Concord Camera Corp.

Caldwell Photographic, Inc.

Wilfried Bittner

Arthur Zawodny

J Brian Caldwell

Franco Yik Kai Chung

Lothar Westerweck

Steve Buescher

Alex Raschke

Ken Heglund

An optical attachment configured to be operably attached to the image side of an objective lens to reduce the focal length and focal ratio of the objective lens. The focal-reducing attachment includes four lens elements and has a magnification of between 0.5 and 1. The focal-reducing lens can work with objective lenses having relatively large working distances for a large format size as well as with cameras having a smaller format size and relatively small permissible working distance.

Optical attachment for reducing the focal length of an objective lens

A parallax compensation system and method is provided for a camera including an independent viewfinder. For close focus pictures, the camera's taking lens is shifted towards the viewfinder. In one embodiment, for far focus pictures the camera's taking lens is moved away from the viewfinder and is not centered on the image recording medium axis. The lens shifting is accomplished by mounting the taking lens eccentrically in a lens barrel. Rotation of the lens barrel shifts the taking lens towards the independent viewfinder for close focus shots. In one embodiment, the viewfinder axis is tilted towards the taking lens to help eliminate parallax in close focus pictures.

Parallax correction for close focus

A camera viewfinder reflector for directing light from an indicator outside the line-of-sight of the viewfinder into the viewfinder is provided. The reflector may be combined with an existing element of the camera assembly, such as a leaf spring, or may comprise a separate, distinct reflector component. Light from an indicator on the pc-board of the camera is reflected from a portion of the reflector that is located in the viewfinder at the periphery of the viewfinder lens assembly in fixed optical alignment with the ocular lens of the viewfinder.

LED reflector device

The camera of this invention includes an improved shutter system that has the same shutter waveform when a flash is employed and when a flash is not employed. In a preferred embodiment, the shutter system includes a shutter that is rotatably mounted to the camera and a shutter opening over which the shutter blade is disposed. A slidable plate in which a first aperture and a second aperture are disposed is coupled to the camera, so that the first aperture is disposed between the first shutter opening and the lens of the camera prior to taking a picture with the camera. The first aperture is preferably smaller than the second aperture. When a picture is taken, the shutter blade moves to uncover the shutter opening, and when the shutter opening is uncovered the shutter blade causes the slidable plate to slide with respect to the shutter opening so that the second larger aperture is disposed between the shutter opening and the camera lens. If a flash is used while taking a picture, the flash illuminates while the second aperture is disposed over the shutter opening. The shutter blade then returns to cover the shutter opening. As the shutter blade returns to cover the shutter opening, the shutter blade causes the slidable plate to move, so that the first aperture is disposed over the shutter opening.

Camera shutter system

The camera of this invention preferably includes a combined film advance/rewind mechanism for advancing film from a film cassette to a film path and to a film spool and for rewinding film into the cassette after the film has been exposed within the film path. The combined film advance mechanism preferably thrusts film from the film cassette in order to begin the loading process and then pulls the film to wind it around the film spool after the film has been thrusted to the film spool. Preferably, the combined film advance/rewind mechanism is manually operated and can be operated either to advance film or rewind film. Further the combined film advance/rewind mechanism preferably has an interlock that prevents thrusting of the film when the combined film advance/rewind mechanism is in a rewind position and rewinding film the combined film advance/rewind mechanism is in an advance position.

Camera with combined film advance/rewind mechanism

A compact through-the-lens digital camera comprising an objective lens unit, an image sensing device, an internal display device, an eye lens unit, an optical system, control and processing circuitry, function select controls, and an external interface. The optical system is switchable between an image framing mode optical path, wherein light is directed from the objective lens unit to the eye lens unit, an image capture mode optical path, wherein light is directed from the objective lens unit to the image sensing device, and an image review mode optical path, wherein light is directed from the display device to the eye lens unit. The control and processing circuitry switches the optical system between the image framing mode optical path, the image capture mode optical path and the image review mode optical path and controls the image capture, processing, storage and display on the display device, the operation of the zoom and auto focus functions and function select controls and external communication through the external interface.

Compact through-the-lens digital camera

The camera of this invention may include a first viewfinder lens disposed in the front of the camera and a second viewfinder lens disposed in the back of the camera. Preferably, these viewfinder lenses are affixed to the camera and are non-moveable. A camera of this invention may further include a flash that is moveable between a stored position and an operable position. The stored position is preferably defined by a viewfinder air space and is defined at least in part by a space between the first and second viewfinder lenses. In its operable position, the flash moves relative to the viewfinder air space so that a camera user can focus on an object whose picture is being taken through the viewfinder lenses. The camera may further include a lens and a lens cover. The lens cover is preferably moveable between a covered position, in which it covers the lens and an uncovered position, in which it does not obstruct the path of light through the lens. Preferably, the camera further includes an actuator for moving the lens cover and the flash. In a preferred embodiment the actuator is moveable between a first position and a second position. When the actuator is in the first position, the flash is preferably in the stored position and the lens cover is in the covered position. When the actuator is moved to its second position, the flash moves from its stored position to its operable position and the lens cover moves from its covered position to its uncovered position.

Camera with flash unit disposed in between viewfinder lenses

The camera of this invention includes a parking mechanism that ensures a visual exposure indicator of an APS film cassette is in the parked position prior to removing the film cassette from the camera. The camera may include a rotatable wheel that rotates in order to move the film between a film cassette compartment, a film exposing area and a film spool. In a preferred embodiment, the parking mechanism includes a pin that engages the rotatable wheel after the film has been rewound into the film cassette and the wheel has been rotated sufficient distance to ensure that the visual exposure indicator moves to the parked position. When the pin engages the rotatable wheel, the pin prevents further rotation of the rotatable wheel. This indicates to the camera user that the visual exposure indicator is in the park position. The wheel may include a cam slot into which the pin travels as the film is being rewound into the film cassette. The cam slot may include an end that contacts the pin to prevent further rotation of the wheel when the visual exposure indicator is in the park position.

APS camera for ensuring the cassett indicator is in the parked position

The camera of this invention preferably includes a rewind interlock that prevents the double exposure of film. Preferably, the camera of this invention is an Advanced Photo System (APS) camera that employs APS film. Such APS film may be contained in a film cassette that has a light lock door. The rewind interlock prevents thrusting or pulling a frame of film from the film cassette after that frame of film has been exposed and rewound into the film cassette. This prevents the accidental double exposure of a frame of film. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the rewind interlock prevents thrusting or pulling film from a film cassette after all of the film has been rewound into the film cassette. Preferably, the rewind interlock prevents the thrusting or removing of exposed film from a film cassette. The rewind interlock does this by preventing the film advancing mechanism from being manipulated in a direction that advances film from the film cassette after the exposed film has been rewound into the film cassette. The rewind interlock may be reset to permit the advancement of film from a film cassette by the removal the film cassette from the camera.

Rewind interlock for APS camera

A camera has a barrier assembly that comprises an integrated lens cover/light hood, and a rotatable door. The assembly is movable between an open and a closed position. The assembly functions as a protective barrier for the camera's picture-taking lens when disposed in the closed position. The door is located within an aperture defined by the lens cover/light hood when the assembly is closed. The door rotates away from the aperture as the assembly translates to the open position. The aperture is substantially aligned with the optical axis of the picture-taking lens as the assembly reaches its open position, thereby allowing ambient light to reach the picture-taking lens. The lens cover/light hood isolates the lens from ambient light outside the field of view of the lens when the assembly is in its open position.

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Hong Kong, China

Wilfried Bittner