Interchangeable miniature-film magazine

A camera, comprising a camera body;

• an objective coupled to a front portion of the camera body;
• and
• an interchangeable miniature film magazine replaceably attached to a back portion of the camera body, the interchangeable miniature film magazine including a magazine housing having a film gate disposed along a first wall of said magazine housing,
• a film cassette housing a film and having an outlet for said film, a receiver for receiving and positioned in said magazine housing, wherein said outlet of said film cassette is located behind said film gate,
• a winding drum arranged closely alongside said film cassette, for completely taking up unexposed film,
• a shutter for closing said film gate
• a guide roller located in said housing and disposed proximate to a first end of said film gate to prevent a buckling of said film along an image plane, said guide roller in direct film communication with said winding drum and defining a first film path arranged closely alongside said film cassette and extending from said guide roller, around an outer circumference of said film cassette, to said winding drum, and
• a sprocket located in said housing and disposed proximate to and immediately behind a second end of said film gate opposite said first end, said sprocket in direct film communication with an outlet of said film cassette and defining a second film path about 180 degrees around an outer diameter of said sprocket from said outlet to said second end of said film gate.

An interchangeable miniature-film magazine for replaceable attachment to a camera body and for holding a film cassette having a film outlet, comprising:

• a generally rectangular magazine housing having a film gate disposed along a first wall of said magazine housing and having a first region and a second region separated by an axis bisecting said film gate and said magazine housing, said film gate having a first end disposed in said first region and a second end disposed in said second region;
• a receiver disposed in said first region to receive the film cassette and to position the outlet of said film cassette behind said film gate and proximate to said bisecting axis;
• a winding drum disposed completely in said second region to take up unexposed film;
• a shutter channel, disposed along a perimeter region of said magazine housing;
• a shutter plate displaceable along said shutter channel;
• a sprocket located in said second region and disposed proximate to and immediately behind said second end of said film gate for receiving film from the outlet of the film cassette and changing the direction of the film about 180 degrees as the film passes across the film gate;
• and
• a guide roller located in said first region and positioned proximate to said first end of said film gate for guiding the film as it crosses the film gate and further guiding the film around the outer circumference of the film cassette between the winding drum and the film gate.