Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.

Other

Shigenori Goto

Hisashi Hamada

Tatsuo Saito

Shiro Hashimoto

Michihiro Shiina

Masayoshi Hirai

Takeshi Yoshino

Katsuhiko Yamamoto

Tokuji Sato

Takaaki Kotani

Seiji Takada

Michio Cho

Hideo Kobayashi

Kazuhiko Onda

Kazunori Ohno

Yoichi Iwasaki

Katsuji Ozawa

Nobuhiro Aoki

Fumio Iwai

Takao Koda

Akio Omiya

Akihiko Funaki

Junichi Iwamoto

Teruyoshi Makino

Makoto Akiba

Hiroyuki Arai

Katuhiko Yamamoto

A pseudo zoom camera, which utilizes a film cartridge provided with an information storing device, comprises a taking lens optical system for projecting an object image onto a portion of photographic film, which portion has been pulled out of the film cartridge. The camera also comprises a finder optical system capable of displaying an image of a field angle, which is different from the field angle of the object image formed by the taking lens optical system, in a predetermined region representing an image-recording range. A writing device writes information representing an image range ratio of the image, which is displayed in the predetermined region by the finder optical system, to the object image, the information being written on the information storing device of the film cartridge.

Photo printing system and camera for the same

A camera has a bar code reader for reading a bar code from a roll film loaded therein. Bar code data read from the bar code is checked out whether it has a proper format or not. If the bar code data read from the bar code of the loaded roll film is proper, the bar code data is written in a nonvolatile memory, and the camera is set up in accordance with the bar code data. The bar code data of the nonvolatile memory is renewed each time proper bar code data is obtained. If the bar code data read from the bar code of the loaded roll film is improper, a display device displays film data represented by bar code data having been stored in the nonvolatile memory, along with an error indicia. If the displayed film data is invalid for the loaded roll film, the photographer enters film data of the loaded roll film through manual operation switches. Then, the camera is set up with the manually entered film data. If no film data is manually entered, the camera is set up in accordance with the displayed film data.

Camera with bar code reader

A camera has a memory for storing date information in a plurality of display patterns, the memory being capable of storing one of the plurality of display patterns as a home position, and a display for displaying the date information in the display pattern stored as the home position in the memory. The camera can display a desired display pattern readily and is excellent in operability.

Camera

A Brownie camera is loadable with a 120- and 220-type roll photo film. The 120 type includes light-shielding backing paper overlaid on the entirety of the photo filmstrip, unlike the 220 type. An exposure aperture is formed in a camera body, and disposed between a photo film supply chamber and a photo film take-up chamber, for exposing the roll photo film. A pair of rails are disposed along respective two edges of the exposure aperture extending horizontally, and contact sides of an emulsion surface of the roll photo film. A pressure plate contacts a back of the roll photo film to position the roll photo film on a rear of the exposure aperture, and is disposed behind the exposure aperture to define a photo film passageway between the pressure plate and the rails. An external selector wheel is disposed outside the camera body, for selecting one of the 120 and 220 types. A mechanism for moving the pressure plate is actuated by a shift of the selector wheel, for moving the pressure plate toward or away from the rails. The passageway is set at a wide space size when the 120 type is selected, and at a narrower space size when the 220 type is selected.

Camera and focussing method for the same

A bar code is provided on a Brownie film roll by printing black bar elements on a high-reflective obverse surface of an adhesive tape that secures a leading end of a filmstrip to a light-shielding paper. Spacings between the black bar elements form white bar elements. A reflective photo sensor scans the bar code while the light-shielding paper and the filmstrip are advanced in a camera. Signal level of the photo sensor is sampled, and at least one maximum value and one minimum value of the signal level are held. The sampled signal level is compared to threshold values to detect a leading edge of the adhesive tape, a leading edge of a first black bar element and borders between the bar elements. The threshold values for detecting the leading edge of the first black bar element and for detecting borders between the bar elements are seriatim revised according to the held maximum and minimum values.

Bar code system for brownie film and bar code reader of camera

A roll photo film includes a photo filmstrip having an effective exposure region in which plural frames are formable one after another. Light-shielding leader and trailer are disposed on respective ends of the photo filmstrip. The roll photo film is pre-wound with the trailer wound inwards and with the leader wound outwards. A bar code is prerecorded between a front end of the leader and the effective exposure region, represents information of an auto input photosensitivity value. A camera is used with the roll photo film. In the camera, a bar code reader reads the bar code to detect the auto input photosensitivity value. A photosensitivity dial is externally operable, and inputs a manual input photosensitivity value. A mode selector, in combination of a pointer and a movable indicia, is externally operable, and selects one of automatic and manual modes. The auto input photosensitivity value becomes effective when selecting the automatic mode. The manual input photosensitivity value becomes effective when selecting the manual mode. An exposure control unit controls an amount of exposure to the effective exposure region in accordance with an effective one of the auto and manual input photosensitivity values.

Camera and exposure control method

A camera for use with a Brownie roll film having a bar code containing data about a roll film, such as a film speed and a roll film type. The bar code is printed on an adhesive tape which secures light-shielding paper to a leading end of a photo filmstrip of the roll film. As soon as the roll film is loaded with its leading end of the light-shielding paper secured to a take-up spool of the camera, the camera starts rotating the take-up spool and, simultaneously, a reflective photo sensor starts scanning. Based on output signal from the photo sensor and the transport amount of the filmstrip, a first frame exposure portion of the filmstrip is automatically positioned behind an exposure aperture. The number ofavailable exposures is derived from the roll film type data read from the bar code, and is displayed on an LCD panel. An automatic exposure control is effected while taking the film speed read from the bar code into consideration.

Camera, bar code reader for camera and method of detecting bar code

A camera is used with a Brownie photo film, which has a photo filmstrip on which plural frames are formable serially. A light-shielding leader is disposed on a front end of the photo filmstrip. A light-shielding trailer is disposed on a rear end of the photo filmstrip. The Brownie photo film is wound about a supply spool with the trailer positioned inside and with the leader positioned outside. In the camera, a photo film supply chamber is formed for loading of the Brownie photo film. A photo film take-up chamber has a take-up spool disposed in a rotatable manner, for winding the Brownie photo film from the photo film supply chamber. The take-up spool has a spool core, and an insertion slit for receiving insertion of the leader through the spool core. A drive shaft in the photo film supply chamber rotates the take-up spool, to transport the Brownie photo film to the photo film take-up chamber and wind the Brownie photo film about the take-up spool. A motor rotates the drive shaft. A rotational detector switch detects a rotational position of the drive shaft. A controller controls the motor in accordance with a signal from the rotational detector switch, to set the drive shaft in at least one specified rotational position before insertion of the leader into the insertion slit. The insertion slit is directed in a predetermined orientation for facilitating receipt of the leader.

Camera for use with a roll photo film

An auto-focus camera performs a focusing and a photometry when a shutter button is half depressed in an auto-focus mode. In this case, when an MF button is depressed, a result value of the focusing is held as long as the MF button is depressed even if the shutter button is released. When the shutter button is depressed again, only the photometry is performed. On the other hand, when the MF button is depressed in a manual focus mode, an object distance can be set by an UP/DOWN dial which is also used for setting various kinds of photographing items. The MF button is used for maintaining an AF lock, and is used for instructing the setting of the object distance in the manual-focus mode.

Auto-focus camera

In a camera of the present invention, when a shutter button is depressed half, a focusing and a photometry are executed. If the shutter button is held in a state of being depressed half, the results are retained. In this case, if an MF button is depressed, the photometry result is retained while the MF button 48 is being depressed, even if the shutter button is released. When the shutter button is depressed half again, only the photometry is performed.

A distance measuring apparatus according to the present invention comprises two types of distance measuring units, which are a first distance measuring unit of the active method for receiving reflected light of measuring light returning from an object and performing distance measurement based on a focused position thereof, and a second distance measuring unit of the passive method for receiving the natural light reflected by the object through two optical systems and performing the distance measurement based on two optical images thus obtained. The apparatus further has a luminance determining unit for determining a luminance of the external field from a photometry result, and a distance selecting device for selecting and outputting either one of distance measurement results obtained by the first distance measuring unit and second distance measuring unit as a proper distance value, based on the luminance of the external field determined by the luminance determining unit. This distance selecting device may be so arranged that the luminance of external field obtained by the luminance determining unit is determined in two levels of high level and low level. Then it selects the distance measurement result of the first distance measuring unit when the luminance of external field is determined as a low level or selects the distance measurement result of the second distance measuring unit when the luminance of external field is determined as a high level.

Apparatus and method for measuring a distance

An UP/DOWN dial is used with at least one of switches including a back cover switch detecting whether the cover switch of the camera is opened or closed, so as to also serve as a switch for driving a feed motor by the manual operation. As a result, the number of switches can be reduced. That is, the switch for driving the feed motor by the manual operation is used only when the film is set in the camera (only when the back cover opens). Therefore, if the cover switch detects that the back cover opens, the UP/DOWN dial is operated regardless of the currently-set mode, so that the feed motor can be driven.

Camera with setting/film feed switch

A lens cap in a camera is shaped so as to cover a distance measuring optical system when it is mounted on a taking lens. A photodiode array as a light receiving element for measurement of distance is utilized to obtain a luminance level of the light incident thereto, and it is compared with a luminance level obtained through a light receiving element for photometry. If a difference between the two luminance levels is large, a predetermined cap alarm process is carried out as determining that the lens cap is mounted on the taking lens. Thus, photography is surely prevented in a mounting state of the lens cap.

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Saitama, Japan

Shigenori Goto