Compact camera

A compact camera including a housing carrying an image transmitting aperture having a light-axis center, said camera comprising:

• an auto focus mechanism positioned above the aperture;
• a film cartridge chamber and a film spool chamber disposed on opposite sides of the aperture;
• a strobe mechanism mounted above the film spool chamber, said auto focus mechanism positioned between the film cartridge chamber and the spool chamber, and having an upper surface at substantially the same height above the light axis center as an upper surface of the strobe mechanism;
• film winding and shutter charge gear means mounted above the film cartridge, and a film winding gear means mounted between the film spool chamber and the strobe mechanism;
• and
• transmission means extending between and interconnecting each of said gear means and positioned between the aperture and the auto focus mechanism for interlocking the rotation of said respective gear means, said transmission means comprising a first transmission gear meshing with and extending downwardly from the film winding and shutter charge gear means toward the light-axis center, a second transmission gear meshing with and extending downwardly from the film winding gear means toward the light-axis center, and interconnecting means for interconnecting the first and second transmission gears.