Camera selects unused flash bulb farthest from taking lens to reduce red-eye effect when camera-to-subject distance within near range

• US 5,708,866 A
• Filed: 05/02/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Leonard, Bruce Adams
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAN, JANG K
• Application Number:
  US08/642,139
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 354/126, 354/127.1, 354/132, 354/143, 354/149.1, 362/3, 362/4, 362/11, 362/13, 431/357, 431/359, 396/89, 396/106, 396/109, 396/155, 396/157, 396/158, 396/175, 396/61, 396/62
• US Class Current: 396/62
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/0457 Ignition mechanisms for sequential ignition of flash lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera

Abstract

A camera intended to be used with a multiple flash bulb unit selects an unused flash bulb farthest from the taking lens to reduce a red-eye effect when a near range camera-to-subject distance is chosen and selects an unused flash bulb closest to the taking lens when a far range camera-to-subject distance is selected.

Claims

1. A camera intended to be used with a multiple flash bulb unit with different unused flash bulbs being arranged at different distances from said camera, comprising:

a taking lens; and

means for selecting an unused flash bulb farthest from said taking lens to reduce a red-eye effect only when a camera-to-subject distance does not exceed a predetermined distance.

2. A camera as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

means for selecting an unused flash bulb closest to said taking lens only when the camera-to-subject distance is greater than the predetermined distance.

3. A camera intended to be used with a multiple flash bulb unit with different unused flash bulbs being arranged at different distances from said camera, comprising:

a taking lens;

means for selecting a relatively near range camera-to-subject distance, and for selecting a relatively far range camera-to-subject distance that is greater than the near range camera-to-subject distance; and

means for selecting an unused flash bulb farthest from said taking lens to reduce a red-eye effect when the near range camera-to-subject distance is selected and for selecting an unused flash bulb closest to said taking lens when the far range camera-to-subject distance is selected.

4. A camera as recited in claim 3, wherein a shutter release switch changes state when picture-taking is initiated, and means ignites the selected unused flash bulb farthest or closest to said taking lens responsive to said shutter release switch changing state.

5. A camera intended to be used with a multiple flash bulb unit with different unused flash bulbs being arranged at different distances from said camera, comprising:

a taking lens; and

means for sequentially selecting each remaining unused flash bulb farthest from said taking lens to reduce a red-eye effect when a camera-to-subject distance does not exceed a predetermined distance.