EXPOSURE CONTROL FOR PSEUDO TELEPHOTO CAMERA

Abstract: An exposure control for a pseudo telephoto camera having an objective lens (1) for focusing an image of a subject on a film frame (F) and a manually operated device (9) movable to select a pseudo telephoto field of view reduced from the actual field of view of the objective lens to cover only a portion of the subject, is characterized by comprising a photosensitive element (117) disposed to receive light reflected from the subject to provide a measure of the brightness of the light and a light control (3) responsive to movement of the manually operated device (9) to select the pseudo telephoto field of view for controlling the amount of light reaching the photosensitive element (117) in proportion to the amount of light available to the pseudo telephoto field of view.

Description: The invention relates generally to the field of photography. More particularly, the invention relates to an exposure control for a camera adapted to take exposures for use in producing pseudo telephoto prints. In the art of photography, there are known methods of making a print that is made from a central portion of an exposure having the same width-to-length ratio, e.g., 3 1/2:5, as that of the whole exposure. During the printing process the negative is masked at its upper, lower, left and right marginal zones, leaving the central portion of the negative unobscured. Alternatively, the film gate in the enlarger may be correspondingly masked or adjusted. Then, an enlargement is made of the central portion of the negative to provide a print with the same width-to-length ratio as that of the central portion. Thus the print will have a telephoto or close-up format, and can be called a "pseudo telephoto print". U.S. Patent No. 3,490,844 discloses a method of making a print of a selected portion of a subject to be photographed. The method comprises the following steps: viewing the subject in the viewfinder of a camera; manually adjusting mechanical masking members visible in the viewfinder to frame a selected portion of the subject; exposing the film in the camera to obtain a latent image of the subject; encoding the exposure on the film with indicia representative of the selected portion of the subject; processing the film to obtain a negative of the latent image of the subject; and sensing the indicia to make a print of the selected portion of the subject from the negative. When the selected portion of the subject has the same relative position in the viewfinder as a corresponding portion of the exposure, enlargement of the latter portion in the negative will provide a pseudo telephoto effect similar to the actual telephoto effect provided by a telephoto lens. Thus a pseudo telephoto print can be made during the printing process from an exposure taken without a telephoto lens. Another patent, U.S. Patent No. 4,357,102, discloses a method of making a pseudo panoramic print from an exposure. According to the method, a window in the viewfinder of a camera has its upper and/or lower marginal zones masked off by an appropriate insert to provide a viewing area with a width-to-length ratio greater than 1:2 and preferably 1:3. Exposures are taken with the window partially masked and, during the printing of the negatives, the film gate in the enlarger is correspondingly masked or provided with an aperture of the same width-to-length ratio as that of the unobscured portion of the window. Printing paper with a similar width-to-length ratio is used. Prints can thus be obtained which have a panoramic or elongate format, without using a panoramic lens. Although U.S. Patent No. 3,490,844 discloses a method of making pseudo telephoto prints from exposures taken without a telephoto lens, and U.S. Patent No. 4,357,102 discloses a method of making pseudo panoramic prints from exposures taken without a panoramic lens, it appears that the portion of the exposure corresponding to the selected portion of the subject will not be accurately exposed in the camera. This problem results from the fact that in known exposure control systems for cameras the amount of ambient light measured by such a system is typically proportional to the amount of light available to the actual (full) field of view of the objective lens. It is an object of the invention to provide an exposure control for a photographic camera which more accurately exposes the portion of the exposure corresponding to the selected portion of the subject. The object of the invention is achieved by providing a photographic camera as claimed in claim 1. Thus, the portion of the exposure corresponding to the selected portion of the subject will be more accurately exposed in the camera as compared to the prior art, since a measure of the light reflected from the selected portion of the subject rather than the whole of the subject is considered when taking the exposure. One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to drawings which illustrate a specific embodiment, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram of a pseudo telephoto - pseudo panoramic camera having an exposure control system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a Porro prism erecting assembly for viewing an erect image of a subject in the viewfinder of the camera; FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of a zoom objective lens, a zoom finder lens and manually operated means for adjusting the two lenses in the camera; FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the two lenses and the manually operated means; FIGS. 5a and 5b are elevation views of the finder field in the viewfinder, illustrating use of a liquid crystal display masking unit controlled by the manually operated means; FIG. 6 is a diagram of control circuitry in the camera; FIG. 7 is a chart for explaining how the camera is operated to expose a film frame for use in producing a pseudo telephoto or pseudo panoramic print; FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of an exposure control system in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention; and FIGS. 9a-9e are elevation views of a masking unit for attenuating a photocell in the exposure control system depicted in FIG. 8, illustrating various configurations of the masking unit. The invention is described below as being embodied in a 35mm still picture camera. Because such a camera is well known, the description is directed in particular to photographic elements forming part of or cooperating directly with the invention. It is to be understood, however, that other elements not specifically shown or descibed may take various forms known to persons of ordinary skill in the art. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a composite of certain details of a still picture camera for use with 35mm film, such as the various color print films manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company. The camera includes an objective lens 1 for focusing an image of a subject being photographed on a frame section F of the film. Conventional means, such as a pressure plate and a pair of rails, not shown, support the film frame F in the focal plane of the objective lens to take the exposure. A direct-view (eye-level) optical viewfinder 3 in the camera includes a finder lens 5 and a Porro prism assembly 7 for viewing an erect image of the subject being photographed. Respective manually operated means 9 and 11 are disposed about the objective lens 1 and the finder lens 5 for adjusting the two lenses before taking the exposure. The objective lens 1 in the camera is a known type of zoom lens, that is, a lens of variable focal length which can be adjusted continuously by movement of separate groups of elements in the lens to change the focal length of the lens. This is done in order to vary the angular field of view (coverage) of the objective lens 1 between a wide-angle limit and a telephoto limit. Alternatively, a lens assembly may be provided having a plurality of interchangable elements for changing the focal length or angular field of view. As shown in FIG. 1, the objective lens 1 includes a front element section 13 which moves in a double action path along the optical axis 0-1, first back (rearward) and then forward as the focal length of the lens is changed from a wide angle limit of, for example, 35mm, to a moderate telephoto limit of, for example, 80mm. Conversely, a rear element section 15 of the objective lens 1 moves forward along the optical axis 0-1 in an almost smooth, linear path as the focal length of the lens is adjusted from 35mm to 80mm. At the shortest focal length of the objective lens 1, i.e., the wide-angle limit 35mm, the front and rear sections 13 and 15 of the lens are farthest apart and the angular field of view is approximately 63°. At the longest focal length of the objective lens 1, i.e., the moderate telephoto limit 80mm, the angular field of view is approximately 28°. Thus the field range of the objective lens 1 is 63° to 28°. The manually operated means 9 for moving the front and rear sections 13 and 15 of the objective lens 1 to adjust the lens to a selected focal length from 35mm to 80mm is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. FIG. 1 shows the manually operated means 9 in a rolled-out (flat) elevational form. FIG. 3 shows such means 9 in an exploded perspective form. FIG. 4 shows the means 9 in a sectional form. As seen in FIG. 4, a cylindrical barrel 17 fixed to the camera body, not shown, supports the front and rear sections 13 and 15 of the objective lens 1 for movement along the optical axis 0-1. The fixed barrel 17 has a semi-annular opening 19 which is bridged in light-trapping relation by an exterior zoom ring 21 and an interior cam ring 23. The zoom ring 21 has a knurled outer surface 25 and is secured at an inner surface 27 to the cam ring 23. The respective rings 21 and 23 are supported on exterior and interior surfaces of the barrel 17 for rotation relative to the barrel, about the front and rear sections 13 and 15 of the objective lens 1. The front and rear sections 13 and 15 have respective cam followers 29 and 31 which project into different-shaped cam slots 33 and 35 in the cam ring 23 to adjust the objective lens 1 from its 35mm focal length to its 80mm focal length. The different shape of the cam slots 33 and 35, and respective settings of the cam ring 23 for adjusting the objective lens 1 to the 35mm focal length and the 80mm focal length, are depicted in FIG. 1. When, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cam ring 23 is rotated in a clockwise direction C (by turning the zoom ring 21 in the same direction) from the 35mm setting to the 80mm setting of the cam ring, the front section 13 of the objective lens 1 first moves rearward and then moves forward because of a curved segment 37 of the cam slot 33. Simultaneously, the rear section 15 of the objective lens 1 simply moves forward because of a straight, inclined segment 39 of the cam slot 35. This movement of the front and rear sections 13 and 15 adjusts the objective lens 1 to continuously change its focal length from 35mm to 80mm. A pointer 41 is provided on the zoom ring 21 for alignment with respective indications of the 35mm and 80mm settings of the cam ring 23. As shown in FIG. 3, the indications are embossed on the outside of the cylindrical barrel 17. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the cam ring 23 can be rotated in the clockwise direction C beyond its 80mm setting (by similarly turning the zoom ring 21) to a plurality of pseudo telephoto settings 120mm, 160mm and 200mm, without moving the objective lens 1 from its longest (telephoto) focal length 80mm. This is possible because of respective, non-inclined, identical dwell segments 43 in the two cam slots 33 and 35. Conversely, the cam ring 23 can be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction beyond its 35mm setting (by similarly turning the zoom ring 21) to a pseudo panoramic setting, without moving the objective lens 1 from its shortest (wide-angle) focal length 35mm. This is possible because of respective, non-inclined, identical dwell segments 45 in the two cam slots 33 and 35. Indications of the pseudo telephoto settings 120 mm, 160mm and 200mm of the cam ring 23 and the pseudo panoramic setting of the cam ring are embossed on the outside of the cyclindrical barrel 17, beyond the 80mm and 35mm indications on the barrel, for alignment with the pointer 41 on the zoom ring 21. Like the objective lens 1, the finder lens 5 is a known type of zoom lens which can be adjusted continuously by movement of separate groups of elements to change its focal length. This is done in order to vary the angular field of view (coverage) of the finder lens 5 between a wide-angle limit and a telephoto limit. Alternatively, a lens assembly may be provided having a plurality of interchangable elements for changing the focal length or angular field of view. As shown in FIG. 1, the finder lens 5 includes a front element section 47 which moves in a double action path along the optical axis 0-2, first back (rearward) and then forward as the focal length of the lens is changed from a wide angle limit of, for example, 35mm, to a telephoto limit of, for example, 200mm. Conversely, a rear element section 49 of the finder lens 5 moves forward along the optical axis 0-2 in an almost smooth, linear path as the focal length of the lens is adjusted from 35mm to 200mm. At the shortest focal length of the finder lens 5, i.e., the wide-angle limit 35mm, the front and rear sections 47 and 49 of the lens are farthest apart and the angular field of view is approximately 63°. At the longest focal length of the finder lens 5, i.e., the telephoto limit 200mm, the angular field of view is 12.5°. Thus the field range of the finder lens 5 is 63° to 12.5° (as compared to the field range of 63° to 28° for the objective lens 1). The manually operated means 11 for moving the front and rear sections 47 and 49 of the finder lens 5 to adjust the lens to a selected focal length from 35mm to 200mm is shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. As seen in FIG. 4, a cylindrical barrel 51 fixed to the camera body supports the front and rear sections 47 and 49 of the finder lens 5 for movement along the optical axis 0-2. The fixed barrel 51 has an internal, annular cut-out 53 in which is located a cam ring 55. The cam ring 55 is supported in the cut-out 53 for rotation relative to the barrel 51, about the front and rear sections 47 and 49 of the finder lens 5. The front and rear sections 47 and 49 have respective cam followers 57 and 59 which project into different-shaped cam slots 61 and 63 in the cam ring 55 to adjust the finder lens 5 from its 35mm focal length to its 200mm focal length. The different shape of the cam slots 61 and 63, and the respective settings of the cam ring 55 for adjusting the finder lens 5 to the 35mm and 200mm focal lengths, as well as to several intermediate focal lengths 80mm, 120mm and 160mm, are depicted in FIG. 1. When, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cam ring 55 is rotated in the clockwise direction C from the 35mm setting to the 200mm setting of the cam ring, the front section 47 of the finder lens 5 first moves rearward and then moves forward because of a curved segment 65 of the cam slot 61. Simultaneously, the rear section 49 of the finder lens 5 simply moves forward because of a straight, inclined segment 67 of the cam slot 63. This movement of the front and rear sections 47 and 49 adjusts the finder lens 5 to continuously change its focal length from 35mm to 200mm. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the cam ring 55 can be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (opposite to the direction C) beyond its 35mm setting to a pseudo panoramic setting, without moving the finder lens 5 from its shortest (wide-angle) focal length 35mm. This is possible because of respective non-inclined, identical dwell segments 69 in the two cam slots 61 and 63. A gear 71 couples the manually operated means 9, which adjusts the objective lens 1 to a selected focal length, and the manually operated means 11, which adjusts the finder lens 5 to a selected focal length, in a manner such that rotation of the zoom ring 21 to rotate the cam ring 23 for the objective lens will cause the cam ring 55 for the finder lens to be similarly rotated. As shown in FIG. 1, 3 and 4, the gear 71 engages an arcuate array of teeth 73 on the zoom ring 21 and a like array of teeth 75 on the cam ring 55. When the zoom ring 21 is rotated in the clockwise direction C to move its pointer 41 from alignment with the "35mm" indication on the fixed barrel 17 to alignment with the "80mm" indication on the barrel, the objective lens 1 and the finder lens 5 are adjusted continuously from 35mm focal lengths to 80mm focal lengths and the cam rings 23 and 55 are adjusted to similar settings, shown in FIG. 1. When the zoom ring 21 is rotated in the clockwise direction C to move its pointer 41 from alignment with the "80mm" indication on the barrel 17 to successive alignment with the "120mm", "160mm" and "200mm" indications on the barrel, the finder lens 5 is adjusted continuously from the 80mm focal length to a 200mm focal length and the cam rings 23 and 55 are adjusted to similar settings. However, the objective lens 5 remains stationary at its 80mm focal length. When the zoom ring 21 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to move its pointer 41 from alignment with the "35mm" indication on the barrel 17 to alignment with the "PAN" indication on the barrel, the cam rings 23 and 55 are adjusted to similar settings. However, the objective lens 1 and the finder lens 5 remain stationary at their 35mm focal lengths. The Porro prism assembly 7 in the viewfinder 3 permits an erect image of the subject being photographed to be viewed through the finder lens 5 with the appropriate brightness. A single Porro prism would erect the image, but would leave it reversed left to right. To correct for this, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there are provided two Porro prisms 77 and 79 which are placed hypotenuse to hypotenuse and at right angles to each other. FIG. 2 illustrates a light ray path through the two Porro prisms 77 and 79 to an eyelens 81. In essence, the two reflecting surfaces 83 and 85 of the prism 77 and the two reflecting surfaces 87 and 89 of the prism 79 cooperate to turn the image focused by the finder lens 5 upright as well as right-way-round. A liquid crystal display (LCD) masking unit 91 is sandwiched between a conventional Fresnel lens 93 and ground glass viewing screen 95. The Fresnel lens 93 and the viewing screen 95 in turn are located between the respective opposite halves of hypotenuse surfaces 97 and 99 of the two Porro prisms 77 and 79. The LCD masking unit is a variation of a known type of unit, such as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,478,493, granted October 23, 1984, and is depicted in FIG. 5B in a masking configuration in the finder field 101 of the viewfinder 3. The masking configuration corresponds to the panoramic setting of the cam ring 23 for the objective lens 1 and the similar setting of the cam ring 55 for the finder lens 5. As shown in FIG. 5B, the masking unit 91 comprises four sets of right-angle insulated strips 103 of transparent, electrically conductive material arranged in side-by-side relation in the respective corner zones of the finder field 101 and two sets of elongate insulated strips 105 of the same material arranged in side-by-side relation in the upper and lower marginal zones of the finder field. Preferably, each set of the right-angle strips 103 includes three strips, and each set of the elongate strips 105 includes three strips. FIG. 5A illustrates the finder field 101 as it appears with the masking unit 91 de-energized, which is the situation when the cam rings 23 and 55 are rotated from their 35mm settings to their 200mm settings or vice-versa. In this instance, the right-angle strips 103 and the elongate strips 105 are not visible in the finder field 97. FIG. 5B illustrates the finder field 101 as it appears with the masking unit 91 energized to provide a pseudo panoramic format, which is the situation when the cam rings 27 and 55 are in their panoramic settings. In this instance, the elongate strips 105 in the upper and lower marginal zones and the right-angle strips 103 in the corner zones are opaque in the finder field 101. In contrast to the electrically controlled LCD masking unit 91, a mechanically controlled masking unit may be provided in the viewfinder 3. An example of a mechanical unit is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,212,422, granted October 19, 1965. Four light emitting diodes (LED's) 107, 109, 111 and 113 are disposed in evenly spaced relation in the camera for selective energization to spot-expose various code fiducials in binary form on the film adjacent the frame section F, as shown in FIG. 3. Selective energization of the LED's 107, 109, 111 and 113 is controlled by individually closing respective switches SW1, SW2, SW3 and SW4, shown in FIG. 1. The closing of the switches SW1, SW2, SW3 or SW4 may be effected by a single closure member, not shown, on the cam ring 23, for example, as the cam ring is positioned selectively in its pseudo settings, i.e., pan, 120mm, 160mm and 200mm. The binary form of the resulting code fiducial adjacent the film frame F indicates the particular pseudo setting of the cam ring 23. When the cam ring 23 is in its pseudo panoramic setting, the switch SW1 is closed and the LED 107 is energized. Thus the binary form of the code fiducial is 1000. When the cam ring 23 is in its 120mm, 160mm or 200mm pseudo telephoto settings, the switches SW2, SW3 or SW4 are closed and the LED's 109, 111 or 113 are energized. Thus the binary form of the code fiducial is 0100, 0010 or 0001. When the cam ring 23 is rotated from its 35mm setting to its 80mm setting or vice-versa, the switches SW1-SW4 are open and none of the LED's are energized. Thus the binary form of the code fiducial is (in effect) 0000. Although not shown, it may be desirable for the LED 107 to be energized each time the cam ring 23 is in a pseudo panoramic or pseudo telephoto setting. In this instance, the LED 107 would provide a reference or pseudo-indicator fiducial for use in the printing process and the LED's 109, 111 and 113 would provide the code fiducials. Thus the various codings might be 1000, 1100, 1010 and 1001 for the panoramic, 120mm, 160mm and 200mm pseudo settings, respectively. Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a chart for understanding how the camera is used to expose film frames from which pseudo panoramic and pseudo telephoto prints as well as actual wide-angle to actual telephoto prints can be produced. For the most part, the chart is self-explanatory. For example, when the cam rings 23 and 55 are in their panoramic settings, the actual focal lengths of the objective lens 1 and the finder lens 5 are the wide angle limit 35mm. The finder field 101 is masked by the LCD masking unit 91 as indicated in FIG. 7, and the code fiducial 1000 is exposed adjacent the film frame F, in response to the closing of the switch SW1. During the printing operation, sensing of the code fiducial 1000 causes the negative to be masked along its upper and lower marginal zones in conformity with the masking of the finder field 101. An enlargement is made of the narrow, non-masked portion of the negative, i.e., 16.4 x 32.8mm, to provide a pseudo panoramic 3 1/2 x 7 ins. print similar to one obtained from an exposure taken with a panoramic (rather than a 35mm) lens. When the cam rings 23 and 55 are in their 200mm telephoto settings, the actual focal length of the objective lens 1 is its telephoto limit 80mm, but the actual focal length of the finder lens 5 is 200mm. The finder field 101 is not masked, and the code fiducial 0001 is exposed adjacent the film frame F in response to the closing of the switch SW4. During the printing operation, sensing of the code fiducial 0001 causes the negative to be masked along its upper, lower, left and right marginal zones as indicated in FIG. 7. An enlargement is made of the central, non-masked portion of the negative, i.e., 9.2 x 13.1mm, to provide a pseudo telephoto 3 1/2 x 5ins. print similar to one obtained from an exposure taken with a 200mm (rather than a 80mm) lens. When the cam rings 23 and 25 are in their 120mm telephoto settings, the actual focal length of the objective lens 1 is its telephoto limit 80mm, but the actual focal length of the finder lens 5 is 120mm. The finder field 101 is not masked, and the code fiducial 0100 is exposed adjacent the film frame F in response to the closing of the switch SW2. During the printing operation, sensing of the code fiducial 0100 causes the negative to be masked along its upper, lower, left and right marginal zones as indicated in FIG. 7. An enlargement is made of the central, non-masked portion of the negative, i.e., 16.4 x 23.4mm, to provide a pseudo telephoto 3 1/2 x 5ins. print similar to one obtained from an exposure taken with a 120mm (rather than a 80mm) lens. When the cam rings 23 and 25 are rotated from their 35mm settings to their 80mm settings or vice-versa, the focal length of the objective lens 1 and the finder lens 5 are continuously changed between 35mm and 80mm. The finder field is not masked and no code fiducial (0000) is exposed adjacent the film frame F, since each of the switches SW1-SW4 is open. Thus an enlargement is made of a substantial portion of the negative, i.e., 23 x 32.8mm. A conventional exposure control circuit 115 for controlling the diaphragm aperture and/or the shutter speed in the camera includes a photosensitive element, e.g., a photocell 117, shown in FIG. 2. Such a circuit is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,493,547 and 4,515,457. As is well known, the photocell 117 is used to provide a measure of the brightness of light reflected from the subject being photographed. The photocell 117 is optically aligned with a light-collection lens 119 and a quarter prism 121. The quarter prism 121 is fixed to the Porro prism 77 at a location opposite the upper half of the surface 83 of the Porro prism, as viewed in FIG. 2. The surface 83 has a semi-reflecting coating 83' which permits light reflected from the subject through the finder lens 5 and the prism assembly 7 to be collected on the photocell 117. When the cam ring 23 is in its pseudo panoramic setting, the finder field 101 is partially masked, leaving an unobscured portion of the finder field which defines a pseudo panoramic field of view of the subject being photographed. The non-masked portion of the finder field 101 is narrower than (reduced from) the actual field of view of the objective lens 1. Moreover, it takes in the same portion of the subject as is imaged on the portion of the film frame F to be enlarged to produce a pseudo panoramic print. This can be seen in FIG. 7 by comparing the finder image and the portion of the negative used to make a print - for the pseudo pan mode. Thus the amount of light reflected from the subject through the non-masked portion of the finder field 101 to the photocell 117 is proportional to the amount of reflected light that would be available to the objective lens 1 provided the lens had a similar panoramic field of view. This is in contrast to many prior art devices in which the amount of reflected light reaching the photocell is controlled in accordance with the amount of reflected light available to the actual or full field of view of the objective lens. Accordingly, the portion of the film frame F covered by the panoramic field of view can be more accurately exposed in the camera in order to make a pseudo panoramic print from the negative. When the cam ring 23 is in its 200mm, 160mm or 120mm pseudo telephoto settings, the finder field 101 is not masked. However, the actual focal length of the finder lens 5 is either 200mm, 160mm or 120mm. In each instance, the finder lens 5 has a telephoto field of view that is narrower than (reduced from) the actual field of view of the objective lens 1. Moreover, such telephoto field of view takes in the same portion of the subject as is imaged on the portion of the film frame F to be enlarged to produce a 200mm, 160mm or 120mm pseudo telephoto print. This can be seen in FIG.7 by comparing the finder image and the portion of the negative used to make a print - for the pseudo tele mode. Thus the amount of light reflected from the subject through the finder lens 5 to the photocell 117 is controlled in accordance with the amount of reflected light that would be available to the objective lens 1 provided the lens had the respective telephoto fields of view. This is in contrast to many prior art devices in which the amount of reflected light reaching the photocell is controlled in accordance with the amount of reflected light available to the actual field of view of the objective lens. Accordingly, the portion of the film frame F covered by a 200mm, 160mm or 120mm telephoto field can be accurately exposed in the camera in order to make a pseudo telephoto print from the negative. FIG. 6 depicts a known type microcomputer control device 123 for use with the LCD masking unit 91, the exposure control circuit 115 and the LED's 107, 109, 111 and 113. Examples of microcomputer-controlled cameras are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,295,715 and 4,509,843. An ASA (film speed) setting device 125 is connected to the microcomputer device 123 to limit the intensity of an energized LED in accordance with the film speed of the 35mm film loaded in the camera. A shutter switch 127 is connected to the microcomputer device 123 to delay energization of an LED, even though one of the switches SW1-SW4 is closed, until a focal plane shutter, not shown, is opened to permit an exposure. When the focal plane shutter is opened, the shutter switch 127 is closed to energize an LED. Conversely, closing of the focal plane shutter causes the shutter switch 127 to re-open, thereby de-energizing the LED. The microcomputer device 123 includes a typical look-up table of exposure values which are individually selected according to which one of the switches SW1-SW4 is closed and the measure of brightness of reflected light provided by the photocell 117. The selected exposure value is inputted to the exposure control circuit 115 to set the diaphragm aperture and/or the shutter speed. Instead of using the finder lens 5 to control the amount of reflected light reaching the photocell 117 in the pseudo telephoto mode, an LCD masking unit could be used for the same purpose. The masking unit would progressively mask the finder field 101 to thereby attenuate the photocell 117 to a corresponding extent. Alternatively, the photocell 117, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, could be progressively masked to reduce its angle of acceptance. A way of doing this is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9b-9e. In FIG. 8, an LCD masking unit 129 is located over the light-sensitive area 131 of the photocell 117. The light-collection lens 119 directs light available to the bottom half B of the field of view V of the objective lens 1 onto the light-sensitive area 131 of the photocell 117. 0-3 in FIG. 8 indicates the optical axis of the light-collection lens 119. The LCD masking unit 129 is a variation of a known type of unit, such as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,478,493, granted October 23, 1984, and is depicted in FIGS 9b-9e in various masking configurations for masking the sensitive area 131 of the photocell 117 in corresponding amounts. The respective masking configurations correspond to the pseudo panoramic and pseudo telephoto settings of the cam ring 23 and are effected in response to the closing of the switches SW1-SW4. As shown in FIG. 9e, the masking unit 129 comprises two sets of right-angle insulated strips 133 of transparent electrically conductive material arranged in side-by-side relation in the respective upper corner zones of the mask area and three sets of elongate insulated strips 135 of the same material arranged in side-by-side relation in the upper, left and right marginal zones of the mask area. Preferably, each set of the right-angle strips 133 includes three strips, and each set of the elongate strips 135 includes six strips. When the right-angle strips 133 and the elongate strips 135 are selectively energized in accordance with the pseudo panoramic or pseudo telephoto settings of the cam ring 23, they are individually rendered opaque as shown in FIGS. 9b-9e. Thus the sensitive area 131 of the photocell 117 will be partially obscured in various degrees. Fig. 9a illustrates the mask area as it appears with the masking unit 129 de-energized, when the cam ring 23 is rotated from its 35mm setting to its 80mm setting or vice versa. In this instance, none of the right-angle strips 135 or the elongate strips 135 are visible. FIG. 9b illustrates the mask area as it appears with the masking unit 129 minimally energized, when the cam ring 23 is in its pseudo panoramic setting. In this instance, three of the elongate strips 135 in the upper marginal zone and both of the right-angle strips 133 in the corner zones are rendered opaque. FIG. 9c illustrates the mask area as it appears with the masking unit 129 further energized, when the cam ring 23 is in its 120mm pseudo telephoto setting. In this instance, four of the elongate strips 135 in the upper, left and right marginal zones and both of the right-angle strips 133 in the corner zones are rendered opaque. Fig. 9d illustrates the mask area as it appears with the masking unit 129 even further energized, when the cam ring 23 is in its 160mm pseudo telephoto setting. In this instance, five of the elongate strips 135 in the marginal zones and both of the right-angle strips 133 in the corner zones are rendered opaque. Fig. 9e illustrates the mask area as it appears with the masking unit completely energized, when the cam ring is in its 200mm pseudo telephoto setting.

Claims: A photographic camera comprising an objective lens (1) for focussing an image of a subject on a film frame (F) and a manually operated device (9) which is movable to select a pseudo-telephoto or pseudo-panoramic field of view-for the camera without affecting the field of view of the lens, said pseudo-telephoto or pseudo-panoramic field of view corresponding to an area of the negative film frame from which a print is to be taken, which area is less than that which is actually exposed, characterized by exposure control means (3, 117, 91, 129), comprising a photosensitive element (117), disposed to receive light reflected from the subject to be photographed to provide a measure of the brightness of the light, and a light control mechanism (3, 91, 129), arranged to respond to the movement of said manually operated device (9) to control the area of the light beam which is passed to the photosensitive element (117) in accordance with the selected pseudo-field of view of the camera rather than the actual field of view of the objective lens. A photographic camera as set forth in Claim 1, further comprising a viewfinder (7) having a finder lens (5) adjustable to change the finder field of view to an actual field of view similar to the pseudo field of view, the photosensitive element (117) being located to receive light in the finder field of view. A photographic camera as set forth in, Claim 1, wherein the light control mechanism, comprises a masking device (129) for attenuating the light reaching the photosensitive element (117) in proportion to the amount of light available to the pseudo field of view of the camera.

Inventors: HARVEY, DONALD MALCOLM
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY (A NEW JERSEY CORPORATION)
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G03B15
IPC codes: G03B7, G03B13, G03B17