Computer flash light sensing apparatus

Claim 2

A light sensing apparatus, for use with a photographic system employing a camera means and an electronic flash unit, said light sensing apparatus comprising: a first pair of terminals arranged for connection to camera shutter contacts of the camera means, which contacts, when closed, complete a path between said first pair of terminals; a second pair of terminals arranged for connection to said electronic flash unit, said first and second pairs of terminals comprising the sole means for connection from the light sensing apparatus to the camera means and the flash unit, respectively; means connected between said first and second pairs of terminals for applying a first signal to said second pair of terminals, for transmission thereby to the flash unit for causing the latter to produce light for illuminating an object to be photographed by the camera means upon the completion of a path between said first pair of terminals; a normally disabled light responsive integrating means arranged to receive light from the object, said integrating means being connected to said second pair of terminals to receive an enabling signal therefrom which is produced by the firing of the flash unit, said integrating means, when enabled and having received a predetermined quantity of light, providing at said second pair of terminals a second signal for terminating the production of light by the flash unit; calculator means including selection means selectively operable for setting in a value of an independent variable of said photographic system and indicating a value of at least one of a plurality of photographic variables dependent upon said independent variable; and means responsive to said selection means for varying the effective sensitivity of said light sensing means in accordance with said value of said independent variable, said light sensing apparatus being independently movable with respect to said camera means and said electronic flash unit.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said independent variable is an indication of film speed of a light sensitive film used in said camera and said at least one photographic dependent variable is an indication of subject to camera distance.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wHerein said independent variable is an indication of film speed of a light sensitive film used in said camera and one of said plurality of said photographic dependent variables is an f-stop setting of said camera means.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said photographic dependent variables indicated by said calculator means further include subject-to-camera distance.

Claim 6

A light sensing apparatus for use with a photographic system employing a camera means and an electronic flash unit, said light sensing apparatus comprising: a first pair of terminals arranged for connection to the shutter contacts of the camera means, which contacts, when closed, complete a path between said first pair of terminals; a second pair of terminals arranged for connection to the flash unit, said first and second pairs of terminals comprising the sole means for connection from the light sensing apparatus to the camera means and the flash unit, respectively; means connected between said first and second pairs of terminals for applying a first signal to said second pair of terminals, for transmission thereby to the flash unit for causing the latter to produce light for illuminating an object to be photographed by the camera means upon the completion of a path between said first pair of terminals; a normally disabled light responsive integrating means arranged to receive light from the object, said integrating means being connected to said second pair of terminals to receive an enabling signal therefrom which is produced by the firing of the flash unit, said integrating means, when enabled and having received a predetermined quantity of light, providing at said second pair of terminals a second signal for terminating the production of light by the flash unit; light attenuator means positioned to attenuate said light received by said light responsive means; first selection means having a first set of indicia and a first indicator means thereon, said light attenuator means being coupled to said first selection means; second selection means having second and third sets of indicia thereon; second indicator means; and biasing means for biasing said first and second selection means into mutual engagement whereby to selectively move in unison with respect to said second indicator means, said first selection means being selectively operable, upon an application of a disengaging force to overcome said biasing whereupon said second selection means is selectively movable, with respect to first selection means, to relate a selected one of said second set of indicia to said first indicator means whereby to position said first set of indicia with respect to said third set of indicia in accordance therewith, said first and second selection means, upon a subsequent removal of said disengaging force, being selectively movable in unison to relate one of a plurality of combinations of individual indicium of said first and third sets, to said second indicator means, and, concurrently, to adjust said light attenuator means in variable accordance therewith.

Claim 7

A light sensing apparatus for use with a photographic system employing a camera means and an electronic flash unit, said light sensing apparatus comprising: a first pair of terminals arranged for connection to the shutter contacts of the camera means, which contacts, when closed, complete a path between said first pair of terminals; a second pair of terminals arranged for connection to the flash unit, said first and second pairs of terminals comprising the sole means for connection from the light sensing apparatus to the camera means and the flash unit, respectively; means connected between said first and second pairs of terminals for applying a first signal to said second pair of terminals, for transmission thereby to the flash unit for causing the latter to produce light for illuminating an object to be photographed by the camera means upon the completion of a path between said first pair of terminals; a normally disabled light responsive integrating means arranged to receive light from the object, said integrating means being connected to said second pair of terminals to receive an enabling signal therefrom which is produced by the firing of the flash unit, said integrating means, when enabled and having received a predetermined quantity of light, providing at said second pair of terminals a second signal for terminating the production of light by the flash unit; light attenuator means positioned to attenuate said light received by said light responsive means; first selection means having a first set of indicia and a first indicator means thereon, said light attenuator means being coupled to said first selection means; second selection means having second and third sets of indicia thereon; second indicator means; and biasing means for biasing said first and second selection means into mutual engagement whereby to selectively move in unison with respect to said second indicator means, said first selection means being selectively operable, upon an application of a disengaging force to overcome said biasing whereupon said second selection means is selectively movable, with respect to first selection means, to relate a selected one of said second set of indicia to said first indicator means whereby to position said first set of indicia with respect to said third set of indicia in accordance therewith, said first and second selection means, upon a subsequent removal of said disengaging force, being selectively movable in unison to relate one of a plurality of combinations of individual indicium of said first and third sets, to said second indicator means, and, concurrently, to adjust said light attenuator means in variable accordance therewith.

Claim 8

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first and second selection means are annular.

Claim 9

The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said second selection means is a truncated conical annulus, concentric with respect to said first selection means.

Claim 10

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first set of indicium is selectively changeable to correspond to a changeable external condition affecting said first set of indicium.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first set of indicia represents various values of camera-to-subject distances, said second set of indicia representing various values of film speed, and said third set of indicia representing various values of f-stops of an associated camera means.