Exposure meter system for cameras

Claim 1

An exposure meter system for a single-lens reflex camera having an optical path for light to pass therethrough for defining an image on a film therein comprising a photolens positioned in said optical path to direct the light onto the film spaced therefrom; a focusing glass for a finder optical system having a generally planar surface and positioned between said photolens and the film in the area closer to the film than said photolens, said focusing glass spaced laterally from said optical path between said photolens and the film; a hinged mirror positioned in the optical path between said photolens and the film, said hinged mirror located in a first position inclined with respect to the optical path to reflect light passing through said photolens in a generally perpendicular manner thereto to pass through said focusing glass, said hinged mirror pivotal to a second position out of the direct path of light passing through said photolens, said hinged mirror in said second position being spaced laterally from the optical path between said photolens and the film, said hinged mirror in said second position beiNg adjacent to and substantially parallel to said planar surface of said focusing glass; a semitransparent reflecting mirror fixed in position in the optical path between said hinged mirror and the film, said fixed mirror having an inclination less than said hinged mirror; a photometric element fixed within said camera and positioned between said photolens and the film in the area closer to said photolens than the film, said photometric element spaced laterally from the optical path, said lateral spacing of said photometric element from the optical path being less than said lateral spacing of said hinged mirror in said second position to allow said photometric element to view the light incident on said semitransparent reflecting mirror when said hinged mirror is in said second position.