Portrait camera with horizontal/vertical mode viewfinder

Claim 2

An improved camera wherein a viewfinder has a field of view for viewing a subject to be photographed when said camera is in one orientation or is in another orientation, and wherein the improvement comprises: first and second frame means for framing at least respective parts of individual subjects to be photographed; means for making said first frame means visible in the field of view of said viewfinder regardless of whether said camera is in one orientation or another orientation; and means for alternatively making said second frame means visible in the field of view of said viewfinder responsive to said camera being in one orientation and not visible in the field of view responsive to the camera being in another orientation, whereby two subjects are to be photographed when said camera is in one orientation and only one subject is to be photographed when the camera is in another orientation.

Claim 3

An improved portrait camera wherein a view finder has a field of view for viewing people to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally for horizontal format picture-taking or is oriented vertically for vertical format picture-taking, and wherein the improvement comprises: first and second frame means for framing the respective heads of people to be photographed; means for fixedly positioning said first frame means in the field of view of said viewfinder regardless of whether said camera is oriented horizontally or vertically; and means for alternatively positioning said second frame means in the field of view of said viewfinder responsive to said camera being oriented horizontally and out of the field of view responsive to the camera being oriented vertically, whereby two people are to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally and only one person is to be photographed when the camera is oriented vertically.

Claim 4

An improved portrait camera wherein a view finder has a field of view for viewing people to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally for horizontal format picture-taking or is oriented vertically for vertical format picture-taking, and wherein the improvement comprises: first and second frame means for framing the respective heads of people to be photographed; means for fixedly positioning said first frame means in the field of view of said viewfinder regardless of whether said camera is oriented horizontally or vertically; and means for alternatively positioning said second frame means in the field of view of said viewfinder responsive to said camera being oriented horizontally and out of the field of view responsive to the camera being oriented vertically, whereby two people are to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally and only one person is to be photographed when the camera is oriented vertically.

Claim 5

The improvement as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for positioning said first frame means includes integral means that continuously locates the first frame means off-center in the field of view of said viewfinder towards one side of the field of view, and said means for positioning said second frame means includes integral means that only locates the second frame means off-center in the field of view towards another side of the field of view when said camera is oriented horizontally.

Claim 6

The improvement as recited in claim 2, wherein said viewfinder includes a see-through tunnel that defines the field of view of the viewfinder, said means for positioning said first frame means includes integral means that continuously locates the first frame means in front of said tunnel for viewing through the tunnel, and said means for positioning said second frame means includes integral means that only locates the second frame means inside said tunnel for viewing through the tunnel when said camera is oriented horizontally.

Claim 7

The improvement as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for positioning said second frame means includes gravity actuated means for moving the second frame means out of the field of view of said viewfinder responsive to movement of said camera from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation.

Claim 8

An improved portrait camera wherein a viewfinder has a field of view for viewing people to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally for horizontal format picture-taking or is oriented vertically for vertical format picture-taking, and wherein the improvement comprises: first and second frame means for framing the respective heads of people to be photographed; means for making said first frame means visible off-center in the field of view regardless of whether said camera is oriented horizontally or vertically; and means for alternatively making said second frame means visible off-center int he field of view of said viewfinder towards another side of the field of view responsive to said camera being oriented horizontally and not visible in the field of view responsive to the camera being oriented vertically, whereby two people are to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally and only one person is to be photographed when the camera is oriented vertically.

Claim 9

An improved portrait camera wherein a viewfinder has a field of view for viewing people to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally for horizontal format picture-taking or is oriented vertically for vertical format picture-taking, and wherein the improvement comprises: first and second frame means for framing the respective heads of people to be photographed; means for making said first frame means visible off-center in the field of view regardless of whether said camera is oriented horizontally or vertically; and means for alternatively making said second frame means visible off-center int he field of view of said viewfinder towards another side of the field of view responsive to said camera being oriented horizontally and not visible in the field of view responsive to the camera being oriented vertically, whereby two people are to be photographed when said camera is oriented horizontally and only one person is to be photographed when the camera is oriented vertically.