Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Minoru Matsuzaki

Junichi Itoh

Yuta Sato

Masaharu Hamada

Youji Watanabe

Yoshitaka Naito

Kazunori Mizokami

Fumio Tomikawa

Akira Watanabe

Yuji Imai

Satoshi Miyazaki

Sumio Kawai

Yasuo Asakura

Hiroyuki Takizawa

Tomoki Funakubo

Takashi Inoue

Masaki Tokui

Hitoshi Shirai

Toru Komatsu

Ikuo Tofukuji

Akihiko Hachimoto

Masato Miyazawa

A camera according to the present invention has an arrangement that a film is discharged to a side toward a subject after a picture has been taken, the instant camera comprising a grip portion formed on a right portion of a camera body when viewed in a normal photography state and from a position of a photographer operating the camera, an optical system disposed on a left portion of the camera body when viewed from the said position of the photographer and including at least a photographing lens, and a film cartridge loading portion which is capable of loading a film cartridge into a position between the grip portion of the camera body and the optical system in such a manner that an exposure surface of the film accommodated in the film cartridge faces the optical system.

Instant camera

A camera capable of recording information uses a film cartridge that includes a spool for rolling a film that includes a data recording portion. A pair of elastic flanges having annular lips peripheries thereon are provided on the spool for nipping successive convolution of the film. The film is propelled out of the cartridge by rotating the spool in a predetermined direction. The camera further comprises a feeding member for winding the film fully when the cartridge is loaded into the camera and rewinding the film into the cartridge in response to the completion of a film exposure. A recording means is also provided in the camera. The rewinding means serially records the information onto the recording portion of the film when the film is rewinding.

Camera capable of recording data onto film

A camera according to the present invention has an arrangement that a film is discharged to a side toward a subject after a picture has been taken, the instant camera comprising a grip portion formed on a right portion of a camera body when viewed in a normal photography state and from a position of a photographer operating the camera an optical system disposed on a left portion of the camera body when viewed from the said position of the photographer and including at least a photographing lens, and a film cartridge loading portion which is capable of loading a film cartridge into a position between the grip portion of the camera body and the optical system in such a manner that an exposure surface of the film accommodated in the film cartridge faces the optical system.

A camera using films each having a development processing solution in a solution accommodating bag includes rollers feeding photographed film outside of the camera or into an accommodating chamber, a piezoelectric press member held between an electrode and an elastic member also serving as an electrode presses photographed film and spreads development processing solution in the solution bag over an entire exposing portion. A piezoelectric member vibrated by AC voltages applied to the electrode and elastic member reduces a frictional force of the film caused by the press member. The processing solution is heated by vibrating the press member to generate heat. A camera using films each having a development processing solution accommodated in a solution bag includes a follower roller disposed on the upper side of the film, an ultrasonic motor composed of a vibrator on the lower side of the film, a temperature sensor detecting temperature of the ultrasonic motor, a peripheral temperature measuring circuit for detecting a peripheral temperature and a control circuit controlling drive of the ultrasonic motor based on the results detected by the temperature sensor and the peripheral temperature measuring circuit. The ultrasonic motor also serves as a film feed unit for feeding photographed film outside of the camera or into an accommodating chamber, a press unit for pressing photographed film and spreading development processing solution in the solution bag over an entire exposing portion and a heating unit for heating development processing solution before spreading.

Camera

A data printing apparatus of this invention controls the emission timing or the emission interval of a light-emitting means on the basis of a signal according to traveling of a sheet film along a traveling path so as to print data free from blurring of characters or a variation in interval between characters on the sheet film having no perforations. After an exposure operation is ended, the apparatus feeds the sheet film from an exposure position along a spool wall. Light corresponding to digital numerals representing a date is emitted by light-emitting elements, and the date to be printed by the light-emitting elements is focused on the sheet film by an optical system. The date on the sheet film is printed during traveling of the sheet film along the spool wall. The apparatus also includes a photoreflector, arranged in a traveling chamber of the film, for detecting an emulsion portion on which an object image from a photographing lens is exposed, and the remaining frame portion on the basis of a difference in reflectance, and a timer for measuring a moving time from when the frame portion is detected by the photoreflector until the emulsion portion is detected thereby, and controls the emission timings of the light-emitting elements on the basis of the moving time.

Data printing apparatus

A flash apparatus which is detachably mounted on a camera main body is operated in a light emission mode of an open control scheme, in which the light emission amount of the light-emitting portion is controlled by a preset guide number, and in a light emission mode of an automatic control scheme, in which the light emission amount of the light-emitting portion is controlled by a metering result obtained by metering light reflected by an object to be photographed. The flash apparatus includes one of the following switches a bounce state detection switch which is turned on when the light emission axis of the light-emitting portion is inclined with respect to the optical axis of a photographing lens, an OFF-camera detection switch which is turned on when the flash apparatus is to be used while it is detached from the camera main body, and a converter mounting detection switch which is turned on when a converter is mounted on the photographing lens. A CPU of the flash apparatus forcibly switches the apparatus to the light emission mode of the automatic control scheme when any one of the detection switches is turned on.

Flash apparatus for switching and selecting emission modes of open and

An automatic focusing camera includes a sensor for detecting an amount and a direction of difference between an image forming position of light from an object being photographed and a film surface to drive a taking lens in response to the measured outputs and focus determining capability which gives a decision of in-focus when the amount of difference is less than a first automatic focusing threshold. A focusing operation is achieved such that, comparing the amount of difference determined by the sensor with a second automatic focusing threshold of a standard value which is larger than the first automatic focusing threshold, when the amount is less than the second threshold and a direction of difference last measured and that presently measured are the same, a taking lens driving is continued to complete a focusing operation and when the directions are different from each other, the measurement is resumed after the next driving of the taking lens even when the amount is less than the second threshold.

Automatic focusing camera

A program rewritable camera includes camera elements for conducting camera operation, a control circuit for controlling said camera elements in response to coded control orders, a first memory for storing said control orders and an input circuit for enabling part or all of the contents stored in said first memory to rewrite by a peripheral device disposed outside the camera body. Connecting the peripheral device to the camera, camera functions desired by a photographer can be transferred to and stored in said first memory from the peripheral device in which various camera functions have been stored, through said input circuit to put the camera into action.

Program rewritable camera

An automatic focusing camera, after determining composition of an object being photographed within a range finding frame disposed at the center of a finder, repeats operations of detecting a range difference between an image forming position and a predetermined focusing position of the object and of storing the detected range difference, before a shutter release button is half-depressed, and, after being half-depressed, drives a taking lens in accordance with a range difference based on the latest information stored immediately before the half-depression to stop the taking lens at the predetermined focusing position, thereby enabling the lens setting without a time lag even when the object being photographed is in a low brightness.

Automatic focusing cameras

Apparatus for delivering distance information of a camera includes counter means which counts a relative distance corresponding to a movement of a taking lens. The counter means is reset when the taking lens reaches a reference position located at infinity. Using stored data (absolute distance factors) which is specific to a taking lens and the count in the counter means, an absolute distance is derived.

Apparatus for delivering distance information of camera

A lens barrel is capable of selectively establishing a power focus mode in which an internally housed motor moves a taking lens to a position of any desired focal length, a single 'auto-focus' mode in which the taking lens is moved to a position which is in focus to a stationary object being photographed, and a sequence 'auto-focus' mode in which the taking lens is continuously moved in focus to a moving object being photographed. Any one of these modes is suitably selected by a mode changing switch. A movement of the taking lens in each mode is initiated by an operating member.

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Hachioji, Japan

Minoru Matsuzaki