Abstract: An electric motor drive device for film winding. The conventional motor drive devices include a type in which the motor is normally kept in an operative state under a no load condition and the rotation force thereof is transmitted to a film winding mechanism during film winding. Another type actuates the motor during film winding. In the former arrangement, keeping the motor in an operative state requires less power consumption for actuating the motor and also eliminates the problem of delayed start. However, since the motor receives power even under a no load condition, a high voltage is impressed on the motor to cause vibration, beat, or the like even under a no load condition, thus causing camera vibration resulting in a blurred picture.

Abstract: A voltage detecting means is provided in a flash lamp firing circuit for detecting the attainment of the voltage of a storage capacitor to a satisfactory lamp firing voltage level to assure that a photographic camera associated with the flash lighting unit operates in a flash exposure range switched from a daylight exposure range only when a sufficient voltage is available to fire the lamp at the time of striking of the lamp.

Abstract: In the disclosed camera system, a camera is attachable to a motor drive unit and a flash unit. In the camera, a detector produces a first signal before wind-up of the camera is completed. An interconnection terminal receives a second signal from the flash unit before charging of the flash unit is completed. A disabling arrangement prevents shutter release as long as it senses one of the first and second signals.

Abstract: In the disclosed camera system, a spring arrangement to drive an automatic exposure mechanism of a camera and a magnet arrangement to control starting and stopping of the AE mechanism of the camera are provided within an electric drive device, and the automatic exposure control of the camera is carried out by mounting the electric drive device on the camera. Facilities, when energized by a power supply, are set to supply driving power to a motor for cocking the shutter, and an arrangement supplies power from the power source to the magnet arrangement for actuating the magnet arrangement. The present invention eliminates disadvantages of prior camera systems, namely, inferior response characteristic of the magnet and erroneous operations by the release action, and a large number of connecting terminals.

Abstract: In the disclosed system a camera includes an electro-magnetic release circuit which when operated starts an exposure. A motor-drive includes a drive circuit for winding and rewinding film. The electro-magnetic release circuit is disabled during the film rewind operation to prevent the effect of accidental release.

Abstract: In the disclosed motor driven camera, a motor drive is removably attached to a camera body and includes a grip which is fitted to the camera body. Separate switches respond to separate operating members on the upper surface of the grip and the side face of the drive device. A terminal on the camera body provides a signal to a control device and a second terminal on the motor drive connects electrically to the first terminal when the motor drive is attached to the camera body so as to furnish a signal, corresponding to the switching action of either of the switches, to the control circuit. The operational positions of the first and second release switches facilitate camera release in either the horizontal or vertical positions of the camera.

Abstract: An electric motor drive device for a camera is arranged such that, in cases where power supply to a film winding motor is stopped with the camera still in an incomplete winding state and when the film comes to the end thereof after completion of a photographic operation on every frame, the power supply to the motor is resumed in response to a film rewinding completion signal produced from a film detection switch upon completion of film rewinding so that the camera can be brought into a winding completion state. This arrangement solves the problem of phase discrepancy arising between the camera body and the electric motor drive device when they are separated from each other.

Abstract: An auxiliary power source device to be connected in series to the power source of the motor driven device built in the camera or attachable on the camera so as to increase the winding speed of the camera, so designed that the auxiliary power source device is provided with the load current detecting means in such a manner that the current delivered from the auxiliary power source device to the camera reaches a certain determined value the output voltage of the auxiliary power source device is lowered by means of the output of the load current detecting means.

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 detects which of a number of operating modes is dialed into a flash unit by sensing the current level produced by a source. In response to dialing of a daylight EE mode, the camera measures the brightness of the object to be photographed and conforms the diaphragm aperture to a preselected shutter speed. In one flash mode the flash unit transmits desired aperture and shutter speed data suitable for flash and the camera automatically responds. In another mode, the shutter speed is set into the camera and the camera automatically controls the diaphragm aperture on the basis of data transmitted by the flash unit.

Abstract: A co-ordination control system for a camera and a motor drive unit with separate electrical power sources one of which has a higher voltage than the other. The system is provided with an interface circuit including two switching elements arranged to cooperate with a common release button and connected between the circuitries of the camera and the unit so that the higher voltage of the source in the unit is prevented from being applied to the circuitry of the camera. For remotely controlled photographic purposes, the system is further provided with a control circuit for actuating these two switching elements in time-displaced relation to each other.

Abstract: A storage device for storing photographic exposure information employs a closed-loop analog-to-digital (A-D) converter circuit includes a counter and a digital-to-analog (D-A) converter. The influence of erroneous signals which are created at the output of the D-A converter when the exposure information is stored in the counter is eliminated. The D-A converter circuit employs a ladder network of coarse accuracy. The stored exposure value, however, is highly accurate because of the closed-loop nature of the A-D converter circuit. Means responsive to the stored value for operating the exposure system of the camera are disclosed.

Abstract: In the disclosed flash camera, a flash unit is movable between protruding and stowed positions, and a sensor senses whether a capacitor that flashes the unit is adequately charged. A switch and a control circuit enable the flash only when the unit is in the protruding position and the sensor simultaneously senses an adequate charge.

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 circuit for flash equipment having a trigger control switch or an SCR with its gate lead connected to a condenser through a switching transistor which is rendered conducting when the main flash capacitor is charged to the normal firing voltage and when the X sync contact is closed. After a time interval from the closure of the X sync contact, the condenser is short-circuited to prevent refiring of the flash tube. Such refiring would otherwise be caused when the condenser is recharged to actuate the SCR during the period of closure of the X sync contact.

Abstract: In the disclosed camera and power winder arrangement, a power winder winds the film and contains a rewinder. A detector responds to rewinding movement of the film past a predetermined position, and a control circuit responds to the detector's sensing that the film has stopped moving past the predetermined position by braking the film rewind source.

Abstract: A film advance error detection system for synchronizing the operation of shutter cocking and film winding mechanisms with a motor drive unit therefor. This system utilizes three transducers positioned adjacent the sprocket wheel, film perforations and rewinding spindle to pick up signals whose frequencies are related to their speeds. By processing the signals in combination with an output signal of a phase difference compensator, it is made possible to provide, in a selective manner, a display representative of the film advane error and reeling end in the winding and rewinding operations along with the automatic stoppage of rotation of the motor.

Abstract: In the system disclosed, a motor drives a winding arrangement and a rewinding arrangement for advancing and rewinding the film in a camera in response to a first switch device that forms an electrical signal indicating completion of an exposure in the camera and a second switch device that indicates that the film has been rewound; the first and second switch devices being electrically connected to each other. The exposure completion and advance completion signals in the winding mode, and rewind stop completion signals in the rewind mode are multiplexed along the same line between the camera and the unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for exposure measurement and/or focus detection by means of image senser such as photo diode array (MOS image senser), CCD (charge coupled devices) consisting of a plural number of adjacently disposed respectively integrated fine light sensing elements whereby the image pattern of the object is scanned purely electrically in such a manner that the then obtained output of each light sensing element is converted into a digital value one after another for processing.

Abstract: A flash photographic exposure control system for a camera having an electrically timed shutter is provided with an additional electronic or mechanical timing device in combination with an electronic changeover switch responsive to attainment of the threshold level of the flash unit associated therewith. This is done to switch the camera from an automatic daylight exposure range to an automatic flash exposure range in which a particular timed interval suited for flash photography is made by the timing device which is brought into cooperation with the shutter operating means when the changeover switch is actuated, while the intrinsic timing device for the shutter being cut off from the control means for the shutter.