Camera that downloads electronic images having metadata identifying images previously excluded from first in-first out overwriting and method

A method for managing electronic images in a camera, said method comprising:

• sequentially storing said first plurality of electronic images in memory in said camera, said memory having a storage capacity commensurate with said first plurality of electronic images;
• sequentially capturing a second plurality of electronic images in said camera, following said storing;
• selectively assigning individual tags to one or more of said electronic images to define tagged images having said tags and untagged images lacking said tags;
• during said capturing of said second plurality of electronic images, sequentially replacing an oldest of said untagged images in said memory;
• retaining said tagged images in said memory during said replacing;
• and
• terminating one or more of said tags, said terminating redefining said tagged images as untagged images, said terminating being independent of said capturing;
• and
• downloading together said tagged electronic images and said untagged electronic images to provide a set of downloaded images external to said camera;
• and
• retaining said tags in said downloaded images corresponding to said tagged electronic images.

A hybrid electronic-film camera for use with photographic film units, said camera comprising:

• a body;
• an electronic capture unit disposed in said body, said electronic capture unit capturing a sequence of electronic images;
• memory disposed in said body in operative relation to said electronic capture unit, said memory storing said electronic images, said memory having a predetermined storage capacity;
• a tag selector disposed on said body, said tag selector selectively tagging selected ones of said electronic images in said memory with electronic tags to define said images having said tags as tagged images and said images lacking said tags as untagged images, said tag selector selectively detagging individual ones of said tags;
• and
• a memory manager operatively connected to said memory and said tag selector, said memory manager blocking replacement of said tagged images, said memory manager replacing said untagged images in said memory on a first-in-first-out basis when said sequence of electronic images exceeds said storage capacity;
• and
• a communications port operatively connected to said memory, said port being selectively useable to download together all of said tagged images and all of said untagged images in said memory.

A photography system comprising:

• a camera including:
• a body;
• an electronic capture unit disposed in said body, said electronic capture unit capturing a sequence of electronic images;
• memory disposed in said body in operative relation to said electronic capture unit, said memory storing said electronic images, said memory having a predetermined storage capacity;
• a tag selector disposed on said body, said tag selector selectively tagging selected ones of said electronic images in said memory with electronic tags to define said images having said tags as tagged images and said images lacking said tags as untagged images, said tag selector selectively detagging individual ones of said tags;
• and
• a memory manager operatively connected to said memory and said tag selector, said memory manager blocking replacement of said tagged images, said memory manager replacing said untagged images in said memory on a first-in-first-out basis when said sequence of electronic images exceeds said storage capacity;
• and
• a communications port operatively connected to said memory, said port being selectively useable to download together all of said tagged images and all of said untagged images in said memory;
• and
• an image manipulation device operatively connected to receive said download of said tagged and untagged images, said image manipulation device having a monitor displaying said images and an indication of said tags.