Automatic exposure cameras with improved aperture stop signal

An automatic exposure camera having an aperture and a continuous shooting capability, comprising:

• a drive unit to drive the aperture;
• an aperture value unit to determine an aperture setting for the aperture;
• a signal pulse generator generating signal pulses in accordance with the motion of the aperture;
• a measuring unit counting the signal pulses generated by the signal pulse generator for a specified period of time;
• a storage unit storing the signal pulses generated by the signal pulse generator;
• and
• a controller, which during continuous shooting, controls an initial aperture operation based on the signal pulses generated by the signal pulse generator and the aperture setting, and controls subsequent aperture operations based on the signal pulses stored by the storage unit.

A method for controlling aperture operations in an automatic exposure camera having a continuous shooting mode of operation, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating signal pulses in accordance with the operation of an aperture of the camera;
• counting the signal pulses generated during the generating step for a specified period of time;
• storing the generated signal pulses;
• and
• during continuous shooting operations of the camera, controlling an initial picture taking operation in accordance with the generation of signal pulses according to the aperture operation, and controlling subsequent picture taking operations in accordance with signal pulses generated according to the aperture operation within the specified period of time during the initial picture taking operation and which have been stored during the storing step.