Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Nobuyuki Tanaka

Shinya Takahashi

Keita Takahashi

Hiroyuki Ando

Yasuo Asakura

Yuji Kobayashi

Yasuo Tanbara

Masatoshi Sato

Shinya Takashi

To provide a camera in which the parts can be easily assembled, with appearance parts such as a window for a range-measuring unit fixed without being deformed, and which has preferably a-fine impression, the present invention proposes a camera comprising exterior parts for covering essential parts of a camera body, a first appearance part attached to the exterior parts, and a second appearance part attached to the exterior parts. The first appearance part is. arranged on the exterior parts and the second appearance part.

Camera which is pleasing in appearance, which can be easily assembled, and in which appearance portions such as a window for a range-measuring unit are fixed without being deformed

The camera includes a strobe device, a distance-measuring device and a heat insulating section. The strobe device has a light source for irradiating light onto an object at the time of photographing. The distance-measuring device measures the distance to the object. The heat insulating section is provided between the strobe device and the distance-measuring device, so as to prevent the heat generated by the strobe device from being transmitted to the distance-measuring device.

Camera

A camera consists of a lens barrel unit, a spool chamber unit, a Patrone chamber unit, and a substantially plate-like linking member. The linking member has a photographic aperture, and guide rails for restricting the position of a film relative to the photographic aperture. The linking member links the spool chamber unit and Patrone chamber unit. A picture size switching mechanism realizing a picture size switching function for partly blocking the photographic aperture is mounted on the linking member. The camera further includes a viewfinder picture size switching mechanism for switching viewfinder picture sizes, and a switching control unit for controlling the photographic picture size switching mechanism and viewfinder picture size switching mechanism so that a photographic picture zone and viewfinder picture zone will be set to the same picture size. After the viewfinder picture zone is switched from a large picture size to a small picture size, the photographic picture zone is wider than a field of view defined as the viewfinder picture zone.

Camera having picture size switching function and/or to data projecting function

A camera for use with a compact film cartridge having a battery arranged in the front end portion of a grip portion, and a cartridge chamber in which a compact film cartridge is stored is arranged at the boundary between the grip portion and a camera body. A motor is arranged between the battery and the cartridge chamber. A main capacitor for causing an electronic flash to emit light is horizontally arranged above the cartridge chambers and motor. In the camera arranged as described above, although the camera body and a lens barrel are smaller than those of a conventional camera in order to achieve miniaturization commensurate with miniaturization of the film, the grip portion has a size and height which are equal to those of the grip portion of the conventional camera. Accordingly, in the camera, of the present invention a release operation can be easily performed, and a shape having good holding properties can be obtained.

Camera for use with a compact film cartridge

A camera for setting the aspect ratio of a photographic image plane and recording information of the set aspect ratio has a full-size frame defining a full-size finder image plane corresponding to a photographing image plane, a vertical mask for vertical trimming of the finder image plane, a lateral mask for lateral trimming of the finder image plane, a shaft supporting the masks, and a camshaft with a cam groove engaged by each of the masks. The masks are moved along the shaft by rotating the camshaft. The visual field range of the finder image plane is changed among a plurality of states corresponding to different aspect ratios. The camera finder visual field frame switching mechanism consists of: a vertical mask for vertical trimming, lateral mask for lateral trimming, cam gear having a cam, vertically movable mask operating member, a vertical trimming switch detecting vertical-mask trimming movement, which is aspect ratio information, and a lateral trimming switch detecting lateral-mask trimming movement positional information which is also aspect ratio information. Another embodiment is provided with a vertical mask for vertical trimming of a finder image plane and a lateral mask for lateral trimming of the finder image plane, which, after the vertical mask retreats from a vertical trimming position, moves the lateral mask to a lateral trimming position. After the lateral mask retreats from the lateral trimming position, the vertical mask is moved to the vertical trimming position.

An automatic film feed camera includes a fork which engages a film cartridge spool to drive film out of the cartridge. When a camera cover closes a film cartridge chamber, the motor driving the fork is energized. If a detector fails to detect proper loading of a cartridge within a given time limit, the motor is turned off. When proper film loading is detected, pulses generated by a rotation detector are counted, representing the quantity of film sent toward the take-up spool. When this count reaches a predetermined quantity, driving of the fork is stopped, and driving of a take-up spool is started. If the detection device for detecting rotation of the fork fails to generate pulses indicating rotation of the fork within a given time limit after initiation of driving the take-up spool, driving of the take-up spool is stopped and the film is rewound into the cartridge by driving the fork in a reverse direction in accordance with the count represented by the sent quantity of film.

Means for controlling driving of a driving fork and take-up spool for

A film magazine is loaded. A fork capable of engaging with a spool is caused to engage the spool and is rotated to perform film initial sending. Then, an engaged state of the fork with the spool is detected by a fork switch. A rotational quantity of the fork is detected from the point when the fork completely engages the spool. Thus, more accurate film initial sending quantity is measured. If an error is made in the sending operation and predetermined quantity of film initial sending cannot be sent, film is rewound on the basis of film sent quantity. Accordingly, an operation of film initial sending can be performed again.

Film winding detecting means for a camera including control means for

A motor drive circuit drives a motor to feed a film. A photoreflector detects a perforation formed in the film. A photointerrupter detects a drive amount of the film. A memory detects a 1-frame drive amount of the film on the basis of an output from the photoreflector and an output from a photointerrupter to store the 1-frame drive amount. A CPU reduces a feeding speed of the film on the basis of the 1-frame drive amount stored in the memory and the drive amount detected by the photointerrupter before the 1-frame winding operation is ended. The film having a minimum number of perforations can be accurately stopped at a photographic frame position, and a film end can be detected at high accuracy.

Film feeding apparatus with deceleration control

A film having a magnetic recording portion, and a camera using the film. The film is provided with a first indicating member to be broken in response to the loading of the film in the camera, and a second indicating member to be broken in response to a specific photographing, such as panoramic and pseudo-zooming photographing. The camera has a first breaking means for breaking the first indicating member, and a second breaking means for breaking the second indicating member. Thus, it can be easily determined whether the film has been used and whether the above-mentioned special photographing has been performed.

Growing community of inventors

Hidaka, Japan

Nobuyuki Tanaka