JPH0830856B2 - Original image for setting photo processing conditions - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an original image for setting photographic processing conditions, and more particularly, to optimally set the exposure conditions of a printer processor that performs print development processing, color negative film or color paper. The present invention relates to an original image for setting photographic processing conditions used for optimally setting the developing processing conditions of a processor for developing the image.

[Conventional technology]

In order for the printer processor to always achieve good color print quality, it is necessary to perform the developing process correctly and to set the exposure conditions of the printer section accurately in the device. For this reason, the standard exposure conditions are set when the printer processor is installed.However, when using color paper with different emulsion numbers, when changing the printer lamp, when changing the developing solution, or when the season changes etc. When the contents of (1) change from those with many colors to those with little colors or vice versa, it is necessary to correct and set the exposure conditions again. To correct the exposure conditions, we used a standard negative film, a so-called eyeball negative, which has a portion corresponding to the negative photographed from the yellow-green subject around the portion corresponding to the negative photographed from the gray subject. And the density of the test print that was printed and developed from
The density is corrected by comparing it with the density of a reference print that has been standardized by printing in advance. The principle of this correction will be described with the exposure arithmetic expression that is the simplest. This exposure calculation formula is as shown in the following formula (1). However, C,
M and Y represent the three primary colors in the subtractive color method.

Here, D _c , D _M , D _Y … Measured value of negative density (LATD) to be printed I _c , I _M , I _Y … Color key step number (0 when no correction) I _D … Density key step number (0 without correction) K _c , K _M , K _Y … Color key step value K _D … Density key step value B _PC , B _PM , B _PY … Paper balance value (reference value is 0) Paper channel internal constant D _co , D _MO , D _YO ... Exposure control density value, for example, red (R) exposure amount E _R is determined by the following equation. Here, E _N is the exposure amount of the reference negative (normal) of the negative type and is a constant. The exposure amounts of green (G) and blue (B) are similarly determined by D _MO and D _YO .

Now, when the minute density value change and γ value of cyan of color paper are ΔD _PC and γ _c , ΔD _PC = γ _c · Δlog (E _R ) ... (3) Then, from (2) and (3), the following ( Equation 4) is obtained.

ΔD _PC = γ _c · ΔD _co · log (E _N ) ... (4) As a result, ΔD _co can be obtained by inverse calculation. Now, assuming that the difference between the density value of the standard negative normal test print and the density value of the reference print is ΔD _PC , ΔD _PM , and ΔD _PY , for example, when ΔD _PC is desired to be zero, If the calculated result D _co becomes D _co ′ = D _co −ΔD _co (5), the difference ΔD _PC is canceled and the difference becomes zero. Which constant is changed to do this depends on what concentration of the negative is the reference negative.

Similar to the equation (5), D _MO ′ = D _MO −ΔD _MO (6) D _YO ′ = D _YO −ΔD _YO (7) is obtained, and the conditions are set as follows.

Storing If the measured normal negative density D _c of the normal negative, D _M, the D _Y D _NC of channel of the negative type, D _NM, the D _NY.

A print of the normal negative is made, and the difference between the density value of the normal negative print and the density value of the reference print is used in the above (5)
(6) The corrected values ΔD _co , ΔD _MO , and ΔD _YO are obtained from the equations (7), and these are the B _NC , B _NM , and B _{NY of the} negative type channel.
To be stored.

In the case of over negative (to be performed after the above), make a print of the over negative, and use (5) above from the difference between the density value and the density value of the reference print.
(6) D _co ′, D _MO ′, D _YO ′ are obtained by (7), and the overslope value C _co such that the calculation result D _co , D _MO , D _{YO of} the above equation (1) becomes these values. , C _MO , C _YO are calculated backward and stored in C _co , C _MO , C _YO of the negative type channel.

Under the case of a negative (performed after) as well as C _CU, C _MU, channel C _CU of the negative type seeking C _YU, C _MU, stored in the C _YU. In the above, in the past, the density value was conventionally measured manually and the negative type channel was manually specified. The following table shows the negative internal constants.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional exposure condition setting method using the eyeball negative, the reference print and the test print are manually set on the densitometer, and the negative type channel is manually specified. , There are many parts that are manually set, and it is not possible to set the exposure conditions efficiently.
There was a problem. In order to set this exposure condition efficiently, the reference print and test print set, density measurement, calculation, etc. should be performed automatically, but the measurement position on the print is automatically determined. Therefore, it is difficult to fully automate it because it is impossible to distinguish between under, normal and over negative, the film maker cannot distinguish, and the negative sensitivity cannot be distinguished.

In addition, in order to confirm the performance of the development processing of the processor, the film or color paper is exposed in advance in a certain step, and when setting the development processing conditions using a so-called control slip, there are many manual settings and the same as above. I have a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the processing conditions of a photographic processing device such as a processor or a printer processor that automatically processes a photograph, that is, the exposure conditions and the development processing conditions are set automatically. It is intended to provide an original image for setting photographic processing conditions that can be performed.

[Means for solving the problem]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a density area exposed to a predetermined density for optimally setting the processing conditions of a photographic processing device, and a specific area exposed around a specific position around the density area. The image of the pattern is provided.

The image may represent at least one of the type of negative film, the manufacturer of the negative film, and the sensitivity of the negative film, and may be composed of a bar code exposed so as to surround the density region.

[Action]

The photographic processing condition setting original image of the present invention includes a density region exposed to a predetermined density in order to optimally set the processing condition of the photographic processing device, and at a specific position around this density region, The image of the specific pattern is exposed.
Therefore, by detecting the image of the specific pattern, the existence of the density area can be confirmed, whereby the measurement timing of the density area can be determined and the measurement position on the print can be automatically determined. In addition, if this image is composed of a bar code and the type of negative film, the manufacturer of the negative film, the sensitivity of the negative film, etc. are displayed in a code, it is possible to distinguish between underneath, standard negative, over negative, and film maker. The negative sensitivity can be automatically discriminated, and thus the processing conditions can be set fully automatically.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the image of the specific pattern is exposed at the specific position around the density area for setting the processing conditions of the photographic processing apparatus such as the processor and the printer processor. By using the image of the specific pattern, it is possible to automatically set the processing conditions of the photographic processing device.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a reference color negative film for setting the exposure condition of the printer processor.

First, the reference color negative film 46 will be described with reference to FIG. The reference color negative film 46 is formed by exposing the under-exposure color negative 34, the over-exposure color negative 36 and the standard color negative 38 under predetermined conditions and developing them. The standard color negative 38 will be described. The standard color negative 38 is provided with a gray portion 40N corresponding to a negative for photographing a gray subject and a yellow-green portion 42N corresponding to a negative for photographing a yellow-green subject.
A bar code 44N is provided on the boundary between and.

As shown in FIG. 2, the barcode 44N is provided so as to surround the gray portion 40N, and the orthogonal portions C2 and C4 orthogonal to the transport direction A, and the orthogonal portion C1 orthogonal to the transport direction B,
An oblique intersection C that intersects C3 and the transport directions A and B at an angle.
5 and C6, and the orthogonal portions C1 to C4 and the oblique portions C5 and C6 are recorded so as to be continuous. On the bar code 44, the type of the negative film, the name of the manufacturer of the negative film, and the sensitivity of the negative film are represented by a code. The under-exposure color negative 34 and the over-exposure color negative 36 have the same structure as the standard color negative 38 except that the density is different. Therefore, U and O are attached to the portions corresponding to the standard color negative 38, and the description thereof will be omitted. Further, a super overexposure color negative may be prepared.

In general, an underexposure negative has a low contrast, which may make it difficult to read a barcode. In order to solve this problem, in addition to underexposure, only the bar code part is double-exposed with strong light, or the part corresponding to the bar code is made into a clear black and white pattern and the brightness of the original image pattern itself does not exceed. Even if the LATD of the whole negative is under, it is possible to make the contrast of the bar code part by making it negative so that the exposure amount at the time of shooting is the same and making it negative so that the underside is white and dark. It is preferable to make it large.

Next, a printer processor having a function of automatically setting exposure conditions by using the reference color negative film 46 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The printer processor includes a light source unit 10 having C, M, and Y filters and a paper magazine unit 12 containing color paper. Further, a photometer 16 for measuring the LATD of the color negative film is arranged, and the photometer 16 automatically sets the exposure condition and also C, M, Y of the light source unit 10.
Control circuit for controlling the filter to control the exposure conditions
Connected to 50. An image of the negative film is printed on the color paper drawn from the paper magazine unit 12 in the exposure unit 14, and is supplied to the color developing unit 20 of the processor unit via the reservoir unit 18. The color paper developed in the color developing unit 20 is fixed in the bleach-fixing unit 22 and then washed in the rinse unit 24 to form a color print. The color print washed with water is subjected to a drying process in a drying unit 26 and then cut in image units in a cutter unit 28. This Katsu part 28
The control circuit so as to sandwich the color print being conveyed.
A densitometer 30 and a reference print 32 connected to 50 are arranged.

Next, a routine for automatically setting the exposure condition will be described with reference to FIG. When the switch for setting the exposure condition is turned on, this routine is started, and the lamp of the densitometer 30 is turned on at step 100. The densitometer 30 can measure the density several tens of seconds after the lamp is turned on, the density of the reference print 32 is measured in step 102, and the density value is stored. Then, in step 104, the underexposure color negative 34, the overexposure color negative 36 and the standard color negative 38 shown in FIG. 1 are printed and developed to produce a test print. Here, in adjustment of printer processor condition changes, color balance adjustment after print lamp replacement, color balance adjustment after developer replacement, season change adjustment of negative subject color balance, emulsion number balance adjustment of color paper, etc. A standard color negative 38 is used. Further, the under-exposure color negative 34 is used for adjusting the under-negative balance of the currently used channel, and the over-exposure color negative 36 is used for adjusting the curl spring negative balance of the currently used channel.

Next, in step 106, it is judged whether or not the bar code of the test print is detected by the densitometer 30, and when the bar code is detected, the timer is started in step 108, and the bar code detection is ended in step 110. Judge whether or not. When the barcode detection is completed, it is determined in step 112 whether the barcode width is a predetermined width. Here, when the test print is conveyed by the densitometer 30 so as to measure the portion in the conveyance direction A shown in FIG. 2, the bar code and the photometric locus are orthogonal to each other, so that the bar code has a predetermined width. However, when the test print is conveyed by the densitometer so as to measure the portion in the conveying direction C, the oblique portion C6 of the barcode and the photometric locus intersect obliquely, so the width of the barcode is predetermined. It will exceed the width. Therefore, the densitometer 30
It is possible to determine whether the test print was conveyed to the densitometer 30 in the proper state by determining the width of the barcode detected by the alarm. If the conveyance is inappropriate, an alarm is issued at step 120. After ringing, a message to re-measure is displayed in step 122. As a result, the operator manually resets the test print and measures the density with the densitometer 30. On the other hand, when the width of the detected barcode is a predetermined width and the color print is conveyed in the proper state with respect to the densitometer 30, the gray portion 40 is detected from the time when the barcode is detected based on the count value of the timer in step 114. It is determined whether or not the time corresponding to the time when the center of the sheet is conveyed to just below the densitometer 30 has elapsed, and if the determination is affirmative, the signal output from the densitometer 30 is fetched in step 116 to perform the test print. Measure the concentration. Thereby, the density of the substantially central portion of the gray portion 40 can be measured. Then, in step 118, the correction value of the exposure condition is calculated according to the equations (5), (6) and (7) described above and stored in the determined channel.

In this embodiment, since the density area is surrounded by the bar code, the automatic density measurement can be performed without being affected by the print magnification, and the automatic density measurement can be performed for both vertical and horizontal baking. In addition, the repetition accuracy is improved by taking in the central portion of the barcode as the density value data.

Although the reference color negative film for setting the exposure condition of the printer processor has been described above, in the case of automatically setting the development processing condition of the processor, the film or the color paper may be exposed in a predetermined stepwise manner. An original image with the same barcode as above is used around it. Further, in the above, the example in which the bar code is attached to the periphery of the image measurement area has been described, but when controlling only the measurement timing, the bar code need not be a bar code and may be one bar. Further, the oblique portions C5 and C6 can be omitted if necessary. Note that, in the above, an example in which the bar code is read and the density is measured by the densitometer has been described, but the bar code is read and the density is measured by using the sensor in which the bar code reader and the densitometer are integrated. May be.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a reference color negative film of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a printer processor having an exposure condition automatic setting function, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a standard exposure color negative, and FIG. The figure is a flow chart showing an exposure condition automatic setting routine. 40 …… Gray part, 42 …… Yellow-green part, 44 …… Bar code, 46
…… Standard color negative film.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A density area exposed to a predetermined density for optimally setting processing conditions of a photographic processing apparatus, and an image of a specific pattern exposed at a specific position around the density area. Original picture for setting photo processing conditions. 2. The image is a bar code exposed at least one of the type of negative film, the manufacturer of the negative film and the sensitivity of the negative film and exposed so as to surround the density area. ) Original picture for setting photographic processing conditions described.