Camera with linked focussing and shutter control

摘要

An automatic camera includes a combined latch and actuator mechanism, a shutter blade mechanism and an objective lens with a plurality of discrete lens elements disposed on a lens-holding disc moves each lens element sequentially into position in front of the shutter, each lens element being suitable for a range of camera-to-subject distance. The combined latch and actuator mechanism operates to normally latch the shutter blade arrangement in its scene light blocking position and to unlatch the shutter blade arrangement in anticipation of an exposure cycle. The combination latch and actuator mechanism also operates during the unlatching of the shutter blades to actuate the lens disc so as to automatically focus the camera objective lens in synchronism with the shutter blade being unlatched.