[MF3D.FORUM:227] Re: Welcome new MF3D'ers

[Greg Erker <erker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Is reasonably distortion free viewing of the entire MF frame possible?

  I'd say yet. The magnification requirements
for MF stereo are low enough that a large
diameter achromat will work. I have used two
different (surplus) achromats. The first were
36mm dia by 82mm FL ones from Edmund scientific.
They seem to work very well with basically no
noticable pincushion distortion (in my eyes).
The diameter is a bit small for viewing with
glasses (corners cut off) so I eventually
changed to 40x84mm achromats.

  With these I can easily see the whole image
even with my glasses on. They do have somewhat
higher pincushion distortion. But it doesn't
bother me.

  So some 30-some mm diameter by 80-some mm
FL achromats should get you started.

  I wonder if these Horizon loupes would work
okay. They are likely about 83mm FL:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271567483

  The seller always seems to have one up
for auction. So likely has a stock of them.
Might sell a person two if you were top
bidder.

  I have the non-6x6 Horizon 4x loupe and
it is pretty decent (paid $40 US from B&H).
Is just a nicely coated achromat but doesn't
cover 6x6. Covers a circle of about 50mm
dia as I recall.


>Mounting questions abound. Not so much the actual mounting, but
>availability and cost and practicality of the mounts themselves. I have
>MF Geppe mounts, but feel this would be prohibitively expensive for use
>on all views. Are there some kind of snapin or similiar mount available?

  Unless you plan to project with two 6x6
projectors you should strongly consider
using the MFstereo Spicer mounts that Paul/RMM
sells. Being able to set the stereo window
and use the various sizes for cropping is a big
plus IMO.

Greg E.