Eastman-kodak Company

John E Spencer

Douglas H Pearson

Wilbert F Janson, Jr

Terrence L Fisher, Sr

John H Minnick

Reginald S Greene

Peter S Tisack

A light shield (40, 100) for closing the film slot (33) in a film cartridge (20) is configured as a light shielding strip (40, 100) which extends around a film strip (26) coiled on a supply spool (25) within the film cartridge (20). The light shielding strip (40, 100) has a first end portion (44, 102) for covering the film slot (33) and a second end portion (54) for engagement by the film lead (56) of the film strip (26). When the film strip (26) is initially advanced, detents (64) on the light shielding strip (26) are engaged temporarily by teeth (66) on the supply spool (25) to pull the light shielding strip (26) open so that the film strip (26) projects from the cartridge (20). Upon rewinding the film strip (26), a film lead portion (56) of the film strip (26) engages other detents (72, 142) on the light shielding strip (40, 100) to push the light shielding strip (40, 100) back over the film slot (33) to thereby again close the film slot (33).

Light shield for closing the film slot of a film cartridge

The angle '.alpha.' which an illumination axis of an illuminator, such as a flash illuminator, assumes with respect to the optical axis of a camera in a bounce flash mode is selected in accordance with the equation:

Methods of, apparatus for, and a camera capable of automatically

A photographic camera includes a lens adjustable to different focus distances, means for supplying a flash illumination, and a rangefinder for indicating the distance to a subject as one of at least two zones. The camera is operable in a flash mode or a non-flash mode. A ratchet is provided defining at least three consecutive teeth connected to the lens, each one of the ratchet teeth defining a focus setting for the lens, the focus settings ranging from a relatively near focus setting to a relatively distant focus setting. A pawl is provided for engaging a selected one of the ratchet teeth to fix the focus of the lens at the focus distance associated with the selected ratchet tooth. Focusing means responsive to the rangefinder are provided for operating the pawl to select one of the two ratchet teeth defining the relatively more distant focus settings when the flash illumination is not supplied, and one of the two ratchet teeth defining the relatively nearer focus settings when the flash illumination is provided. Thus, at least one of the ratchet teeth defining a focus setting is shared in both the flash and non-flash modes of operation.

Camera with flash responsive focus system

A disk film camera which is of simple, compact and inexpensive construction and yet provides one-button operation to expose the film and actuate a motor which disengages the film and cocks the shutter, then advances and locates the film. A demetering cam that is simpler and takes less space in the camera is used to remove the metering pawl from engagement with the film to permit the film to be advanced.

Demetering cam for a disk camera

A disk film camera which is of simple, compact and inexpensive construction and yet which provides one-button operation to locate the film, expose the film, disengage the film and advance the next frame. The camera requires no separate operation to initialize a cartridge when it is loaded into the camera. A photographer is free to change his mind about taking a picture at any time after moving the shutter button until the shutter is actually released, without adversely affecting the operation of the camera, such as by jamming it or by placing any component of the camera (such as a spring) in a stressed condition for an indeterminate period of time.

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Geneseo, NY, United States of America

John E Spencer