Abstract: Object brightness information is measured and diaphragm aperture value is appex operated using the setting information of mounted lens and the photographing conditions an input to effect ON-OFF control of an automatic-manual change-over means. The change-over means is associated with the photographing mode change-over operation of a diaphragm setting means for displaying the photographing mode within a finder.

Abstract: A droppage in a power source voltage below a prescribed value is prevented by using an electro-magnetic device of low power consumption type in a single lens reflex camera, and at the same time when the power source voltage is lower than the prescribed value, an erroneous function prevent circuit is activated to make the control circuit of a camera electronically inoperative and an indication of warning is made.

Abstract: A flash illumination device is removably mounted on the body of an accompanying camera. Electric adjusting means set the diaphragm of the camera. A signal system produces a signal corresponding to a prescribed diaphragm setting and transfers the signal through a shoe attached to the camera body or through other electric connecting means. When the flash illumination device is connected to the camera body, the signal system provides an electrical signal which causes the adjusting means automatically to set the diaphragm.

Abstract: An interchangeable-lens camera is usable with a flash unit which stops the flash on the basis of the object distance and transmits a signal corresponding to a required aperture value. The camera includes a diaphragm control that responds to the light passing through the maximum aperture of the interchangeable lens and corrects for a particular maximum aperture. A selector causes the diaphragm control to respond either to the light or the signal transmitted by the flash and a switch aborts the maximum aperture connection during flash photography.

Abstract: A camera having an exposure control device or, more particularly, having a digital control circuit for controlling exposure. Sequence control over a photographing operation and control over a display operation are both accomplished by the same sequence control circuit, which is simplified and yet permits selection between self-timer photographing and ordinary photographing operations.

Abstract: A flash illumination device is removably mounted on the body of an accompanying camera. Electric adjusting means set the diaphragm of the camera. A signal system produces a signal corresponding to a prescribed diaphragm setting and transfers the signal through a shoe attached to the camera body or through other electric connecting means. When the flash illumination device is connected to the camera body, the signal system provides an electrical signal which causes the adjusting means automatically to set the diaphragm.

Abstract: A camera having an electrically operated self-timer is provided with an operation mode display device arranged so that when the camera is switched to an exposure control mode by the self-timer, the display being ready for actuation of the timer is rendered recognizable from the object side or to the photographer, while when switched to any other exposure control mode, this display is shielded so as not to be recognizable from the object side or to the photographer.

Abstract: A camera having an exposure control device or, more particularly, having a digital control circuit for controlling exposure. Sequence control over a photographing operation and control over a display operation are both accomplished by the same sequence control circuit, which is simplified and yet permits selection between self-timer photographing and ordinary photographing operations.

Abstract: A camera having an exposure control device or, more particularly, having a digital control circuit for controlling exposure. Sequence control over a photographing operation and control over a display operation are both accomplished by the same sequence control circuit, which is simplified and yet permits selection between self-timer photographing and ordinary photographing operations.

Abstract: When an electric shutter camera is set at a bulb photographing mode, which camera has an electro-magnetic release which places a photo-sensing circuit in an active state by a photo-sensing switch associated with a first stroke of a shutter button and provides shutter release by a camera-initiating switch associated with the second stroke of the shutter button, shutter release is performed by the camera-initiating switch and at the same time, the retention of a shutter follower screen is released in association with the photo-sensing switch to complete bulb photographing action.

Abstract: An automatic winding up device for a camera, in which a device for detecting the winding up completion signal supplied from the camera body as well as a delay device starting to operate by the detection of the winding up completion signal by the detecting device are disclosed. These devices operate in such a manner that the current supply to the winding up motor is maintained during the operation of the delay device. This acts to overload the motor for a certain time determined by the delay device after the completion of the winding up operation and overloads the winding up mechanism of the camera body. The current supply to the motor is interrupted after lapse of a time determined by the delay device so as to stop the motor. The winding up member is driven in the reversed direction by the reaction of the overload exercised on the winding up mechanism so that the load exercised on the camera is released at the termination of the winding up operation.

Abstract: In a single lens reflex camera an electromagnetic release initiates operation of an automatic diaphragm control, a mirror driver, and a shutter driver, in that order. The electromagnetic release device includes a mechanical output terminal for controlling each mechanism and an electric input terminal. The electromagnetic release device is provided in a flat space above the bottom exterior wall of the camera.

Abstract: In the system disclosed, a feedback circuit connects the output of the last of a plurality of cascaded amplifier stages to the input of the first stage. A photoelectric transducer is connected to one of the stages. The feedback connection compresses the output signal relative to the signal at the photoelectric transducer, logarithmically. Preferably all the stages are linear and the feedback circuit is linear so that no logarithmic members are required. Preferably each of the stages is composed of an amplifier and a connection corresponding to an emitter-follower connection. A suitable system then utilizes the compression characteristic in a shutter control. This system may use a second compression circuit comparable to the first. Additional photographic information may be applied to the input of any of the stages in either compression circuit.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter for a camera includes a shutter unit casing for supporting a shutter mechanism. A rotatable body is connected with the shutter for winding up the shutter to a charged position. A shutter driving spring is also connected with the shutter mechanism for driving the shutter and a holding member is coupled with the rotatable body for holding the shutter mechanism in a charged position. A driving shaft carrying a driving gear is coupled to the rotatable body through a transmission gear and a clutch. A spring is coupled with the clutch to urge the clutch in a direction for releasing engagement between the transmission gear and the rotatable body. The driving gear has a plane section on its circumferential periphery spacing adjacent teeth apart so that engagement between the driving gear and the transmission gear is released when the rotatable body is held so that the transmission gear and the clutch can rotate, under the influence of the spring, back to the initial position.

Abstract: In cameras, a magnetic mechanism is used to control various camera operations. In order to reduce current consumption in supplying such magnetic mechanism, the present invention provides an improvement over known designs. The present inventive system for the magnetic mechanism thus presents a second reset member beside the normal reset member for releasing the current supply to the magnetic mechanism. If the current is continued to be supplied to the above mentioned magnetic mechanism by mistake, the above mentioned second reset member interrupts the current supply to the above mentioned magnetic mechanism instead of the normal reset member. In this way, the useless consumption of the battery can be avoided.

Abstract: A camera having an automatic diaphragm control range where the exposure value derived from an exposure control circuit is introduced to a diaphragm mechanism through a scanning mechanism.

Abstract: A camera having an electrically operated self-timer is provided with an operation mode display device arranged so that when the camera is switched to an exposure control mode by the self-timer, the display being ready for actuation of the timer is rendered recognizable from the object side or to the photographer, while when switched to any other exposure control mode, this display is shielded so as not to be recognizable from the object side or to the photographer.

Abstract: A photographic camera having a magnetic actuating device associated with an electronic control device for initiating a release of one or more of the camera mechanisms from the cocked position thereof. In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic actuating device comprises a single magnetic winding with a core material having a substantially rectangular hysteresis loop, and an armature of which the movement is controlled by the polarity of the magnetic winding and which is connected to spring-biased means for latching the mechanism in the cocked position. After the core is magnetized by applying a voltage to the magnetic winding for a relatively short period to hold the armature with the latching means in the cocked position against the force of the spring, the magnetic winding is energized by an output of the opposite polarity from the electronic control device causing the armature to move away from the core, whereby the release of the mechanism is initiated.

Abstract: A film feeding device for a camera including a rotatable center shaft member having a protrudent clutch pin, the center shaft being movable alone in the direction of its axis; a rotatable film feeding sprocket which has a slot to allow the protrudent pin to engage therewith and which thus moves together with the center shaft member when the center shaft rotates; a drive device which is provided with a clutch groove to allow the protrudent pin to engage with and disengage from the clutch groove, the drive device being arranged to rotate in response to a film winding operation. When the center shaft shifts to one side defined by the slot, the protrudent clutch pin comes to engage with the clutch groove to cause the sprocket to rotate in response to the film winding operation. When the center shaft shifts to the other side, the protrudent clutch pin is disengaged from the clutch groove to permit free rotation of the sprocket.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter unit for a camera has a dimension-stable framework which has a rear wall member provided with an exposure aperture and with a film guide channel defining a path of the film behind the exposure aperture and which has a front surface to which a support structure having means for receiving and holding a lens mount is fixedly secured so that a predetermined spatial relationship between the objective lens and the film plane is established with dimension-stability, though the internal and external camera housing sections are made from a dimension-unstable material such as plastic. The framework is further adapted to carry front and rear shutter curtains with respective drive means, front curtain actuating means, rear curtain actuating means, and shutter cocking means coupled to the film wind mechanism of the camera.