WO1992013288A1

WO1992013288A1 - A photographic system

Info

Publication number: WO1992013288A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bryan Charles Bedington; George Snr. Racz; George Jnr. Racz
Original assignee: Bryna Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Bryna Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1991-01-17
Filing date: 1992-01-16
Publication date: 1992-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 1993-07-17

Abstract

A photographic system (20) for producing coded latent images and simultaneously producing correspondingly coded substantially identical images and storing those images. A video camera (30) has a still camera (31) coupled to it. The cameras being coupled to a computer (26) which has video image capturing means and a memory for storing the captured images. An automatic focusing and parallax correction circuit links the two cameras so that they are correspondingly focused and the video camera position is aligned for parallax correction. The computer times and controls operation of the cameras. A display within the still camera controlled by the computer for coding the latent images and captured images and an image display (27) for displaying captured video images.

Description

TITLE "A PHOTOGRAPHIC SYSTEM" FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a photographic system and to a method of producing and displaying images representative of proofs of photographs.

BACKGROUND QF THE INVENTION

When a photographer conducts a photographic session or sitting a series of photographs are taken of a subject and a number of rolls of film or sheets of film are exposed. The rolls or sheets are usually recorded in a log book in which the photographer enters details such as the date on which the photographs were taken, identification of the customer and/or subject and other information. The film is correspondingly marked. There is a real danger that incorrect entries may be made or that entries or the book may go astray. This causes difficulty in returning prints to the proper customer or to the correct photographer where one processing laboratory is responsible for processing film for many photographers.

Once film is exposed it is usual to produce proofs of all of the exposures and to return to the customer with the proofs to enable a selection of desired ones of the photographs to be made from the set of proofs. Thus, the photographer attends the session or sitting and a representative may then return to the customer with proofs to enable a selection to be made. After the selection process the desired photographs are printed and returned to the customer. In many cases therefore two or sometimes more meetings with the customer are necessary. This is time consuming and expensive and sales are sometimes lost because of the time delay between the actual sitting at which the customer may be enthusiastic about a purchase to the time when proofs are presented. Enthusiasm may wane. Considerable travelling between locations at which the sitting took place and the laboratory may be necessary and the inherent cost is passed on to the customer.

United States Patent 4,488,794 discloses a photographic apparatus for making simultaneous exposures. The apparatus comprises two separate cameras mounted together and synchronized in focus and shutter actuation to provide simultaneous exposure on separate film or other image recording medium. The second camera provides an instant positive print which serves as a proof for the photograph taken by the primary camera. Identification numbers are printed on both of the exposures by means of respective LED arrays actuated along with the shutters to print a number representing a count in an electronic counter. The number in the counter is incremented automatically upon each shutter actuation. Two separate cameras are mounted together and synchronized in focus and shutter actuation to provide simultaneous exposures on separate film or other image recording media. Both cameras are still cameras. The primary camera includes a system view finder which permits observation of the field of view along the optical axis oriented parallel to the primary camera axis and has its field of view corrected for parallax distortion by a prism which is selectively attachable to the lens of the second camera. A video camera is not employed in this system and there is no ready storage and retrieval of the instant prints. Optical means is employed for parallax correction.

U.S. patent specification No. 4,248,510 relates to an identification camera system for producing an identification card having a composite image of both the subject and data. No video camera is present but rather, the systems has a camera with a first lens for photographing the subject and a second lens for photographing the data card. The light from the subject and the card is polarised in orthogonal planes and directed by a beam splitter through image analysers onto mutually exclusive areas of first and second image planes. Each of the images produced is not correspondingly coded, but rather this system enables separate images to be incorporated onto the same self developing film of the type marketed by the Polaroid Corporation. There is no video camera and no image display for displaying or providing viewable images of the images produced by the video camera.

The use of the beam splitter to produce two identical optical images reduces image intensity and quality.

U.S. Patent No. 3,928,863 discloses another identification card camera. This camera includes means performing a composite image of a person and a data card simultaneously on two separate image planes. First film cartridge means is provided for positioning a frame of conventional photographic negative film in one of the image planes and second film cartridge means is provided for positioning a frame of instant positive print film in the second image plane. The frames at the first and second image planes are simultaneously exposed thereby to provide a photographic identification card and a negative film print. This camera cannot be used to provide instant proofs or store images representative of such proof. U.S. Patent No. 3,608,456 discloses a portrait camera having a beam splitter for directing the image of the subject onto a relatively small negative and simultaneously onto a substantially larger positive in combination. The negative film and the positive film are simultaneously moved through the camera for taking sequential pictures. The positive film is withdrawn through a developing unit to permit immediate viewing of the resulting proof picture for purposes of analysis of the subject, arrangement and lighting. In this proposal, the two corresponding images produced are not uniquely coded. In addition, one of the cameras is not a video camera, and because of this, special instant film must be used to provide an instant picture representative of the latent image on the negative film of the other camera.

U.S. Patent No. 2,565,618 discloses a camera which enables two exposures to be made simultaneously, one on photographic paper film and the other on photographic negative film. The photographic paper film provides a proof permitting immediate selection while obviating the need to make contact prints from the photographic negative film. Both of the images produced need to be processed so that a viewable picture may result from a latent image produced either on photographic film or photographic paper. The corresponding images are not uniquely coded and an instant picture for immediate viewing is not produced. Also, no video camera is present.

U.S. Patent No. 2,478,301 discloses a camera for making simultaneous exposures on separate films including, in particular, one on positive photographic paper film and the other on negative photographic film. Provision is made for identification of the pictures produced by means of serial numbers. U.S. patent specification No. 2,478,301 in many respects is similar to that disclosed in U.S. specification No. 2,565,618 except that it does provide for means for identifying several exposures by serial numbers on both negative and positive.

Japanese Document No. 57-10009927 shows a photographic device wherein the subject is simultaneously photographed with a TV camera and with a ordinary camera with the signal of the TV camera being stored in a memory device. The stored signal of the TV camera is displayed through a monitor. No mention is made of unique coding, focusing in synchronism or parallax correction.

Japanese Document No. 57-52037 relates to a device which appears similar to that described in the preceding document. A video signal of a camera is recorded on a magnetic sheet memory during photography and the recorded signal is reproduced to determine whether or not the subject is photographed by the camera in an "excellent state".

United States Patent 4,841,359 assigned to the present applicant relates to a system which was an improvement over the other proposals just discussed.

It is an object to provide a photographic system that is an improvement over the prior systems discussed above. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect the invention provides a photographic system for producing coded latent images of a subject and simultaneously producing correspondingly coded substantially identical images and storing said substantially identical images for subsequent display, instant display or printing, said system including a video camera, a still camera coupled to the video camera, a computer, said cameras being coupled thereto, said computer including video image capturing means and memory for storing images captured by the capturing means, automatic focusing and parallax correction circuit linking the still camera and the video camera whereby focusing of the still camera causes simultaneous focusing of the video camera and alignment of the video camera for parallax correction, a trigger circuit interfaced with the computer for operating the shutter of the still camera, said computer providing for timing and control of sequential operation of the video camera and the still camera, a display within the still camera for applying a unique code on each latent image produced by the still camera, the display being interfaced with the computer and controlled thereby and each video image captured by the capturing means being coded with said unique code corresponding to a respective latent image, and an image display coupled to the computer for displaying a selected captured video image or images.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a display consisting of at least one multi digit dot matrix intelligent LED display device coupled to a shell and having fibre optic cables coupled between each dot of each digit to a face of the shell.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a trigger circuit for triggering a shutter of a still camera, the circuit including two DC/DC converters, storage capacitors associated with each said converter and connected in series, a solenoid having a coil and switching means for selectively connecting the coil to said capacitors to operate the solenoid and trigger the shutter of the camera.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a flash circuit including a flash tube including a voltage doubling circuit having two capacitors connected in series with electrodes of the tube, a voltage tripling circuit connected to a switching device, a transformer statically coupled to the tube and receiving the output of the switching device control components for, in response to a trigger signal, disconnecting power to said doubling circuit and operating said switching device to cause a high voltage to be statically coupled to the tube.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a focus/parallax correction circuit for a still camera coupled to a video camera, including a focus sensor providing an output indicative of the focus position of the still camera, a parallax sensor providing a signal indicative of the alignment of the video camera relative to the subject photographed, a feedback sensor providing an output indicative of the focus position of the video camera, focus comparator for comparing the focus sensor output with the feedback sensor and providing a focus output, parallax comparator for comparing the focus sensor output and the parallax sensor output and providing a parallax correction output, a drive for adjusting the focus position of the video camera, a drive for adjusting the alignment of the video camera and drivers responsive to said focus output for operating the focus drive and to the parallax correction output for operating the alignment drive.

DISCLOSURE QF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a pictorial representation of the photographic system of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the system of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a still camera and video camera of an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 4a and 4b are diagrams of a solenoid shutter release mechanism of the still camera;

Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of a trigger circuit for driving the solenoid of the mechanism of Figures 4a and 4b.

Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of two dot matrix displays employed in the still camera of the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective diagrammatic view of the displays mounted to a shell to provide a display assembly for the still camera;

Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of a flash circuit;

Figure 9 is a circuit diagram of a focus/parallax drive and power supply circuit.

Figure 10 is a top perspective view of a still camera which may be used in the system of the invention; and,

Figure 11 is a rear view of the camera of Figure 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a typical arrangement where the system 20 of the invention may be employed. The arrangement includes a station 21 at which the subject(s) may sit on chair(s) 22. The system includes a trolley 23 which carries a printer 24 and power supply within housing 25, a computer 26, monitor 27 (preferably a colour monitor) and keyboard 28. The trolley also carries an adjustable stand 29, a video camera 30 (preferably a colour video camera) and still camera 31 connected together as a unit and a flash lamp 32 with reflector or diffuser 33. The photographer may sit on chair 34 when using the system 20. The video camera 30 may also have an automatic iris correction arrangement to compensate for changes in light level.

The subject on chairs 22 may be photographed by still camera 31 and a corresponding image viewed by the video camera 30 is captured by the computer and stored for eventual display on monitor 27 and/or printed by printer 24 to provide an immediate hard copy of the latent image captured by camera 31.

The computer may function to display one or a plurality of captured images at any selected time. The images captured by the computer may be cropped, enlarged or enhanced by the computer and deleted from storage if desired. Each latent image carries a unique code corresponding to a like code stored by the computer to identify corresponding captured images.

Figure 2 shows in block diagram form, greater detail of a preferred system 20. The system 20 has a computer 26 with volatile memory 41, disc drivers 42 for hard and floppy disc 43, 44. Within the housing for computer 26 there is included a colour video image grabber, processor and video memory RAM 45. Also included within the housing may be a voice digitizer 46 and bar code reader/digitizer 47.

BAR-code wand 48 is coupled to the reader 47. Microphone 49 and speakers 50 are coupled to the voice digitizer 46. Modem 51 may be present as an internal or external device. A remote trigger 52 triggers video image and still image capture and is coupled to interface 53. Automatic focus/parallax control 54 is associated with both cameras 30 and 31. A computer text printer/colour graphics adaptor 55 is present and coupled to text printer 56. The camera 31 may be triggered manually, via trigger 52 or driven by a keyboard generated signal. The microphone 49 enables voice activated control of the system while the voice digitizer 46 and speakers 50 enable the system to prompt or teach a photographer in how the system operates and may be used.

Captured video images are stored either on the hard disc or floppy disc and prints of captured images can be obtained from printer 55.

Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic view of still camera 31 (in broken outline) mounted to video camera 30. Both cameras 30, 31 view the same subject. Video camera 30 is mounted for pivotal movement relative to cradle 60 fixed to the housing 61. In this way the video camera may be pivoted about a horizontal axis extending through sensor VR3. Sensor VR3 is a variable resistor which enables a signal to be produced indicative of the degree to which the camera 30 is pivoted. Lense 62 of camera 30 is focused by stepping motor 63 which controls cord 64 which extends around focus ring 65. Sensor VRl (also a variable resistor) provides a signal indicative of the rotary position of the shaft of motor 63. Linear actuator 66 pivotally mounted to cradle

67 pivots the camera 30 about the horizontal axis to correct for parallax error between what is seen by both cameras. Actuator 66 is a stepping motor with a lead screw 68 extending from it and extends or retracts the lead screw in response to actuation of motor 66 to pivot the camera 30 about the horizontal axis.

Still camera 31 has a focusing knob 70 which has associated with it a -sensor VR2 (not shown in this Figure) which is a variable resistor which provides a signal indicative of the focus position of camera 31. This signal is employed to control motors 63 and 66 to achieve automatic focussing of camera 30 as well as automatic parallax correction. Shutter control solenoid 72 controls the operation of the shutter of camera 31. Leads 71 couple the cameras 30, 31 and solenoid 72 to the computer 26. Camera 31 is connected to housing 61 and a plug/socket connection (not visible) couples the display (Figure 7) to the computer 26.

Figure 5 illustrates a trigger circuit of the invention. It is important that triggering of the shutter of camera 31 be particularly quick and as soon as possible after the video camera 30 has captured an image. In this way, while the two images are taken at slightly different instances in time (necessary to ensure the flash does not cause flaring of the video image) they occur as soon as possible one after the other. The video image is captured first by the camera 30 and the video grabber 45 enables one frame to be stored by the computer in approximately 33 ms after the triggering is initiated and the latent image is captured approximately 50 ms after triggering is initiated. It is important that the video image is captured before the latent image. If the reverse were the case it is possible that the video image would show the subject with eyes closed because it is usual for the subject to blink after the flash occurs. Unacceptable video images would occur. If the video image was captured well after the latent image then there would be little correlation between the two images and this is undesirable.

Figures 4a and 4b show a shutter solenoid 72 for triggering the shutter of camera 31. The solenoid 72 is mounted inside housing 61 and the plunger driven by the solenoid projects into camera 31. Cable 80 at one end is secured to a flag 81 and the other end to the solenoid. The one end of the cable 80 is secured to the existing camera shutter mechanism. If the camera is operated in the normal way flag 81 is caused to move downwardly and this movement is detected by an opto- coupler (not shown) which in turn causes the circuit of Figure 5 to actuate solenoid 72 to take over and trigger the shutter of the camera in a shorter time period than would normally occur utilising the normal shutter release of camera 31. Thus the computer 26, if manual shutter release is employed, provides a trigger pulse for fast shutter release by the solenoid.

Cable 80 passes through fitting 82 secured to flag 81 and through sleeve 83. The solenoid plunger is biased in the retracted position by spring 84. The solenoid 72 is mounted to printed circuit board 85 which in turn is mounted within housing 61.

The board 85 carries the circuit of Figure 5. The circuit of Figure 5 is coupled via an interface to the computer 26 and can be triggered by the computer via that interface which provides a trigger input to the circuit, typically a 5V pulse of 100 ms duration.

The circuit of Figure 5 is supplied with 5 VDC and includes two 5 to 30 VDC converters IC1 and IC2. Converters IC1 and IC2 charge reservoir compacitors C3 and C4 to 30 VDC each. These capacitors are connected in series making 60 VDC available for the solenoid coil SLC. Capacitors C3 and C4 are normally charged to 30 VDC each. Diode Dl and resistor R3 provide a hold in current for coll SLC to keep shutter open if required. When transistor Ql (a Darlington pair configuration) is off, transistor Q2, an emitter follower provides 5V to the base of transistor Q3 to turn on and enables the converters IC1 and IC2. When a solenoid trigger signal is present transistor Ql is turned on, Q2 does not turn on and Q3 is off, the converters are disabled. Diode D2 is a back emf protection diode. With the circuit of Figure 5 it is possible to achieve approximately a 500 g force, even from a 5 VDC supply, to successfully and quickly drive the shutter release of the camera 31 without the need for high current levels.

Figure 8 shows a circuit diagram for a flash circuit. The flash lamp XT1 derives its trigger signal from camera 31.

The circuit derives power from active and neutral terminals A and N. This circuit is able to function as a power pack or power distributer for the whole system. The circuit includes a modelling light LB1. Normally such lights, when supplied with AC power, have a short life - 40 to 50 hours. These lights light up the subject initially before the flash triggers. The light is supplied with full wave rectified power via bridge RBI and isolation switch SWl. In this way, the life of the lamp is increased by a factor of about 10. The modelling light should remain on while the photograph is being taken to provide for correct light level for the video camera and for still camera focusing and can be turned off by switch SWl after photographs have been taken.

Transformer TR1 provides electrical isolation for the flash circuit. Transistors Ql and Q2 are configured as a one shot multi-vibrator and the resistor R7 capacitor C4 combination function as timing elements providing a maximum 6 second pulse. The presence of a trigger signal turns Ql on and then transistor Q2 is turned on for 6 seconds. Energization of coil RLl opens contacts RLl and no power is supplied to reservoir capacitors Cl and C2. While the contacts of RLl are closed the circuit consisting of diodes D9, D10 and reservoir capacitors Cl, C2 functions as a voltage doubling circuit and causes a charge of about 630 VDC to appear across the xenon flash tube XT1. When charged neon LB2 is on to indicate "READY" state.

Diodes D4, D6, D5 and D8 together with capacitors C5 and C6 function as a voltage tripling circuit and rectifier. When Ql turns on silicon controlled rectifier SCRl is triggered via diode D7. The anode of SCRl is supplied with this tripled voltage and when SCRl is triggered this voltage is available at the primary winding of trigger transformer TR2. Approximately 200 volts is available at the anode of SCRl and about 10KV appears at the secondary of TR2 and this secondary is statically connected to tube XT1 to excite the xenon gas in the tube. Once XT1 is fired the maintaining voltage is much lower than the firing voltage (approximately 1/4) and the tube may remain on. Therefore power must be removed from the tube and that is why contact RLl is open during discharge.

High static external energy may accidentally excite tube XT1. For this reason current sensor RL2 is present. This current sensor has a reed switch associated with it as shown. The reed switch will trigger a hold circuit to ensure that power is removed from capacitors Cl, C2 to enable XT1 to flash and discharge Cl, C2 to prevent damage occurring to tube XT1. The tube XT1 has an operating energy of about 387 joules.

The automatic focus/parallax circuit is shown in Figure 9. Variable resistor VR1 senses the focus position of video camera 30, variable resistor VR2 senses the focus position of the still camera 31 and variable resistor VR3 senses the pivotal position of camera 30 for parallax correction. Focus control stepping motor SMI is controlled by focus driver IC4 while parallax stepping motor SM2 is controlled by parallax driver IC5. Stepping motors SMI and SM2 correspond to motors 63 and 66 of Figure 3 respectively.

In Figure 9 transformer Tl, rectifier bridge RBI, voltage regulators IC6, IC7 and capacitors CIO to C13 function to provide regulated 5V and 12V power. The aim of circuit 9 is to ensure that focusing of still camera 31 causes corresponding focusing of camera 30 and at the same time the video camera 30 is pivoted about the horizontal axis described to automatically correct for parallax error.

Integrated circuit IC3 is a 556 timer and each half half of IC3 is configured as a clock running at 150 Hz.

The focus comparator part of the circuit has as its main components VR2 and VRl as well as comparators

IC1 (both halves). The function of this part is such that when camera 31 is focused and hence VR2 varied motor SMI is driven such that camera 30 is likewise focused causing VRl to track and match VR2. The following occurs in the circuit. The outputs from comparators A and B are low. These outputs are summed by diodes Dl and D2 and applied to clock E (1/2 IC3) which functions as a step generator for focus driver IC4. When the input to clock

E is low no clock pulses are generated and the driver IC4 does not energize the focus stepping motor SMI of camera

30.

When the camera 31 is focused and the voltage at the wiper of VR2 increases and is greater than the voltage at the wiper of VRl a voltage output appears at the comparator B. This causes clock E to run and the stepping motor SMI is driven in one direction until the voltages at the wipers of VRl and VR2 are equal. Focusing in the opposite direction of camera 31 to cause the voltage at the wiper of VR2 to go below the voltage at the wiper of VRl ensures that a high output appears at the comparator A. This causes the driver IC4 to drive motor SMI in the opposite direction unfl VR2/VR1 are once again matched.

The parallax comparators C and D operate in a similar fashion with the comparison this time being between VR2 and VR3 to cause clock F to run and in turn control the operation of driver IC5 to run parallax stepping motor SM2.

When the stepping motors are not driven there is no need to maintain current to them to achieve braking and thus power is conserved. This is achieved by transistor Ql which has its collector coupled to drivers IC4 and IC5 by resistors R26 and R28. The emitter of Ql is coupled to the 12V rail. The base of Ql is coupled to clocks E and F via D4 and D6. Thus, when clocks E and F are not running no current is supplied to the stepping motors.

Figure 10 shows a top perspective view of still camera 31. The camera has been modified in the vicinity of focussing levers 90, 91. These levers are coupled to focussing knob 70 (in Figure 3). Lever 91 is fixed relative to pivotal point 92 which carries variable resistor VR2 Figure 9). When knob 70 is rotated lever 90 pivots about pivot point and the wiper position of VR2 is altered to provide a focus indicative signal for the circuit of Figure 9.

Figure 11 shows the rear of camera 31^* with the back 93 open to show detail of importance. A film supply spool 94 is located on one side of a frame defining surround comprising rails 95, 96 periphery 97 and display 98 leading towards the lens 99 from the surround is a frusto-pyramidal baffle consisting of bottom and top walls 100, 101 and opposed side walls 102, 103. In an unmodified camera the display would not be present and a periphery like 97 and wall 101 respectively would be present. By adopting a display in accordance with the invention as a substitute for a bottom wall of the surround comparatively little of the available frame is lost. The display 98 provides a code indicative of frame number, date, identity of the photographer or any other useful information. The code is presented reversed as shown and the frame identification number count is advanced by the computer each time a picture is taken and other information can be updated or altered as desired. The display is strobed to impress a latent code on each frame as it is exposed to produce a latent image. The computer of the system controls this and ensures that a corresponding code is stored along with each captured video image. This facilitated correlation of the video and still latent images. The unique way in which the display is implemented ensures that very little of each available frame is lost due to the presence of the code.

The display is illustrated in detail in Figures 6 and 7. The display includes intelligent display elements 110, 111 which comprise two Siemens intelligent 4 digit dot matrix alphanumeric LED displays Nos. 2416 and these LED displays are coupled from the still camera by ribbon cable and connectors and then interfaced with the computer 26 of the system via the housing for camera 30. The dot matrix characters of the devices 110, 111 are not small enough to be used to directly produce the latent image code for camera 31. For this reason these devices are coupled to a shell 112. Shell 112 has an upper surface which provides bottom wall 100 of the lens baffle in camera 31. A separate fibre optic cable 113 is arranged to couple light emitted by each LED of devices 110, 111 to a flat polished face 114 which then forms the face at which the display for producing the latent code for each image is established. Face 114 provide part of the frame defining periphery as previously mentioned. In this way face 114 can be kept narrow and does not consume too much of each available frame which would otherwise be the case if devices 110, 111 were employed to directly provide the latent code.

The modifications for the still camera, namely the introduction of resistor VR2 at the pivot point of lever 90 in Figure 11 and the introduction of display devices 110, 111 and shell 112 together with the necessary wiring and sockets do not in any way alter the optical characteristics of the camera 31 and still enable the camera 31 to be used quite independently of the system should this be required.

Claims

1. A photographic system for producing coded latent images of a subject and simultaneously producing correspondingly coded substantially identical images and storing said substantially identical images for subsequent display, instant display or printing, said system including a video camera, a still camera coupled to the video camera, a computer, said cameras being coupled thereto, said computer including video image capturing means and memory for storing images captured by the capturing means, automatic focusing and parallax correction circuit linking the still camera and the video camera whereby focusing of the still camera causes simultaneous focusing of the video camera and alignment of the video camera for parallax correction, a trigger circuit interfaced with the computer for operating the shutter of the still camera, said computer providing for timing and control of sequential operation of the video camera and the still camera, a display within the still camera for applying a unique code on each latent image produced by the still camera, the display being interfaced with the computer and controlled thereby and each video image captured by the capturing means being coded with said unique code corresponding to a respective latent image, and an image display coupled to the computer for displaying a selected captured video image or images.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said still camera has a focusing lever mounted for pivotal movement, a sensor responsive to pivotal movement of the lever for providing a signal indicative of the focus position of the still camera.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said video camera includes a focusing motor for focusing the lens of the video camera, a sensor responsive to rotation of the focusing motor for providing a signal indicative of the rotary position of the motor.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said sensors are variable resistors.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said focusing circuit includes focusing comparators for comparing the signals provided by the sensors and providing a correction signal for rotating the focusing motor until the sensor signals are equal.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said focusing circuit includes a focusing timer for receiving the signals from the comparators and said focusing timer providing a step generator for a motor driver coupled to the focusing motor.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein said video camera is mounted for pivotal movement and the system includes a parallax sensor responsive to the pivotal movement and providing a signal indicative of the pivotal movement of the video camera.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said parallax sensor is a variable resistor.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said focusing and parallax correction circuit includes parallax comparators for comparing signals provided by the sensor responsive to pivotal movement of the focusing lever and the parallax sensor and providing a correction signal for pivoting the video camera.

10. The system of claim 9 including a parallax correcting actuator responsive to the correction signal for pivoting the video camera.

11. The system of claim 10 including a parallax timer for receiving the correction signal from the comparator and providing a step generator for a parallax driver coupled to the parallax actuator.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said shutter trigger circuit includes a solenoid having a coil, the solenoid operating a shutter release cable coupled to a shutter release of the still camera, the trigger circuit further including two DC voltage converters coupled to reservoir capacitors, said capacitors being connected in series, a switching transistor in series with the coil, said transistor being responsive to a trigger signal to discharge the capacitors through the coil.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said display within the still camera includes two multi-digit dot matrix display elements coupled to a shell, the shell having fibre optic cables extending between each of the dots of the matrix displays to a face normally adjacent a film plane in the still camera.

14. The system of claim 1 including a flash circuit which derives a trigger signal from the still camera.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said flash circuit includes a modelling light supplied with DC power.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said flash circuit includes a xenon flash tube, a voltage doubling circuit including two reservoir capacitors coupled across the tube, a voltage tripling circuit coupled to a controllable switch, a step up transformer receiving an output from the switch, an output from the transformer being statically coupled to the tube.

17. The system of claim 16 including a one shot multi-vibrator for controlling the switch in response to a trigger signal and isolating supply of power from the doubling circuit.

18. The system of claim 17 including a current sensor for sensing the current flowing through the tube and operative to enable the one shot multi-vibrator to isolate the tube from a supply of power and to discharge the reservoir capacitors of the doubling circuit through the tube.

19. A display consisting of at least one multi- digit dot matrix intelligent LED display device coupled to a shell and having fibre optic cables coupled between each dot of each digit to face of the shell.

20. A trigger circuit for triggering a shutter of a still camera, the circuit including two DC/DC converters, storage capacitors associated with each said converter and connected in series, a solenoid having a coil and switching means for selectively connecting the coil to said capacitors to operate the solenoid and trigger the shutter of the camera.

21. A flash circuit including a flash tube including a voltage doubling circuit having two capacitors connected in series with electrodes of the tube, a voltage tripling circuit connected to a switching device, a transformer statically coupled to the tube and receiving the output of the switching device, control components for, in response to a trigger signal, disconnecting power to said doubling circuit and operating said switching device to cause a high voltage to be statically coupled to the tube.

22. The flash circuit of Claim 21 including a modelling light supplied with DC power.

23. The flash circuit of claim 21 wherein the control components include a one shot multi-vibrator and a relay coil for controlling contacts to disconnect power to the doubling circuit.

24. The flash circuit of claim 21 wherein the switching device is an SCR.

25. The flash circuit of claim 23 including a current sensor for sensing the current flowing through the tube and operative to enable the one shot multi¬ vibrator to isolate the tube from a supply of power and to discharge the capacitors.

26. A focus/parallax circuit for a still camera coupled to a video camera, including a focus sensor providing an output indicative of the focus position of the still camera, a parallax sensor providing a signal indicative of the alignment of the video camera relative to the subject photographed, a feedback sensor providing an output indicative of the focus position of the video camera, focus comparator for comparing the focus sensor output with the feedback sensor and providing a focus output, parallax comparator for comparing the focus sensor output and the parallax sensor output and providing a parallax correction output, a drive for adjusting the focus position of the video camera, a drive for adjusting the alignment of the video camera and drivers responsive to said focus output for operating the focus drive and to the parallax correction output for operating the alignment drive.

27. The circuit of claim 26 wherein said sensors are variable resistors.

28. The circuit of claim 26 including a focus timer operating as a step generator and receiving the focus output and controlling the focus driver.

29. The circuit of claim 26 including a parallax timer operating as a step generator and receiving the parallax correction output and controlling the parallax driver.