JPH0549095B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a photographic printing apparatus capable of checking a developer. [Prior Art] Conventionally, a separate film density measuring device has been used to check the developing solution in a film developing machine, resulting in high costs. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a photographic printing apparatus which is capable of not only printing photographs but also checking the developing solution of a film developing machine. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a density measuring means for measuring the density of the set film, a photographic printing mode and a developer suitability determination mode. a mode setting device for setting either one of the above, and a printing process based on the density of the film measured by the density measuring means when the photo printing mode is set by the mode setting device; When the developer suitability determination mode is set by the mode setting device, the film is developed in advance in a film developing machine and, depending on the type of film developing machine, unnecessary parts are shielded from light by a mask and set. The density of the non-light-shielded portion of the sample control strip is measured by a concentration measuring means, and the same portion as the sample control strip is light-shielded by a mask to determine the density of the non-light-shielded reflection control strip. control means for causing the density measurement means to measure the density of the portion; density storage means for storing the densities of the reflection control strip and sample control strip measured by the density measurement means; and the density storage means. The apparatus further comprises developer suitability determining means for comparing the density of the reference control strip and the sample control strip stored in the means to determine the suitability of the developer for the film developing machine. [Function] In the present invention, the printing process is performed based on the density of the film measured when the photo printing mode is set by the mode setting device, and when the developer suitability determination mode is set. The density is measured assuming that the control strips are set, and the density of each measured control strip is stored in the density storage means to determine whether or not the developer in the film developing machine is appropriate. In this way, since the density of each control strip is measured using the density measuring means of the photoprinting device, there is no need to provide a new density measuring means in the film developing machine or use a separate density measuring device. , the structure of the film developing machine can be simplified. In addition, by setting the developer suitability mode using the mode setting device and setting the sample control strips and reflex control strips developed in the film developing machine in the photoprinting device, the density of each control strip can be measured. Since the developer suitability determination process consisting of determining the suitability of the developer in the film developing machine is performed, the printing process and the developer suitability determination process in the photographic printing apparatus can be performed smoothly without any confusion. Also, when measuring the density of control strips in a photoprinter, the type of film processor that developed the sample control strips is not always the same, so it is important to measure the density of the set control strips. The position of the target part is also not always constant. However, in the present invention, depending on the type of film developing machine, a control strip is set in which unnecessary parts are shielded from light by a mask, and the density of the non-light-shielded part is measured. Regardless of the type of developing machine, the density of the area on the control strip where the density should be measured can be automatically measured. Therefore, the process for determining the suitability of the developer for the film developing machine in the photographic printing apparatus can be automatically performed regardless of the type of film developing machine that developed the sample control strips. [Embodiment] An embodiment of the photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the main structure of a photographic printing apparatus, in which an image of a color negative film 14 placed between a lamp 10 and a lens 12 is formed on a roll of photographic paper 16 and exposed. ing. The lamp 10 is provided inside the concave mirror 17, and the light from the lamp 10 is radiated upward. Lamp 10 and color negative film 14
A color correction filter 18 and a mixer 20 are disposed in the exposure path between the lamp 10 and the light from the lamp 10. The light that passes through the color negative film 14 and the light that does not pass are mixed and transmitted through the color negative film 14. Further, a shutter 22 is disposed between the lens 12 and the roll of photographic paper 16, making it possible to expose each component color only at an appropriate time. A light receiver 24 is disposed around the lens 12 so as to face the surface of the color negative film 14 in the exposure path, and is capable of measuring the amount of transmitted light of each component color of cyan, magenta and yellow. The received light amount signal from the light receiver 24 is logarithmically converted and amplified by a logarithmic amplifier circuit 30, that is, converted into a density value, and after being converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter 32, it is supplied to a microcomputer 34. It's getting old. The microcomputer 34 receives signals from a mode changeover switch 36 for selecting a photo printing mode and a developer check mode, and a step key 38 for proceeding to the next processing step. Further, the microcomputer 34 is adapted to display the measurement results on a fluorescent display 40. Further, in this photographic printing apparatus, the density of a developer check film 42 shown in FIG. 2 is measured to check the developer in the film developing machine. This developer check film 42 is composed of a control strip 44 and a control strip mask 46, and as shown in FIG. It's starting to be measured. That is,
The control strip 44 shows nine levels of film density. This concentration increases successively from the left side to the right side. The lowest concentration area 50 is only a fence. lowest concentration part (ST) 50,
Low density part (LD) 52 and high density part (HD) 5
Control strips mask 46 corresponding to 4
Transparent parts 58, 60 and 62 are formed in the black part 56. This control strip mask 46 is made of lithium film. The black area 56 is for measuring the density of only the lowest density area 50, the low density area 52, or the high density area 54, and for blocking light so that the density of the surrounding area is not measured. The control strip 44 measures all nine levels of density, and is used to check the developer in a high-end developing machine. Only the three-level density portion of the high density portion 54 is used. Therefore, by using the control strips mask 46 in combination with the control strips 44, there is an effect that the control strips 44 can be used in common regardless of the type of developing machine. The developer check checks the control strips (reference control strips) developed with the appropriate developer supplied by the manufacturer, and the control strips (sample control strips) developed with the developer of the film developing machine. This is done based on the difference in density by comparing the densities of . FIG. 8 shows the measured value of the density difference between the specific reference control strip and the sample control strip. In this graph, the ○ mark indicates the measured value of C, the ● mark indicates the measured value of M, and the x mark indicates the measured value of Y. The vertical axis shows the gain value which is the output from the logarithmic amplifier circuit 32 shown in FIG. 1, and the horizontal axis shows the temperature. FIG. 8A shows the difference between the sample control strip and the reflex control strip for LD, and the appropriate value range is a gain value of -157.5 to +157.5. 8th
Figure B shows the density difference between the sample control strip and the reflex control strip with respect to the difference between HD and LD, and the appropriate value range is -140 to +140. Figure 8C
indicates the concentration difference between the sample control strip and the reflex control strip for ST, and the appropriate value range is −87.5
~+87.5. In this embodiment, the concentration of the developer is maintained at a certain temperature, for example, 36° C., and the developer is checked. Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained with reference to the control flowcharts shown in FIGS. 4 to 7. At step 100, the mode changeover switch 36
It is determined whether the mode is the photo printing mode or the developer check mode, and if the mode is the photo printing mode, the same processing as a normal photo printing apparatus is performed. If the developer is in the developer check mode, the value of the density measurement step n is set to 1. The values of this density measurement step n are as shown in Table 1 for the reflex control strip, and as shown in Table 2 for the sample control strip.

【table】

[Table] In other words, the respective densities of the lowest density part (ST) 50, low density part (LD) 52, and high density part (HD) 54 of the reflex control strip and sample control strip are determined according to this step. It's starting to be measured. When the step key 38 is turned on, the process moves to the next concentration measurement step. If the step key 38 is not turned on (step 104), the measurement target is displayed on the fluorescent display 40 (step 104).
106). That is, it will be displayed as REF or SMP depending on whether the measurement target is a reference control strip or a sample control strip, and
Displays the distinction between ST, LT, and HD. The operator sequentially measures the concentration of the control strips 44 in accordance with the indication of the object to be measured displayed on the fluorescent display 40. When the step key 38 is turned on, the cyan, magenta, and yellow film densities DC, DM, and DY are read from the A/D converter 32 (step 108). Then DC, DM,
The value of DY is expressed as variable M(3n-2) and M(3n-
1) and stored in M(3n) (step 110).
Next, update the data displayed in step 106,
and increment the value of n (step
112). By repeating the above measurement process six times, all concentration measurements are completed (step 114). Next, the density measurements of the reflex control strip and the sample control strip are compared to determine the suitability of the developer. That is, the value of k is initialized to 1 in step 116, and the input values X, Y, and A of the suitability determination routine shown in FIG. 7 are set (step 118). Next, this suitability determination routine will be explained. In step 200, the value of the difference between X and Y is set as the value of Z, and if the value of Z is negative (step
202), and determines whether the value of Z is less than or equal to -A (step 204). If the value of Z is less than or equal to -A, the value of S is set to 1 (step 206); otherwise, the value of S is set to 2 (step 208). If the value of Z is positive or 0 in step 202, it is determined whether the value of Z is greater than or equal to the value of A (step 210). If the value of Z is less than the value of A, the value of S is set to 3 (step 212); otherwise, the value of S is set to 4 (step 214). In this way, the value of S is set to a value of 1 to 4 depending on the value of the difference between X and Y. The value of S is as shown in Figure 8, S=
4 corresponds to +nG, S=3 corresponds to +Ok, S
=2 corresponds to -Ok, and S=1 corresponds to -nG. In step 118, if k=1, the ST densities of the sample control strip and the reflex control strip for cyan are compared to determine the suitability of the developer. The reference value A for determining the suitability of the developer is 87.5 as shown in FIG. The input value set in step 118 is passed to the suitability determination routine shown in FIG. 7 to determine the suitability of the developer (step 120), and the value of S, which is the output value of the suitability determination routine, is set to J(k). Memorize (step 122). Next, the value of k is incremented (step 124), and the above steps 118~
The process up to step 124 is repeated three times (step 126).
As a result, the density differences between the lowest density portions 50 of the sample control strip and the reflex control strip for cyan, magenta, and yellow are compared to determine whether or not the developer is appropriate. Next, the above step 118 is performed for the low concentration portion 52.
Perform the same processing as steps 128 to 126 (steps 128 to 126).
136). The value of the reference value A in this case is 157.5 (step 128). Next, the above steps 118 to 126 are performed regarding the density difference between the high density portion 54 and the low density portion 52.
The same processing as above is performed (steps 138 to 146). The reference value A in this case is 140 (step 138).
In this way, the developer checks corresponding to FIGS. 8A to 8C are performed. Next, the determination results are displayed as shown in FIG. That is, in step 148 the display step k
The value of is initialized to 1 (step 148). This k
The value is sequentially incremented each time the step key 38 is turned on, and the result of determining whether the developer is appropriate or not is displayed in accordance with the value of k shown in Table 3 below.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the photo printing apparatus according to the present invention, when the photo printing mode is set by the mode setting device, the printing process is performed based on the density of the film measured by the density measuring means, and the mode setting device Therefore, when the developer suitability determination mode is set, the sample control strip, which has been developed in advance in a film developing machine and is set with unnecessary parts shielded from light by a mask depending on the type of film developing machine, is displayed in an unshielded state. The density of the reflection control strip is measured by the density measuring means, and the density of the unshielded part of the reflection control strip, which is the same part as the sample control strip, is shielded from light by a mask and is set is recorded by the density measuring means. The measured concentrations of the reflex control strip and the sample control strip are then stored in the concentration storage means, and the stored concentrations of the reflex control strip and the sample control strip are compared. Since the suitability of the developing solution for the film developing machine is determined, the structure of the film developing machine can be simplified. In addition, the printing process and developer suitability determination process in the photographic printing apparatus can be performed smoothly without any confusion, and the developer suitability determination process can be performed in accordance with the type of film developing machine that developed the sample control strips. It can be done automatically regardless.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of main parts showing an embodiment of a photoprinting apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a control strip and a control strip mask, and FIG. 3 is a top view of the control strip shown in FIG. Figures 4 to 7 are control flowcharts using the microcomputer shown in Figure 1. Figure 8 shows the sample control strip and reflex control strip for temperature. A shows the gain value which is the output value from the logarithmic amplification circuit 30 of the difference between the sample control strip and the reflection control strip in the low density area, and B shows the density difference between the sample control strip in the low density area and the reflection control strip in the high density area. C is the density difference between the sample control strip and the reflex control strip in terms of the difference between the lowest density and the difference between the sample control strip and the reflex control strip. It is a graph. 14... Color negative film, 24... Light receiver, 40... Fluorescent display, 42... Developer check film, 44... Control strip,
46...Control strips mask, 50...
...Lowest density part, 52...Low density part, 54...High density part, 56...Black part, 58...Transparent part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A density measuring means for measuring the density of a set film; a mode setting device for setting either a photographic printing mode or a developer suitability determination mode; When the photographic printing mode is set, the printing process is performed based on the density of the film measured by the density measuring means, and the developer suitability determination mode is set by the mode setting device. Then, the density of the non-light-shielded portion of the sample control strip, which has been developed in advance in a film developing machine and set with unnecessary parts shielded from light by a mask depending on the type of film developing machine, is measured by a density measuring means. With,
control means for causing the concentration measuring means to measure the concentration of the unshielded portion of the reflection control strip, which is set so that the same portion as the sample control strip is shielded from light by a mask; a concentration storage means for storing the concentrations of the reflection control strips and the sample control strips measured by the method; and comparing the concentration of the reflection control strips and the concentration of the sample control strips stored in the concentration storage means. A photographic printing apparatus comprising: developer suitability determination means for determining suitability of a developer for the film developing machine.