the torsion bar, between an initial orientation and a pivoted orientation. The torsion bar is relaxed when the members are in the initial orientation and tensioned when the members are in the pivoted orientation. A facing is united with the shell and the actuator. The facing seals the opening.

Abstract: An underwater camera has a frame assembly, which has a frame and front and rear covers mounted on the frame. The frame has a viewfinder tunnel. A pressure housing has an internal cavity holding the frame assembly. The pressure housing has opposed first and second viewports. The viewports each bear directly on the viewfinder tunnel and are disposed in non-load-bearing relation to said covers.

Abstract: A belt clip is suitable for use with a camera that includes a pair of front and rear cover parts, a main body part between the front and rear cover parts, and a particular device on the main body part that needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a power switch with a movable switch element that is moved to change the power switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to the device. The belt clip has a clip portion for holding one's belt between the clip portion and the rear cover part, an actuating portion for moving the movable switch element to change the power switch from its normal to working state, and an intermediate portion between the clip and actuating portions.

Abstract: A camera comprising a particular device such as an electronic flash that needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a power switch capable of being changed from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to the device, and an activating member supported to be manually moved to change the power switch from its normal to working state, is characterized in that the activating member is a belt clip constructed to be placed on and removed from one's belt and supported to be pivoted against the power switch to change the power switch from its normal to working state as the belt clip is removed from one's belt, whereby when the belt clip is removed from one's belt the device will be made ready to operate.

Abstract: A belt clip is suitable for use with a camera that includes a pair of front and rear cover parts, a main body part between the front and rear cover parts, and a particular device on the main body part that needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a power switch with a movable switch element that is moved to change the power switch from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to the device. The belt clip has a clip portion for holding one's belt between the clip portion and the rear cover part, an actuating portion for moving the movable switch element to change the power switch from its normal to working state, and an intermediate portion between the clip and actuating portions.

Abstract: A camera comprising a particular device such as an electronic flash that needs electrical energy to be able to operate and has a power switch capable of being changed from a normal state to a working state in order to provide electrical energy to the device, and an activating member supported to be manually moved to change the power switch from its normal to working state, is characterized in that the activating member is a belt clip constructed to be placed on and removed from one's belt and supported to be pivoted against the power switch to change the power switch from its normal to working state as the belt clip is removed from one's belt, whereby when the belt clip is removed from one's belt the device will be made ready to operate.

Abstract: A photographic camera uses photographic film of the type having a magnetic recording layer. The camera includes a piezoelectric film drive for advancing the film in the camera in periodic steps; and a magnetic recording subsystem for writing information on the magnetic recording layer of the film during film advance, the magnetic recording subsystem being synchronized with the periodic steps of the piezoelectric film drive.

Abstract: A camera film-loading door interlock mechanism includes a film-loading door movable between a closed position and an open position to provide access to a film compartment in the camera. A door latch has an active state retaining the film-loading door in its closed position and an inactive state permitting movement of the film-loading door to its open position. A door un-latching mechanism is movable along a predetermined path to set the door latch in its inactive state, and a locking lever is selectively movable into the path of the door un-latching mechanism to prevent the door un-latching mechanism from setting the door latch in its inactive state. A bi-stable structure selectively moves the locking lever into the path of the door un-latching mechanism. The door un-latching mechanism includes a slide lever, slidably movable along the predetermined path to set the door latch in its inactive state, and a slide lever stop movable with the slide lever.

Abstract: A camera comprises a chamber for receiving a film cartridge that contains a film spool having a spool end which is exposed to allow it to be engaged for rotation to wind a filmstrip into the cartridge, and a door for the chamber that covers the spool end. The door has a normally light-tight access opening arranged to be located over the spool end to permit a spool driver to be inserted through the access opening to engage the spool end for rotation to wind the filmstrip into the cartridge without having to open the door.

Abstract: A metered film holding device in a camera comprising a metered film holding element supported to enter a film perforation in a metered filmstrip to substantially prevent unintended movement of the filmstrip, is characterized in that the metered film holding element is a ball supported to roll in place continuously in contact with the filmstrip when the filmstrip is advanced in the camera. The ball has a diameter greater than a maximum dimension of the film perforation in order to be able to roll only partly into the film perforation.