Patent ID: 6122452
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A photographic system comprising:a photographic camera, including:a camera bodya 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 loading and setting the photographic film,sensor means for detecting a film position detecting hole and generating a film position detecting signal based upon the film position detecting hole, wherein a leading edge of the photographic film is shaped to be a substantially straight edge that allows the photographic film to be automatically inserted such that the film position detecting hole is detected by the sensor means,an exposure device for exposing the image of the subject onto a 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 electronically connected to the sensor means and to the film drive means for controlling a position of the effective exposure area in order to record 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 at a predetermined position in a longitudinal marginal area along an edge of the photographic film; anda photographic printer for printing on a photographic print paper a processed photographic film recorded using the photographic camera, the printer including:a printer body,film feeding means for feeding the processed photographic film in a predetermined direction, wherein a leading edge of the processed photographic film is shaped to be a substantially straight edge that is spliced with another processed photographic film without requiring a tonque-removing process to be performed on the processed photographic film,detecting means for non-mechanically detecting the exposure information signal recorded by the photographic camera in the longitudinal marginal area along the edge of the processed photographic film, the exposure information signal including the first information and the second information,logic circuit 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, wherein the logic circuit means prevents a printing error by distinguishing a print size control signal from another signal, 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 photographic 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.