PHOTOFINISHING APPARATUS WITH FILM INFORMATION EXCHANGE SYSTEM USING DEDICATED MAGNETIC TRACKS ON FILM

摘要

A virtually transparent magnetic layer is included as an additional layer in a color negative film. Information exchange between various users of the film -such as (for example) the film manufacturer, the camera user, the dealer and photofinisher- is carried via plural longitudinal magnetic tracks on the film that begin and end within each individual frame. Each track is dedicated to the writing and reading of a predetermined set of parameters relating to the corresponding frame. The photofinisher-dedicated tracks fill the image-bearing area of each frame. The film has only a single film perforation along one edge for each frame. The camera-dedicated tracks lie along the edges of the film between the film perforations. Each track begins and ends within a single frame, and is divided into a plurality of fields. The spatial relationship between the start location of the tracks associated with each film frame and the corresponding perforation determines the spatial relationship between the magnetic heads and the perforation sensor in the photofinishing apparatus.