Camera with device for identifying used film magazine

• US 5,159,365 A
• Filed: 08/12/1991
• Issued: 10/27/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nagai, Jun, Tsukahara, Daiki, Kotani, Noriyasu, Miyamoto, Hidenori, Aoki, Hitoshi, Takahashi, Tsugio, Imura, Yoshio, Inoue, Hideya
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Application Number:
  US07/747,458
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 354/21, 354/106, 354/173.1, 354/275
• US Class Current: 396/285
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/30 Locating spools or other rotatable holders of coiled film
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/425 motor drive cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/008 using holders for the photographic material
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/263 Details of exposure status indicators; Double exposure prevention
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/268 Unloading the cartridge from the camera; Loading the cartridge into the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/24 automatically in accordance with markings or other means indicating film speed or kind of film on the magazine to be inserted in the camera

Abstract

A camera capable of automatic film rewinding into the magazine, comprises an information recording device for recording at least information on use in an information recording portion formed at a predetermined position of the magazine loaded in the magazine chamber of the camera, an information detecting device capable of detecting recorded information of the magazine when it is loaded, a prohibition device for prohibitng the photographing operation in response to a detection signal corresponding to information, indicating that all the film is already used, detected by the information detecting device and a control device for controlling the information recording device, information detecting device and prohibition device in such a manner that the detection by the information detecting device is conducted prior to the recording of information of use by the information recording device, and that the photographing operation is prohibited in response to the detection of information indicating that all the film is already used.

Claims

1. A camera in which a photographic film, wound from a container, is rewound into said container after use in photographing operations, comprising:

information recording means for recording at least information that said film is already used, on an information recording portion provided in a predetermined position of said container;

information detecting means capable of detecting information on said information recording portion of said container;

prohibiting means for prohibiting a photographing operation when said information detecting means detects said information that said film is already used; and

control means for controlling said information recording means and said information detecting means in such a manner that said information detecting means is activated prior to said information recording means.

2. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a rear cover to be opened and closed for the loading of said film and locking means for locking said rear cover;

wherein;

said information recording means and said information detecting means are provided on said rear cover in a mutually close relation; and

said prohibiting means has a lock prohibiting member for disabling the locking of said rear cover, and a pushing member so biased by a spring force as to expel said container and so constructed as to open said rear cover through said container.

3. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic wind/rewinding device provided with a rewinding enabling member for enabling arbitrary rewinding of the film before all the frames thereof are photographed;

wherein;

said information recording means is so constructed as to record information, indicating the number of used photographed frames, on said information recording portion of said container when the film is rewound in response to the actuation of said rewinding enabling member, and to record said already used information when all the frames of the film are used; and

said automatic wind/rewinding device is operated so as to advance the film to enable photographing on an unused frame when said information detecting means detects the information on the number of used frames, and said prohibiting means is operated so as to prohibit a photographing operating when said information detecting means detects said already used information.

4. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a rear cover to be opened and closed for the loading of said film and locking means for locking said rear cover;

wherein;

said information recording means is mechanically linked with said locking means and is so constructed as to record said already used information in response to the unlocking operation of said rear cover; and

said information detecting means is positioned parallel to the moving direction of said information recording means and is so constructed as to detect the presence or absence of said already used information.

5. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a rear cover which covers a chamber for said container and can be opened and closed, and locking means having a slidable plate which is slidable on said rear cover in an axial direction of said container;

wherein said information recording means and said information detecting means are positioned in parallel manner along the axis of said container on said slidable plate, and are so constructed that said information detecting means effects a detecting operation when said rear cover is closed, and said information recording means records said already used information when said slidable plate moves during unlocking of said rear cover.

6. A camera according to claim 5, wherein:

said information recording means comprises a pressure member with a pointed end for recording a linear mark as said already used information axially on an external face of said container;

said information detecting means comprises a detector linearly arranged with said pressure member along the axial direction of said container for detecting the presence or absence of a linear mark recorded by said pressure member; and

said prohibiting means comprises a prohibiting member for prohibiting a shutter releasing operation.

7. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a container holder for electrically moving said container between a loaded position and an unloaded position wherein:

said information detecting means comprises a reader for detecting information recorded on said information recording portion, by scanning said information recording portion during movement of said container toward the loaded position together with said container holder; and

said information recording means comprises a recorder for recording information in said information recording portion, by scanning said information recording portion during movement of said container toward the unloaded position together with said container holder.

8. A camera according to claim 7, wherein said container holder comprises a holder member on which said container is inserted, and an engaging member movable between an engaging position for engaging with said inserted container and a release position for releasing said engagement, and is so constructed that said container holder is moved toward said loaded position together with said container, when said engaging member engages with said container.

9. A camera according to claim 7, wherein:

said information recording portion is composed of a magnetic recording medium; and

said reader and said recorder commonly comprise a magnetic head used for recording and detection, and are so constructed that said magnetic head is in contact with said recording medium during movement of said container holder but is separated from said recording medium while said container holder is stopped.

10. A camera according to claim 7, wherein:

said information recording means is adapted to record at least one of said already used information and information on the number of used frames in said on formation recording portion while said container is moved from said loaded position to said unloaded position; and

said information detecting means is adapted to detect said information recording portion while said container is moved from said unloaded position to said loaded position.

11. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said information recording means is adapted to record trimming information at least containing information indicating the presence or absence of a photographing operation with trimming instruction, and information indicating frame numbers in which said photographing operation with trimming instruction is conducted, on said information recording portion.

55. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a cover to be opened and closed for the loading of said film, and locking means for locking said cover;

wherein;

said prohibiting means has a lock prohibiting member for disabling the locking of said cover.

56. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic wind/rewinding device provided with a rewinding enabling member for enabling arbitrary rewinding of the film before all the frames thereof are exposed;

wherein;

said information recording means is so constructed as to record partially used information on said information recording portion, showing that said film is partially used, when the film is rewound in response to the actuation of said rewinding enabling member with one or more unexposed frames remaining; and

said automatic wind/rewinding device is so constructed as to move the film to enable photographing on an unexposed frame when said information detecting means detects said partially used information.

57. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising warning means for performing a warning operation when said information detecting means detects said already used information.

58. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a cover to be opened and closed for the loading of said film and locking means for locking said cover,

said locking means being disabled from the locking of said cover when said information detecting means detects said information that said film is already used.

12. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

information recording means for recording information in said information recording part;

information detecting means for detecting information in said information recording part;

prevention means for preventing an exposure of said film by said camera when said information detecting means detects said information; and

control means for controlling said information recording means and said information detecting means in order to actuate said information detecting means before said information recording means is actuated.

13. A camera according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for electrically performing a first transporting operation to transport said film in said container outside said container; and

means for electrically performing a second transporting operation to transport said film outside said container into said container, and wherein said information recording means records said information in said information recording part in association with said second transporting operation, and said prevention means prevents said exposure of the film by preventing said first transporting operation when said information detecting means detects said information.

14. A camera according to claim 12, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

15. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part provided on said container and capable of recording information therein by its outer form being changed, comprising:

information recording means which records said information by changing the outer form of said information recording part of said film unit inserted in said camera;

information detecting means which is capable of detecting said information from the outer form of said information recording part;

prevention means for preventing exposure of said film by said camera when said information detecting means detects said information; and

control means which controls said information recording means and said information detecting means to actuate said information detecting means before said information recording means is actuated.

16. A camera according to claim 15, further comprising an operation member for starting exposure of said film when a manual operation is applied to the operation member, and wherein said prevention means prevents said manual operation from starting exposure of said film when said information is detected by said information detecting means.

17. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

first transporting means for performing a first transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of said film in said container is electrically transported outside said container to bring said unexposed frame to an exposure position;

means for performing a second transporting operation by which said film transported outside said container by said first transporting operating is electrically transported back into said container;

information recording means, operable when said second transporting operation is performed with at least one unexposed frame remaining, for recording in said information recording part unexposed frame position information showing a position of an unexposed frame to be next exposed; and

information detecting means which detects said unexposed frame position information in said information recording part when said film unit in which said unexposed frame position information is recorded in said information recording part is re-inserted into said camera.

said first transporting operation being performed according to said unexposed frame position information detected by said information detecting means to bring said unexposed frame to be next exposed to said exposure position.

18. A camera according to claim 17, wherein said information recording means is operable, when said second transporting operation is performed with all frames of said film exposed, for recording in said information recording part re-exposure prevention information, wherein said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prevention information when said film unit in which said re-exposure prevention information is recorded in said information recording part is re-inserted into said camera, and wherein said camera further comprises prevention means for preventing an exposure of film in the last-mentioned film unit when said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prevention information.

19. A camera according to claim 18, wherein said prevention means prevents exposure of film by preventing said first transporting operation.

20. A camera according to claim 17, further comprising warning means for performing a warning operation when said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prevention information.

21. A camera according to claim 17, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

22. A method for operating a camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising the steps of:

performing a first transport operation by which an unexposed frame of said film in said container is electrically fed outside said container to bring the frame to an exposure position;

performing a second transport operation by which film transported outside said container by said first transport operation is electrically brought back into said container;

recording in said information recording part unexposed frame position information when said second transport operation is performed with at least one unexposed frame remaining, said unexposed frame position information indicating a position of an unexposed frame to be next exposed;

detecting said unexposed frame position information in said information recording part when said film unit having said unexposed frame position information recorded in said information recording part is re-inserted into said camera; and

performing a third transport operation in response to said detecting, by which said unexposed frame to be next exposed is electrically brought to said exposure position.

23. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

drive means for electrically moving said information recording part for the reading of information therein before said camera can perform an exposure of said film and for electrically moving said information recording part for the writing of information therein preparatory to removal of said film unit from said camera;

information writing and reading means, including writing and reading head means operatively engaging said information recording part moved by said drive means to perform information writing and reading, said information writing and reading means further including information producing means capable of producing, prior to the removal from said camera of a film unit having one or more unexposed frames remaining, unexposed frame information for writing in said information part, said unexposed frame information indicating an unexposed frame to be next exposed, said information writing and reading means causing said writing head means to write said unexposed frame information in said information recording part during movement thereof preparatory to the removal of said film unit from said camera, said information writing and reading means causing said reading head means to read said unexposed frame information in said information recording part, when said film unit is re-inserted in said camera, during movement of said information recording part before exposure of film in the last-mentioned film unit can be performed; and

film feeding means for electrically feeding said film from said container of said re-inserted film unit to bring said unexposed frame to be next exposed to an exposure position, in response to reading of said unexposed frame information; and

wherein said information producing means is also capable of producing completely exposed information when all of the frames of a film unit are exposed, said information writing and reading means causing said writing head means to write said completely exposed information in said information recording part during movement thereof preparatory to the removal of the last-mentioned film unit from said camera, and said information writing and reading means causing said reading head means to read said completely exposed information in said information recording part, when that film unit is re-inserted in said camera, during movement of said information recording part before said camera can perform an exposure operation, and wherein said camera further comprises prevention means for preventing re-exposure of film by said camera when said reading head means reads said completely exposed information.

24. A camera according to claim 23, further comprising warning means for performing a warning operation when said head means reads said completely exposed information.

25. A camera according to claim 23, wherein said prevention means controls said film feeding means to prevent said film feeding means from electrically feeding film to bring an exposed frame to said exposure position.

26. A camera according to claim 23, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container, and said drive means includes container driving means for electrically loading said container into said camera and for electrically unloading said container from said camera.

27. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

means for performing a first transporting operation by which an unexposed frame of said film in said container is electrically transported outside said container to bring said unexposed frame to an exposure position;

means for performing a second transporting operation by which said film transported outside said container by said first transporting operation is electrically transported back into said container;

information recording means for recording in said information recording part unexposed frame position information showing a position of an unexposed frame to be next exposed; and

information detecting means which detects said unexposed frame position information in said information recording part when said film unit in which said unexposed frame position information is recorded in said information recording part is re-inserted into said camera;

said first transporting operation being performed when said film unit is re-inserted into said camera, so as to transport said film outside said container by an amount that varies according to said unexposed frame position information, in order to bring said unexposed frame to be next exposed to said exposure position.

28. A camera according to claim 27, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

29. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part provided on said container and capable of recording information therein by its appearance being changed, comprising:

information recording means which records said information by changing the appearance of said information recording part of said film unit inserted in said camera;

information detecting means which is capable of detecting said information from said information recording part;

prevention means for preventing exposure of said film by said camera when said information detecting means detects said information; and

control means which controls said information recording means and said information detecting means to actuate said information detecting means before said information recording means is actuated.

30. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

means for electrically performing a first transporting operation to transport said film out of said container in order to bring an unexposed frame of film to an exposure position;

means for electrically performing a second transporting operation to return to said container said film transported out of said container by said first transporting operation;

information recording means for recording at said information recording part, upon a completion of said second transporting operation, re-exposure prohibiting information for prohibiting re-exposure of said film;

information detecting means for detecting the recorded re-exposure prohibiting information when said film unit in which said re-exposure prohibiting information is recorded at said information recording part is re-inserted in said camera; and

prohibition means for prohibiting said first transporting operation when said film unit is reinserted in said camera and said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prohibiting information recorded at said information recording part.

31. A camera according to claim 30, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

32. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

film transporting means for performing film transporting, including a first transporting operation by which said film in said container is electrically transported out of said container and a second transporting operation by which said film transported out of said container by said first transporting operation is electrically transported back into said container after exposure of one or more frames of said film at an exposure position;

information recording means for recording in said information recording part exposed frame information;

information detecting means for detecting exposed frame information when said film unit having said exposed frame information recorded in said information recording part is re-inserted in said camera; and

means responsive to said detecting means for controlling said film transporting means according to the exposed frame information, such that when not all of the frames have been exposed, said film transporting means brings an unexposed frame to be next exposed to said exposure position.

33. A camera according to claim 32, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

34. A method for operating a camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising the steps of:

performing film transporting, including a first transport operation by which film in said container is electrically transported out of said container and a second transport operation by which film transported out of said container is electrically transported back into said container after exposure of one or more frames of said film at an exposure position;

recording in said information recording part exposed frame information;

detecting exposed frame information when said film unit having said exposed frame information recorded in said information recording part is re-inserted in said camera; and

controlling said performing of film transporting in response to said detecting such that when not all of the frames have been exposed, an unexposed frame to be next exposed is brought to said exposure position.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

36. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

film feeding means for electrically feeding said film from said container of said film unit and for electrically feeding said film of said film unit back into said container after exposure of one or more frames of said film at an exposure position;

drive means for electrically moving said information recording part for the reading of information therein and for electrically moving said information recording part for the writing of information therein; and

information writing and reading means, including writing and reading head means operatively engaging said information recording part moved by said drive means to perform information writing and reading, said information writing and reading means further including information producing means capable of producing exposed frame information for writing in said information part, said information writing and reading means causing said writing head means to write said exposed frame information in said information recording part during movement thereof, said information writing and reading means causing said reading head means to read said exposed frame information in said information recording part, when said film unit having one or more unexposed frames remaining is re-inserted in said camera, during movement of said information recording part before exposure of film in the last-mentioned film unit can be performed;

said film feeding means being responsive to reading of said exposed frame information to bring an unexposed frame next to be exposed to an exposure position.

37. A camera according to claim 36, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

38. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

film transporting means for performing film transporting, including a first transporting operation by which said film in said container is electrically transported out of said container and a second transporting operation by which said film transported out of said container by said first transporting operation is electrically transported back into said container after exposure of one or more frames of said film at an exposure position;

information recording means for recording exposed frame information in said information recording part;

information detecting means for detecting the recorded exposed frame information when said film unit is re-inserted in said camera; and

means for controlling said film transporting means according to said exposed frame information detected by said information detecting means so as to prevent an exposed frame of said film from being brought to said exposure position for further exposure.

39. A camera according to claim 38, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

40. A camera according to claim 38, further comprising a container holder which electrically moves said container of said film unit between a loaded position and an unloaded position, wherein said first transporting operation requires that said container be in said loaded position and wherein removal of said container from said camera requires that said container be in said unloaded position.

41. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, said film being wound from said container and being rewound into said container after exposure of one or more frames of film, said camera comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces exposed frame information indicative of an exposed frame of said film;

a writing head which operatively engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to write exposed frame information in said information recording part;

a reading head which operatively engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to read said exposed frame information from said information recording part; and

information detecting means which prohibits exposure of an exposed frame again on the basis of said exposed frame information read from said information recording part by said reading head.

42. A camera according to claim 41, further comprising:

a writing head driving means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part prior to said writing by said writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing; and

a reading head driving means which causes said reading head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part prior to said reading by said reading head and causes said reading had to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said reading.

43. A camera according to claim 41, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

44. A camera according to claim 41, further comprising a container holder which electrically moves said container of said film unit between a loaded position at which film may be fed from said container for exposure and an unloaded position at which said container may be removed from said camera.

45. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces date information showing a date when said film unit is loaded into said camera; and

a writing head which operatively engages said information recording part driven by said information recording part drive means to write said loading date information in said information recording part.

46. A camera according to claim 45, further comprising writing head drive means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part before said writing by said writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing.

47. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces date information showing a date when said film unit is removed from said camera; and

a writing head which operatively engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to write said date information in said information recording part.

48. A camera according to claim 47, further comprising writing head drive means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part before said writing by said writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing.

49. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces date information showing a date;

a writing head which operatively engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to write said date information in said information recording part; and

writing head drive means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part before said writing by said writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing.

50. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces trimming information showing that a photographing operation with trimming instruction to said film is performed;

a writing head which operatively engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to write said trimming information in said information recording part; and

writing head drive means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part before said writing by writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing.

51. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces information showing a set film speed when a film speed other than a film speed specific to said film is set to perform an exposure of said film;

a writing head which operatively engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to write said set film speed information in said information recording part; and

writing head drive means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part before said writing by said writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing.

52. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part in which information may be written magnetically and from which information may be read magnetically, comprising:

information recording part drive means which electrically moves said information recording part;

information producing means which produces information for identifying a photographer; and

a writing head which operative engages said information recording part moved by said information recording part drive means to write said information in said information recording part.

53. A camera according to claim 52, further comprising writing head drive means which causes said writing head to be in operative engagement with said information recording part before said writing by said writing head and causes said writing head to be disengaged from said information recording part after completion of said writing.

54. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part, comprising:

feeding means which electrically feeds said film from said container and which electrically feeds said film back into said container after exposure of one or more frames of said film at an exposure position; and

discrimination means which detects information recorded in said information recording part of said film unit when said film unit is inserted in said camera, to discriminate if said film unit is a partially used film unit previously removed from said camera with at least one unexposed frame of film remaining;

said feeding means being responsive to said discrimination means for feeding said film from said container by an amount dependent upon the information recorded in said information recording part.

59. A camera in which is inserted, at a predetermined position, a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

means for electrically performing a first transporting operation to transport said film out of said container in order to bring an unexposed frame of film to an exposure position;

means for electrically performing a second transporting operation to return to said container said film transported out of said container by said first transporting operation;

said means for electrically performing said first transporting operation and said means for electrically performing said second transporting operation being operative to perform the respective transporting operations only when said film unit is maintained at said predetermined position;

information detecting means for detecting recorded re-exposure prohibiting information for prohibiting re-exposure of said film when said film unit in which said re-exposure prohibiting information is recorded at said information recording part is re-inserted in said camera; and

means for preventing said film unit from being maintained at said predetermined position when said film unit is re-inserted in said camera and said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prohibiting information recorded at said information recording part.

60. A camera according to claim 59, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

61. A camera according to claim 60, further comprising a cover to be opened and closed for the loading of said film and locking means for locking said cover,

said locking means being disabled from the locking of said cover when said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prohibiting information.

62. A camera in which is inserted, at a predetermined position, a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information therein, comprising:

means for electrically performing a first transporting operation to transport said film out of said container in order to bring an unexposed frame of film to an exposure position;

means for electrically performing a second transporting operation to return to said container said film transported out of said container by said first transporting operation;

said means for electrically performing said first transporting operation and said means for electrically performing said second transporting operation being operative to perform the respective transporting operations only when said film unit is maintained at said predetermined position;

information recording means for recording at said information recording part, upon a completion of said second transporting operation, re-exposure prohibiting information for prohibiting re-exposure of said film;

information detecting means for detecting the recorded re-exposure prohibiting information when said film unit in which said re-exposure prohibiting information is recorded at said information recording part is re-inserted in said camera; and

means for preventing said film unit from being maintained at said predetermined position when said film unit is re-inserted in said camera and said information detecting means detects said re-exposure prohibiting information recorded at said information recording part.

63. A camera according to claim 62, wherein said information recording part is provided on said container.

64. A camera in which is inserted a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and an information recording part capable of recording information by its configuration being changed, comprising:

information recording means for recording information by changing the configuration of said information recording part of said film unit inserted in said camera, said information including already used information showing that said film is already used;

information detecting means for detecting information from said information recording part when said film unit is inserted in said camera; and

prevention means for preventing exposure of said film by said camera when said information detecting means detects said already used information.

65. A method of controlling a camera, comprising:

providing a film unit having a film, a container for accommodating said film and a part distinct from the film whose configuration depends upon whether or not said film has already been used;

inserting said film unit in said camera;

detecting the configuration of said part of the inserted film unit; and

preventing exposure of said film by said camera when the detected configuration shows that said film has already been used.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the configuration of said part is changed by said camera when said film has been used in said camera prior to said inserting.