Re: Twin SLR questions

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

I replied to Stephen Kearney's questions with some facts and opinions but
my reply must have been lost down the tubes...  I'll try again out of
memory (2nd edition, in case the first one surfaces up):

>1.  Mounting the the chips in a European format mount (7-perf) and viewing
>in my Dr. T - modified Red Button. This would eliminate some of the higher
>resolution full-frame 35mm would offer.

Nothing to do with resolution.  It's a matter of image size only. 7-p
is smaller in the horizontal direction than full-frame.

>2. Viewing in a 2x2x2 viewer, and losing the precise alignment a stereo
>mount provides.

The mount provides maintenance-free alignment and convenience in carrying
both chips in one place.  Twin slides can be viewed precisely.  It's like
having a stereo print mounted in a card vs. carrying the prints free.

>#In the balance I'm not sure twin-SLR stereo has much over using a Realist,
>#except for hyper-stereo ability.

And also higher shutter speeds and choice of lenses.  In many cases these
factors make the difference between a great 3-d picture and a snapshot. 
But, there is also the issue of inconvenience, matching speeds, exposures,
focal lengths, plus the increased introcular which limits twin SLRs
considerably.

These are the facts.  Now opinions:  I like the convenience of carrying the
two pairs in one frame.  I like the square (5p) and wider (7p) formats
which I believe cover about everything.  With the exception of panoramic
landscapes, full-frame is almost too wide, IMO.  And I LOVE the quality of
the lenses in the Realist red-button viewer which cover the 7-p image
comfortably for my eyes and with great magnification, resolution and
clarity.  To answer Joel Alper's question, the viewer can be widened
further, to almost 8-p but at 7-p works best IMO.

A longer FL lens will cover more in the horizontal direction but will
sacrifice magnification for the 5-p and 7-p images.  I personally do not
mind at all the cropping of full-frame to 7-p (or 5-p from time to time). 
This gives some room to compose things better.  Also, it allows for single
SLR work and parallel (no tilt) camera translation.  In 1994 in Milwaukee,
Bob Brackett predicted the death (slow but sure) of the "Realist" format
(includes 7-p) in favor of twin slide work.  I am happy to see that
companies like FED and RBT are coming out with new products (cameras and
projectors) to support this format.  If the "Realist" format is going to
die, then for sure it is a slow, very slow, death... And I am very happy
for it.

-- George


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