Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Akira Yoshizaki

Hiroshi Ueda

Harumi Tanaka

Haruo Kobayashi

Masataka Kashima

Takeo Hoda

Takeshi Egawa

Akira Yamanaka

Yukio Miki

Keisuke Maeda

Kayoshi Tsujimoto

Maki Yamashita

Yasuo Masaki

Fumio Yoshida

Nobuo Umehara

A camera having a photographic optical system, a lens barrel disposed to be movable relative to a camera body in a direction of an optical axis and holding the photographic optical system, a focal length switchover mechanism for moving the photographic optical system such that the photographic optical system has a longer focal length as the same is moved forwardly in the direction of the optical axis, and a lens barrier displaceable between a closed position and an opened position for covering and uncovering a front face of the lens barrel. This lens barrier is disposed independently of the lens barrel adjacent a front end of the lens barrel having returned to a home position thereof at the side of the camera body such that the lens barrier is not movable in unison with the lens barrel. The lens barrel is moved to a projected position at which a front portion of the same is projected forwardly of the lens barrier when the focal length of the photographic optical system is set to be long by the focal length switchover mechanism. When the lens barrel is placed at the projected position and if the lens barrier is operated to its closed position, the lens barrel first returns to its home position before the lens barrier will close.

Camera

A film information reading system for automatically reading film information such as film sensitivity from code patterns on a film cartridge mounted in a cartridge chamber of a camera. The code patterns comprise a six code areas arranged axially of the film cartridge. The reading system comprises a first electric contact to contact at least one of the second to fourth code areas, a second electric contact to contact the fifth code area, and a third electric contact to contact the sixth code area. The second and third contacts are in a short-circulating relationship. A film information readout circuit is connected to the contacts for reading the film information from conductive, and non-conductive states between the first to third contacts provided by the code patterns.

Automatic film information reading method and device

A disc camera for use with a disc film cartridge includes upper and lower camera walls spaced from one another by a distance less than the height of the cartridge housed in a cartridge chamber. The upper wall is formed with an opening which allows a part of the cartridge housed in the cartridge chamber to project therefrom. A frame is formed in the cartridge chamber so as to be fitted with an exposure aperture of the cartridge when a rear cover of the camera is closed. The frame serves to prevent exposure of a film in the cartridge to unwanted light. A covering member which protects the projecting part of the cartridge against impact which might be applied thereto also prevents entry of dust into the cartridge chamber. The opening may be formed on a lower camera wall or on both of the upper and lower camera walls.

Thin disc camera

A camera for use with a disk film having a take lens window provided in the front side of a parallelepipedal housing closer to one lateral side thereof and a mirror device disposed at the center of the front side adjacent the window for observing the object. The mirror device is variable in its inclination to correct the parallax due to a variation in the distance of the object and has framing marks for indicating the field of view of the lens which differs with the object distance. The mirror device further has a coverage recognition sign which is observable only from a predetermined position within the coverage where an image of the object can be accurately observed on the device.

Flat camera with self photograph framing mirror

A framing mirror provided on the front part of a camera for enabling observation of the range of the scene to be photographed from the front of the camera is used for various displays by a liquid crystal display device. Various operation modes are set by a mode selection member and the state of the display portion of the liquid crystal display device arranged in front of the framing mirror changes in accordance with the set operation mode to effect various displays. In at least one of the operation modes the whole display portion of the liquid crystal display device becomes transparent, whereby it is possible to observe the framing mirror from the front of the camera. Alternatively, the framing mirror has a transparent portion at a marginal position and the liquid crystal display device is arranged behind the transparent portion so as to be observable from the front of the camera. The liquid crystal display device displays the same data as displayed by another liquid crystal display device which is arranged behind the framing mirror, for recording data on a photographic film.

Camera with a framing mirror

An auto-focus control camera includes an arrangement for measuring distance to a subject to be photographed, a calculator for calculating the degree of out of focus and an actuator for actuating a motor that shifts camera picture taking lens to a proper focus position according to the calculated result. The auto-focus control camera further includes a detector for detecting a time it takes for the arrangement of distance measuring and calculator to complete its operation. If the detected time is within a predetermined time period, the actuator is made operative to complete the photographing operation with auto-focusing, and if the detected time is longer than the predetermined time period, the photographing operation is carried out without auto-focusing.

Auto-focus control camera

A flat compact camera employing a disk type film cartridge includes a body member having an open topped cavity and directly mounting an objective lens and a chamber member replaceably housing a film cartridge and hinged along its rear to the camera body for swinging between a photographically inoperative position retracted into the cavity and an operative condition extending from the cavity. A mirror located in the cavity is swingable between retracted and advanced positions respectively offset from and intercepting the objective lens optical axis in response to the chamber member retracted and advanced positions. The shutter and film advancing mechanisms are housed in the chamber member and the viewfinder in the body member and the chamber member is spring biased toward its extended position and the mirror toward its advanced position, the chamber being releasably locked in retracted position.

Compact cameras using a disk type film cartridge

A mechanism for automatically controlling the diaphragm aperture of a single lens reflex camera in response to scene brightness, has a photo-electric element disposed within camera body outside the photographic light path to receive light coming from the scene through the objective and diaphragm aperture and reflected from light reflective surfaces of shutter curtain and/or film. After the reflex mirror has retracted from its viewing position, the diaphragm is gradually stopped down with the photo-electric element receiving scene light therethrough until a diaphragm control circuit detects a suitable diaphragm aperture and interrupts the stopping down operation. Exposure time may be controlled by an electric circuit in accordance with the output of the photoelectric element receiving scene light through the diaphragm aperture adjusted by the diaphragm control circuit.

Automatic diaphragm control mechanism for a single lens reflex camera

In an exposure time control circuit for a camera adapted for manual and automatic exposure control, the resistance of a single variable resistance element is varied by a first movable member moved in accordance with at least the setting of the film sensitivity and by a second movable member moved in accordance with the manually set exposure time. Switching means connect either the first or the second independently movable member into the time control circuit. A manually operable second switching means set to a first position produces a first output signal between a photoelectric element and the variable resistance and in a second position produces a second output signal formed between a fixed resistor and the variable resistance element. The first independently movable member may also be moved in accordance with the diaphragm aperture setting. The means for switching the first and second independently movable members may be interlocked with the second switching means controlling the automatic or manual mode of exposure control. An indication of the optimum exposure control may be provided in either the automatic or manual exposure control mode in a further modification of the apparatus which includes an additional switch associated with the variable resistance element and which is independently operable from the second means for switching.

Exposure time control circuitry for cameras

An exposure control mechanism for a camera which includes a light measuring circuit having a photosensitive element disposed for receiving scene light reflected at substantially the entire area of both the surface of a film and a leading curtain of a focal plane shutter after the light has passed through an objective and a diaphragm. An operable member is provided for moving a light restricting member from a non-operative to an operative position where the member respectively permits the scene light reflected at the entire area or the scene light reflected at a small predetermined area of the surface to be received by the photosensitive element. An alternative light measuring circuit has a plurality of photosensitive elements respectively disposed for receiving the scene light reflected at different small predetermined areas of the surface. In this case, switches are provided for selectively activating the photosensitive elements of the light measuring circuit.

Camera with exposure control mechanism

A single lens reflex camera in which the diaphragm aperture is stopped-down to a preset position before measuring the image light for use in the automatic exposure control mechanism of the camera. A mirror, which is provided in the camera along its optical path, is movable between a viewing position and a retracted photographing position. The camera has a focal plane shutter with two curtains. Upon exposure, the curtains travel in sequence in the same direction in which the mirror is retracted. Initiation of the movement of the first curtain begins before the mirror is fully retracted, thereby enabling the time lag between a shutter release operation and exposure to be reduced.

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Osaka, Japan

Akira Yoshizaki