Re: Wide angle lenses in 3-d

[michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx (Michael Kersenbrock)]

> I generally object to the misuse of wide-angle lenses in point-and-shoot 
> cameras.  Why is the goal to include everyone and everything in the 
> picture?  The result is cluttered pictures with a lot of distortion.  
> I mostly use my (wife's) P&S at the longer end.

In the case of family pictures, if one can have a relative you don't
like toward the edge and you cut'em off, I suppose the lack of wide angle
could be advantageous -- but often that's not a wise strategic move. :-)

In cases where one is photographing something *big* and one wants to 
show the whole thing, or enough so that one can at least tell what it is,
a wide angle is helpful (at least in 2D, I don't have a 3D wide angle
attachment, although I recently and gently held a Steinheil one being
sold by Dalia). 

Another example might be in a museum where they often have interesting 
"big things" but backup room is limited. Further, when I photograph
something large, I want to convey that sense of largeness that I get
when I'm there in person.  Backing up changes the perspective and reduces
sensation impact of being there.  Being close (where one actually sees the
thing) and using a wide angle more closely provides a result that
more closely approaches the impression I want to convey in my image.
Thus far, I don't have the flexibility in this regard with 3D photography,
and not having a steinheil (or other clone... which were so inexpensive in
the old magazines....:-) currently -- nor am I sure how well it fits
the system (ortho constraints... how about a viewer with optics for
variable ortho correction?).

This isn't a situation that is real common, so it ordinarily isn't
a problem, but it is something where a good solution is needed, even
if wide angle attachments isn't the answer.

Would taking a 3D "panorama" set of images, then doctoring/resizing them
together using a slide duplication rig into a single pair be any better
or would it be equivalent (disregarding the difficulties of doing it)?

Mike K.

P.S. - Maybe I could "strategically" mention that one of the "problems" with
       using my beamsplitter is the angle is too narrow sometimes, and as
       such, the Realist format camera *is* my wide-angle.  :-)

       Maybe the answer is to use twin'ed panoramic cameras.  Not cheap but
       could be interesting (especially building the viewer...).






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