AUTOMATIC FOCUS AND INDIRECT ILLUMINATION CAMERA SYSTEM

An automatic focus and indirect illumination control system for focusing a camera imaging lens on a scene and for selectively illuminating the scene with light from a camera associated light source wherein the camera includes active and passive scene range finders for automatic focus control of the imaging lens, an active bounce surface range finder and direct and indirect illumination lamps operable in relation to the detection of a reflective surface. The active range finders are connected to a common drive circuit and auto ranging circuit and are operated selectively by the camera microcontroller in conjunction with a scene illumination photometric sensor. A passive multi-spot scene range finder is operated in conjunction with the active single-spot scene range finder for automatic focus control based on left, central and right subject distance information under normal scene illumination conditions and central subject distance information under low scene illumination, respectively.