Camera with two-bladed shutter mechanism with multiple filter apertures

Abstract

A color component separation camera is provided with a shutter blade mechanism in which the different color exposing filters are integrated to provide a quick series of succeeding color component exposure intervals. The blade mechanism comprises two overlapping independently driven lightweight shutter blade elements comprising filtered and unfiltered apertures arranged in side-by-side relation for selective movement into the image light path in a manner whereby a plurality of different color component separation exposure intervals may be implemented in rapid succession. In one embodiment, one shutter blade element includes three aligned apertures wherein the middle aperture is unfiltered and the end apertures are filtered at different wavelengths. The other shutter blade element comprises two aligned spaced apart apertures in which one aperture is filtered at still another wavelength and the other aperture is unfiltered. The space between the apertures operates to block scene light at the end of the exposure interval and when the filtered apertures of the other blade element are moved. In another embodiment, one shutter blade element includes three aligned apertures each filtered at different wavelengths. The other blade element includes a single unfiltered aperture and an opaque portion adjacent the aperture which operates to block scene light at the end of the exposure interval and when the filtered apertures of the other blade element are moved.