Patent ID: 6061529
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A photographic system comprising:a photographic camera, including:a camera body,a viewfinder,a user-operable shutter release,a camera lens for transmitting light from a subject external to the camera body onto a photographic film disposed inside the camera body to form an image of the subject on the photographic film,a first housing disposed in the camera body for housing a cartridge containing the photographic film,a second housing disposed in the camera body for housing the photographic film drawn from the cartridge,film drive means disposed in the camera body for driving the photographic film between the first and second housings and for automatically setting and loading the film,sensor means for optically detecting film position detecting holes and for generating a film position detecting signal based upon the film position detecting holes, wherein the film position detecting holes are 0.75 mm away from a first longitudinal edge of the photographic film,an exposure device for exposing the image of the subject onto a constant portion of an effective exposure area of the photographic film, the portion of the effective exposure area being located opposite an exposure opening between the first and second housings,user-operable selecting means for enabling a user to select one of a plurality of picture frame sizes, the plurality of picture frame sizes including frame sizes with different aspect ratios,recording means disposed in the camera body for recording on the photographic film an exposure information signal containing a first information based on a picture frame size selected using the user-operable selecting means and a second information related to the portion of the effective exposure area of the photographic film exposed by the exposure device, andcontrol means including a micro-computer electrically connected to the sensor means and to the film drive means for controlling a position of the effective area in order to expose the image of the subject based upon the film position detecting signal, the control means controlling the recording means to record at least the exposure information signal on a longitudinal marginal area along a second longitudinal edge of the photographic film, wherein the marginal area is substantially 2.5 mm in film-width direction and is devoid of sprocket holes to allow recording of the exposure information signal; anda photographic printer for printing on a photosensitive paper a processed photographic film exposed using the photographic camera, the printer including:a printer body;film feeding means for feeding the processed photographic film in a predetermined direction,detecting means for non-mechanically detecting the exposure information signal recorded by the photographic camera in the longitudinal marginal area along the second longitudinal edge of the processed photographic film, wherein the information signal includes the first information and the second information, and wherein the longitudinal marginal area is a substantially 2.5 mm in film-width direction and is devoid of sprocket holes to allow recording of the exposure information signal,logic circuits means for determining whether an aspect ratio of a picture to be printed is of a first or a second frame format based on the first information of the exposure information signal and for determining the position of the image of the subject in the portion of the effective exposure area of the processed photographic film based on the second information of the exposure information signal, the logic circuits means distinguishing the print size control signal from other signals to avoid an error, andprinting means for varying a width of an opening of a mask used to print the image of the subject in the effective exposure area of the processed photographic film onto the print paper based on the determined aspect ratio of the picture and for positioning the image of the subject in the effective exposure area of the processed photographic film within the opening of the mask based on the determined position of the image of the subject in the effective exposure area of the processed photographic film.