Apparatus for pre-exposure of photographic film

Claim 1

A motion picture portable camera for flashing raw film immediately prior to exposure of said film to increase shadow detail, conserve illumination power and lower the initial inertia of exposure threshold of said film comprising a camera housing, an exposure aperture in said camera housing, a raw film magazine on one side of said exposure aperture for containing raw film having at least one image area, a take-up magazine on the side of said exposure aperture opposite said raw film magazine a flashing housing having a flashing aperture located between said raw film magazine and said exposure aperture dimensioned to expose substantially an entire image area of film, a lamp in said flashing housing, guide means for guiding film from said raw film magazine past said flashing aperture for exposure of said film independent of any exposure from a scene to be photographed, and film drive means for transporting film from said raw film magazine past said exposure aperture and into said take-up magazine and also at a uniform rate of linear movement past said flashing housing prior to passage past said exposure aperture, said camera housing, said raw film magazine and said flash housing comprising a single, extraneous light-free path for said raw film such that said raw film is first pre-flashed as it is continuously driven past said flashing aperture and excited and then exposed to the scene to be filmed as it is driven past said exposure aperture.