Patent ID: 7011459

Claim:
A camera comprising: a movable lens barrel, movable between a collapsed position of being contained inside a camera body, and at least one photographing position determined in front of said collapsed position, for holding a taking lens; a slidable cover, movable between a closed position and an open position, for covering a front of said movable lens barrel in said collapsed position when in said closed position, and for uncovering said front of said movable lens barrel when in said open position; a cover stopper, movable between a stopping position and a releasing position, for retaining said slidable cover in said open position when in said stopping position, and for moving back from said stopping position to said releasing position when said slidable cover moves from said open position to said closed position; a locking mechanism, responsive to moving of said movable lens barrel, for retaining said cover stopper in said stopping position when said movable lens barrel is in said photographing position, and for allowing said cover stopper to move from said stopping position to said releasing position when said movable lens barrel is in said collapsed position.