Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Minolta Camera K.k.

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Takeo Hoda

Nobuyuki Taniguchi

Yoshiaki Hata

Hiroshi Ueda

Manabu Inoue

Yoshinobu Kudo

Masayoshi Sahara

Masatake Niwa

Minoru Sekida

Akira Fujii

Masaaki Nakai

Kiyoshi Seigenji

Yoshihiro Tanaka

Dai Shintani

Yoshito Tanaka

Sadafusa Tsuji

Shinji Tominaga

Toshiaki Matsumoto

Toshio Yamaki

Shigeru Oyokota

Hiromu Mukai

Motonobu Matsuda

Masatoshi Kamitani

Haruo Kobayashi

Norihiro Inoue

Etsuko Nakai

Hiroshi Ootsuka

Junichi Tanii

Hiroyuki Okada

Katsuyuki Nanba

Shuji Izumi

Hirokazu Yamada

Hirokazu Naruto

Hiroshi Ishibe

Akira Yoshizaki

Hiroshi Kiten

Shuzo Matsushita

Osamu Hatamori

Atsushi Kuwada

Masataka Kashima

Nobuyaki Taniguchi

Masaaki Kakai

A camera able to record and reproduce a photographed image includes a storage medium for storing a photographed image, and a reproduction device for reproducing the photographed image. The reproduction device has a reproducing head movable between a contraction position and a withdrawal position. Another camera has a first mode where photography is executed and a photographed image is recorded to a second mode where the recorded image is printed. Another camera has a printer device for printing a photographed image recorded on a recording medium on external reproduction paper, the printer device including an opening portion facing the external reproduction paper, and a presser member positionable above the opening portion for pressing the external reproduction paper.

Camera capable of recording and reproducing a photographed image

A camera having a covering member which covers the upper side of the camera and having a projecting portion shaped as a pentagonal reflecting member; a first manually operable portion located at the covering member on one side of the projecting portion for designating one of a plurality of kinds of photographic data; a second manually operable portion located at the covering member on the other side of the projecting portion and adapted for commonly altering any of the plurality of kinds of photographing data to actually alter the designated one thereof in combination with the actual designation by the first manually operable portion; a light measuring device for measuring the luminance of the object to be photographed; a calculator for carrying out an exposure calculation based on the result of the light measuring; a display portion for displaying at least either one of shutter speed and aperture value obtained by the exposure calculation; and a display controller for controlling the display such that, when the first manually operable portion is operated, the display of at least either one of shutter speed and aperture value is turned off, and instead a designated photographing data is displayed.

Camera system

In a remote controllable camera system having a remote controller, a camera body provides with calculation means for calculating an angle between the remote controller and an optical axis of a photo-taking lens and moving means for moving the optical axis to a point where the angle is a predetermined value. Furthermore, the camera body provides with judging means for judging whether or not the remote controller is within the field of view of the photo-taking lens and displaying means for displaying the judging result of the judging means.

Remote controllable camera system

An imaging apparatus of an electronic camera according to the present invention has a lens barrier arranged on an object side of a photographing lens; an imaging device capable of changing electric charge storage time; a lens barrier state-detecting means for outputting a signal indicating an opening state of the lens barrier after detecting the opening state of the lens barrier; a release switch for starting a photographing operation; an imaging device control means for starting electric charge storage of the device when the signal of the opening state of the lens barrier is outputted from the detecting means and for outputting a charge termination signal when the charge is terminated; and a lens barrier opening and closing driving means for driving the lens barrier to open on the basis of a turning-on signal of the release switch and for driving the lens barrier to close on the basis of the charge termination signal outputted from the control means. In this apparatus, by driving the driving means, the lens barrier is opened only during a photographing period, while the lens barrier is closed during a non-photographing period to prevent the device from being exposed to strong outside light.

Camera having a lens barrier which is opened only during photographing

A system for printing photographs form developed film includes a light receiving element for detecting an image condition, such as the image density or color balance, which is used to control a printing light source. The light from the printing light source projects the photographic image on photographic paper through the developed film. A code reader reads codes printed in the vicinity of the film frame through a line sensor. The codes includes data concerning the photographic mode selected, such as pseudo focal length or a normal photographic mode. The light receiving element detects the image condition only of the area to be printed in accordance with the selected photographic mode and which passes through the developed film and a printing zoom lens.

Photographic camera image reproduction system

An electronic still video camera includes photography means having video signal production means for producing a video signal with respect to an object, color balance adjustment means for fixedly adjusting the color balance of the video signal of said video signal production means to a color temperature for daylight, judge means for judging as to whether an object is able to be photographed without flash light, and flash firing means for firing flash light when said judge means judges that flash light is necesary. The electronic still video camera can simplify the construction of color balance circuit.

Electronic still video camera

A still camera for recording a still image by making use of an electronic signal has a taking lens system incorporated in a camera body in such a manner that one end portion thereof is directed to an object to be photographed for making an image of the object to obtain the electronic signal; a light emitting portion of an electronic flash device incorporated in the camera body in such a manner that one end portion thereof is directed to the object for emitting a flash light toward the object; and a recording medium containing portion arranged between the light emitting portion and taking lens system.

An arrangement of a recording medium in a still camera

Disclosed are film cartridges having improved digital code patterns, films having improved digital signal means, and cameras adapted for use with the film cartridges or the films. The improved code patterns include bits with different weights and a bit which is made conductive with at least one of the bits with the different weights. One of the cameras disclosed is provided with a reading device on a spool so that the reading device can continuously read the signal means at a front tip of a leader portion of the film throughout the duration in which the film is wound around the spool. Another camera disclosed is adapted to read the code patterns on the film cartridge upon insertion of the film cartridge into a cartridge chamber. Various camera circuits are proposed, in one of which decimal or fractional APEX values of read film speeds are converted to outputs with weights of 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 for digital calculation and in another of which film speeds divided by 1/3 Ev steps are automatically set by being grouped into one of high, middle and low film speed ranges.

Film cartridges, films and cameras adapted for use therewith

A photographic camera for use with a detachable IC card, including circuitry for detecting a data relating to a characteristic of a color of light source which illuminates an object to be photographed and a memory for storing the data detected by said detecting circuit into the IC card attached to the camera such that the stored data is capable of being altered.

Photographic camera

In a camera adapted to function with stored data, aperture value data is stored at a predetermined step in accordance with a manual operation of a manually operable member and digital data, showing a controllable range of an aperture diaphragm of an interchangeable lens, is transmitted from the interchangeable lens and read. The stored aperture value data is detected to determine whether such data is out of the controllable range and the aperture value data to be stored is set to a limited value within the controllable range when the detection of the stored aperture value data is out of the controllable range.

Camera system with means for varying exposure control data

The present invention provides a bifocal camera capable of changing focal length of a photographic lens system and having lens drive means operable by a motor to switch the photographic lens system between a first focal length state wherein a main lens component is located at a rear position and a second focal length state wherein the main lens component is located at a front position and an auxiliary lens component is located at an operative position. This camera comprises a device for automatically stopping the motor when shifting of the main lens component is interrupted by force, and a device for restricting the shifting of the main lens component between the front position and the rear position. The auxiliary lens component is moved and a lens barrier is opened and closed in interlocked relationship with the shifting of the main lens component.

Variable focal length camera

A camera includes a cover for the upper side of the camera body and having a projecting portion shaped as a pentagonal prism with a first manual operable member located at the cover on a first side of the projecting portion for designating one of a plurality of kinds of photographic data. A second manually operable member is located at the cover on a second side of the projecting portion and alters any of the plurality of the kinds of photographic data in combination with the actual designation of the first manually operable member. The designated photographic data is indicated by a display located at the cover on the second side of the projecting portion. A third manually operable member, also located at the cover on the second side of the projecting portion, initiates exposure operation of the camera.

Camera with manually operable means for designating and altering the

The photographic camera which prints a code signal representing printing information on a film is capable of selecting a real focal length photographing mode for printing a normal range of a frame, plurality of pseudo focal length photographing mode each being different in pseudo focal length from the other, and a close-up photographing mode. Exposure condition is limited in accordance with the selected mode. Upon selection of the photographing modes, a code signal indicative of the said selection is produced and printed between photographing frame on the film surface. The film after photographing with this camera is subjected to printing by means of a printer which reads the code signal printed on the film surface, determines an exposure value in accordance with the code signal and determines an enlargement ratio.

A photographic camera system including a mode setting device for selectively setting the system to a real focal length photographing mode for printing an ordinary photographic zone and a pseudo focal length photographing mode for printing a zone narrower than the ordinary photographic zone, a recording device for recording on a film information corresponding to a set one of the photographing modes, a data imprinting device for imprinting data such as date at one of different positions on a photographing portion of the film and a selector device for selecting the one of the different positions in accordance with the set one of the photographic modes.

Photographic camera system having a pseudo focal length mode

A camera with circuitry, a main power source for supplying electric power to the circuitry, a back-up power source for supplying electric power to the circuitry independently from the main power source, a detector for detecting the condition of the back-up power source to produce a warning signal when the back-up power source can not supply sufficient electric power to the circuitry, starting the operation of the detector when the main power source has recovered, setting data to the circuitry in accordance with a manual operation and interrupting the operation of the warning signal when the data setting is operated.

Growing community of inventors

Kawachinagano, Japan

Takeo Hoda