JPH01116632A - Input method for exposure condition data - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply and exactly input an exposure condition data by storing in advance plural kinds of exposure condition data in an electronic memory card and setting the electronic memory cad to a read/writer of a photograph printing machine. CONSTITUTION:In the electronic memory card 29, latent exposure condition data of plural kinds of photographic films are stored in advance, and this card is set to the read/writer 28 of a photograph printing machine. This read/writer 28 reads the exposure condition data from the electronic memory card 29 and writes it in a memory 70, or reads out the data of a necessary exposure condition from the electronic memory card 29 every time in accordance with the kind of the photographic film to be printed. This exposure condition data is used for an arithmetic operation of the exposure quantity. In such a way, by only setting this electronic memory card 29 to the read/writer 28, the exposure condition data can be inputted to a photograph printing machine extremely simply, and also, exactly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides an input method for inputting exposure condition data in which exposure condition data for a plurality of types of photographic films is input into a photoprinting machine using an electronic memory card. It is about the method.

[Conventional technology]

In a photo printing machine, it is necessary to determine exposure condition data at the beginning of operation, and this is done in the following procedure. First, a standard photographic film (for example, the most commonly used color negative film called normal control negative) is test printed. The standard color balance value is determined by trial printing while changing the color balance value until the density of the obtained print photo matches the density of the standard print photo distributed by the manufacturer. After determining this reference color balance value, test printing is performed using an under control negative and an over control negative while changing the slope balance value, and the reference slope balance value that matches the density of the standard print photograph is determined. The reference color balance value and reference slope balance value thus determined are stored in the memory as reference exposure condition data.

Using the same procedure for setting exposure condition data for this reference color negative film, exposure condition data can be obtained for other types of color negative films that may be printed. However, obtaining exposure condition data for many types of color negative films is extremely difficult.

Manufacturers that supply photographic printers therefore regularly check the exposure condition data of color negative film, taking into account changes in film emulsion by the film manufacturer, and use this as a basis to set corrected exposure conditions for the standard exposure condition data. A table of data (corrected color balance value, corrected slope balance value) is created and distributed to users for their convenience. The user inputs corrected exposure condition data into the photo printer by operating the keyboard while looking at this data table.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional method of inputting data on exposure conditions described above, inputting data is performed interactively using a keyboard, which causes problems such as the inputting process is cumbersome and time-consuming, and input errors are likely to occur.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an input method that allows exposure condition data of photographic film to be input simply and accurately. It is something.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention stores exposure condition data for multiple types of photographic films in an electronic memory card, and sets the electronic memory card in the reader/writer of a photographic printing machine, thereby allowing standard This allows exposure condition data to be input manually to the photo printing machine.

[Effect]

Exposure condition data for the latest M types of photographic films are stored in an electronic memory card, and this is set in the reader/writer of the photographic printing machine. This lead writer is
The exposure condition data is read from the electronic memory card and stored in the memory. Alternatively, depending on the type of photographic film to be printed, necessary exposure condition data is read from the electronic memory card each time. This exposure condition data is used to calculate the exposure amount.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 schematically shows a printer processor for color paper. A magazine 11 is removably loaded in the upper left part of the main body 10, and color paper 12 is stored within this magazine 11. This color paper 1
2 is intermittently pulled out frame by frame by a pull-out roller 13 and enters the exposure chamber 14, where it is exposed to a paper mask 15 and a pressure plate 1.
6 to the exposure position formed between the two.

A negative carrier is placed opposite the exposure position, and a control negative is set when measuring reference exposure condition data, and a color negative film 19 is set when printing.

A lamp 20 is provided to illuminate these negative films, and the light emitted from it is passed through a cyan filter 21 . Magenta filter 22. The yellow filter 23 adjusts the three color light components. This color filter 21-23
The printing light whose light quality has been adjusted is sufficiently mixed in a diffusion box 24, and then illuminates the negative film from below. The light transmitted through the color negative film 19 passes through the printing lens 25.
After passing through the shutter 26, the exposure position is reached.

A reader/writer 28 is provided on the table 27 to which the negative carrier 18 is attached, and when printing starts, the reader/writer 28 reads, for example, an LSI card 2 as an electronic memory card.
9 is loaded. This LSI card 29 is a plastic card in which an LSI chip, a sheet coil substrate, etc. are enclosed, and data input/output is performed in a serial non-contact manner using this sheet coil substrate. therefore,
It has the advantages of not being affected by static electricity, causing no poor contact or wear, and allowing the LSI card 29 to be inserted and removed while the power is on.

Memory capacity is 64 bits, 256 bits,
There are 1M bits, etc. Note that the reference numeral 30 is a keyboard, and the reference numeral 31 is a display.

This display 31 displays data and the like input from the keyboard 30.

As shown in FIG. 4, the LSI card 29 stores exposure condition data for a plurality of photographic films. In this example, rSUPER is used as the reference color negative film.
T(R100J (product name).

(manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) is used, and corrected exposure condition data (corrected color balance value, corrected slope balance value) for this is stored). This corrected slope balance value includes one for over negative 0,
There is one for under negative U. Note that the corrected exposure condition data for extremely over-control negatives may be old. Further, even if the color negative film is of the same type, the characteristic curve changes depending on the emulsion number, so the corrected exposure condition data changes. Therefore, it is preferable to periodically create corrected exposure condition data corresponding to the latest emulsion number, write it on the LSI card 29, and distribute it to users.

On the right side of the exposure position, there is an exposed color paper 12.
A cutter 32 and a pair of rollers 33 are arranged to cut the material to a length greater than a certain length when desired. This roller pair 3
3 feeds the exposed color paper 12 to a stock chamber 34 where it is stocked. A pair of rollers 35, 36 is arranged in this stock chamber, forming two loops.

A photo development processing section 37 is formed on the right side of the stock chamber 34 . This photographic development processing section 37 includes a color developing tank 38. It consists of 39 bleach-fix tanks and three washing tanks 40 to 42. A series of color papers 12 are transported at a constant speed by a large number of transport rollers and are sequentially immersed in each processing tank, thereby undergoing color development, bleach-fixing, and water washing treatments. On the right side of this photo development processing section 37 is a drying drum 46. A cutter 47 is disposed, and after drying the photo-developed color paper 12, the cutter 47 separates it into individual frames and discharges them to a sorter (not shown) or the like.

FIG. 3 shows the control system. Said negative carrier 1
8 consists of a plate 50 and a mask 51, between which a color negative film 19 is passed during printing.
hold. In order to measure the three-color density of the color negative film 19, a light receiver 52 is provided, which reads the image immediately before photographic printing and outputs the three-color signal of each image as a time-series signal. This light receiver 52 includes a red sensor 53. Green sensor 54. It is composed of a blue sensor 55.

The input signals of the light receiver 52 are each converted into digital signals by an A/D converter 56 and then sent to a logarithmic converter 57. The logarithmic converter 57 converts the input signal into an approximate density signal by logarithmically converting the input signal. This data converted into a concentration signal is sent to the computer 60.

This computer 60 has an I10 port 61. CPU6
2. It is composed of 63 and 63, and imports concentration data.

In addition to calculating the exposure amount, it also takes in data from the LSI card 29, controls the filter adjustment section 67 and the shutter drive section 68, etc.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functions of the present invention.

The corrected exposure condition data stored in the LSI card 29 is read out by the read/writer 28 and stored in the memory 6.
3, and stored in channels prepared for each film type. Each channel also stores reference exposure condition data input from the keyboard 30 and determined by test printing. The control unit 71 determines the film type from the DX code read by the DX sensor 72, and specifies a channel based on this film type. This DX sensor 72 is
It is arranged on the negative carrier 18 and reads the DX code side-printed on the color negative film 19.

The lens board balance value and paper balance value are input using the keyboard 30 depending on the type of printing lens 25 and color paper 12 to be used.

These data are stored in a storage section 73 that is a part of the memory 63.
．． 74 respectively. Furthermore, when replacing the printing light source or processing liquid, the master balance value is changed using the keyboard 30, but this master balance value is
5 is stored. Depending on the print frame, a subject area may occur. For such print frames, a color or density correction amount is input from the keyboard 30, and this correction amount is stored in the storage section 76.

The photometry system 78 includes a light receiver 52. A/D converter 56° logarithmic converter 57. It consists of a calculation section (not shown),
When the light receiver 52 is composed of a scanner,
For each point of the control negative or print frame (print negative), the transmission density of red, green, and blue (more precisely,
By calculating the values proportional to the transmission density) and arithmetic averaging these, the average transmission density of red, green, and blue is calculated, respectively, and the gray average transmission density is calculated from the arithmetic mean of the average transmission density of each color. The obtained average transmission density DNki of the control negative is stored in the storage section 79, and the average transmission density Dki of red, green, and blue of the print frame is stored in the storage section 79.

The keyboard 30 includes a balance designation key 8 for designating the type of balance value when inputting base 4ζ exposure condition data.
2. Correction key 83 for inputting density or color correction amount.
Alphanumeric keys 84 for inputting balance values etc. A print key 85 for starting printing is provided.

The calculation unit 87 uses the data stored in each storage unit described above to calculate the exposure amount for each color from the following equation.

■ + -XF I X ((CBj+C]3kj)+F
2+F3+Cj)...(1) Here, each symbol is as follows.

Ek, : Exposure amount (k represents the channel according to the film type, i represents any one of red, blue, or green) sLj : M''A slope balance value (+ indicates either over 0 or under U) or j represents cyan or magenta.

Represents any one of yellow) SkLJ: Correction slope balance value I) + i:
Average transmission density of print negative DNki: Average transmission density of normal control negative CB,: Standard color balance value CBLJ: Corrected color balance value F1: Master balance value F2: Paper balance value F3: Lens board balance value Cj: Calculation of correction amount The filter adjustment unit 67 is controlled according to the exposure amount, and adjusts the insertion amount of the color filters 21 to 23 into the optical path. Note that if the color filters 21 to 23 alone cannot control the exposure time, the shutter driving section 68 changes the exposure time.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be briefly explained. Before printing the photo, set the exposure conditions using the following steps. first,
By operating the balance selection key 82 and the numeric keypad 84,
Master balance value Fl.

Paper balance value F2. Lens board balance value F3. Set the reference color balance value CB, reference slope balance value S, j to rloOJ.

Next, we will introduce “5UPER”, which is used as a reference negative film.
The normal control negative of HRlooJ is set on the negative carrier 18 and photometry is performed.

During this photometry, the color filters 21 to 23 are set at standard positions, so the illumination light emitted from the lamp 20 is adjusted to have standard light quality. The illumination light that has passed through this color filter is sufficiently diffused by the diffusion box 24, and then illuminates the normal control negative. The illumination light transmitted through this normal control negative is photometered for each color by the light receiver 52, and the average transmission density D of red, green, and blue is measured.
N■ is calculated and written into the storage section 79.

After metering the normal control negative, print it as a test print to create a print photo. Compare the density of the obtained print photo and the standard print photo for each color, and for colors that do not match, calculate the reference color balance value CB of that color.
, change from "100" to the desired value and try printing again. This trial printing is repeated to determine standard color balance values CBj for red, green, and blue.

After determining the standard color balance value CB,
The under control negative of HRlooJ is set in the negative carrier 8, and trial printing is repeated to determine the standard slope balance value 5IJj on the over side, which matches the density of the standard print photograph, for each color. Next, rSUPER
Set the over control negative of ``HRloo'' in the negative carrier 18, perform a test print, and set the standard slope balance value S on the over side. Determine j for each color.

The reference color balance value CBj of each color determined in this way and the reference slope and rope balance values SLJ are stored in each channel of the storage unit 70 as reference exposure condition data, as shown in FIG. Next, read the LSI card 29.
Set it on the lighter 28. This LSI card 29 contains correction exposure condition data (
Since the corrected color balance value CBk, corrected slope balance value 5kLj) have been written, this +Fli positive exposure positive light condition data is output and written to each channel of the storage unit 70.

After setting the exposure conditions, the color negative film 19 to be printed is set on the negative carrier 18.

While setting the color negative film 19, a side-printed DX code is read by the DX sensor 72, and the film type is determined from the read Dχ code. A channel is determined according to the film type, and based on this channel, the reference exposure condition data and corrected exposure condition data stored in the storage section 70 are read out and sent to the calculation section 87.

Observe the frame set in the print position.

Determine whether there is a risk of subject failure occurring. , for frames where subject feria may occur, the correction key 83 is operated to input the density or tortoise correction amount, and this is stored in the storage section 76.

If you operate the print key 85 on the keyboard 30 after negative verification, the frame set at the print position will be transferred to the photoreceptor 52.
The light is measured by . Through this photometry, the average transmission density Dki of the three colors of the print frame is calculated and stored in the storage unit 80, respectively.

After this photometry, the calculation section 87 calculates the
．． Using the data read from 791 and 80, the calculation formula (
1) to calculate the exposure amount for each color.

When calculating equation (1), the average transmission density DNki of the normal control negative and the average transmission density D k i of the print frame are compared, and if the density of the print frame is lower, the under standard is used. A slope balance value 5Llj and an under-corrected slope balance value S kuj are used. On the other hand, when the density of the print frame is high, the standard slope balance value S is over. j and over correction slope balance value S woj
is used.

The control section 71 controls the filter adjustment section 67 according to the calculated exposure amount of each color, and inserts or withdraws the color filters 21 to 23 set at standard positions into the printing optical path. After filtering ff1l, the lamp 20 is made to emit full light and the shutter 26 is operated to print a color negative image on the color paper 12. The exposed color paper 12 is transported toward the stock chamber 34, and the unexposed color paper 12 is set at the exposure position.

When making the next print, use the color negative film 19.
All you have to do is slide the button to set a new frame in the printing position, perform negative verification, and then operate the print key 85. In this way, the color paper 12 that has been sequentially exposed one frame at a time is stored in the stock chamber 34 in a loop shape. Then, when the desired number of frames have been printed, the cutter 32 is operated to cut off the rear end. The separated series of color papers 12 are stored in a color developing tank 38. Photographic processing is carried out by sequentially repeating the bleach-fixing tank 39 and three washing tanks 40 to 42. The photo-processed color paper 12 is dried in a drying drum 46, then cut frame by frame by a cutter 47 and discharged.

The color negative film currently being printed is rSUPER)
In the case of IRlooJ, channel 1 is selected based on the DX code read by the DX sensor 72, and the exposure amount is calculated using the reference exposure condition data and corrected exposure condition data stored in this channel 1. The next color negative film to be printed is rSUPERHR200.
”, channel 2 is selected and the exposure amount is calculated using this channel data. Note that when the lamp or processing liquid is replaced, it is sufficient to perform trial printing of a normal control negative while adjusting the master balance value Fl, and change the master balance value of each color. Furthermore, if the overall finish of the printed photo is too light or too dark, adjustments can be made by changing the master balance value.

In the embodiment described above, the corrected exposure condition data is written in the LSI card 29, but this may be a value obtained by adding the reference exposure condition data and the corrected exposure condition data, as shown in FIG. In this case, the base $exposure condition data (CBj, 5Lj) of equation (1) is set to zero.

The exposure condition data is created periodically, and the obtained data is written on the LSI card 29 and distributed to users. You can leave it there. Furthermore, the operating status of the printer processor, such as operating days and number of prints.

Type and number of printed color negative films.

By writing down operating hours, causes of failures, replacement dates for processing liquids and lamps, etc., and later reading out the data on a computer and performing statistical processing, it is possible to automatically create daily operating reports.

In the above embodiment, &1 is a non-contact type LSI.
Although the case where a card is used is representatively described, a contact type method may also be used. In addition to the LSI card, the electronic memory card in this specification includes an IC card, a memory card,
This includes cards with similar storage functions such as ROM cards and RAM cards.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, the exposure condition data of a plurality of photographic films is stored in the electronic memory card, so that the exposure condition data can be stored simply by setting the electronic memory card in the reader/writer. Very simple,
Moreover, it is possible to accurately input the information into the photo printing machine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the main parts of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a printer processor embodying the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the control system of the printer processor. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of exposure condition data stored in the LSI card. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing channel data. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of exposure condition data stored in the LSI card. 12...Color paper 19...Color negative film 28...Reader/writer 29...LSI card 30...Keyboard 70.73-76.79-80...Storage section 87...
Arithmetic section.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Store exposure condition data for multiple types of photographic film on an electronic memory card, and
A method for inputting exposure condition data, characterized in that an electronic memory card is set in a writer and exposure condition data is input into a photographic printing machine. (2) The method for inputting exposure condition data according to claim 1, wherein the exposure condition data for the plurality of types of photographic films is expressed as a difference with respect to a specific type of photographic film.