Re: PHOTO-3D digest 12: Leitz Stereo Questions

[hticheno@xxxxxxxxx (harold lee tichenor)]

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Ray Hannistan wrote:
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>I recently found a 'Leitz 3.5cm Stereo Brite Line fdr' for sale.  This is a
>camera which I have never heard mentioned.
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>Does anyone know anything about it?  I am particularly curious as to
>whether the lenses are coated, which is probably directly associated with
>the year in which it was made.
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>I would appreciate any available information.
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>Thank you.
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>Ray Hannisian
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>RAY 3D
>Stereoscopic Imaging
>http://www.ray3d.com
>
>ray@xxxxxxxxx

I am new to this group and have been involved in 3d photography for the past
couple of years.  I use a Leica M3 with the 33mm Stemar built by Leitz in
Canada in the mid 50's. I would guess the briteline finder you located is
actually a 3.3cm stereo finder.  I believe Leitz did build a 35mm stereo
lens at one time as a prototype; if you're lucky the finder might be for
that prototype and would probably be of interest to the collectors.  Leitz
also built a 90mm stereo prototype, I think.

To be honest I'm not sure whether my 33mm Stemar is coated; I think they
were coating all lenses by 1954, but a Leitz collector would be able to more
accurately answer your questions.  I think there is a Leitz collectors'
newgroup.

I do know that the lens I use is extraodinarily sharp.  It is a twin lens
system so the images are flipped left for right on the finished slide and
you need the Leitz viewer (OHTEO) which using prisms feeds the left hand
side of the slide (the right image) to the right eye and visa versa.If you
make prints from this format to use in the old fashioned viewers you need to
cut and paste the images left for right.  Is all this sufficiently confusing.

I've seen no other mention of this format in the group in the last dozen
newsletters. I suspect that since these optics now cost about US$10,000 in
mint condition the number of potential users is extremely limited by
practical circumstances.  It would be wonderful if Leitz could be convinced
to produce a new run of these lenses, although considering the price of
current new Leitz lens I bet they'd be asking at least US$1500 for them;
still quite prohibitive.

I'd love to be able to participate in the upcoming expo but, since this
format is best when viewing the slide directly in a Leitz viewer or
projected using the twin lens Leitz projector, it doesn't seem practical at
the moment.  Even the viewers are so expensive, thanks to the international
Leitz collectors, that I would be reluctant to commit my viewer for any
length of time.

I'd love to hear from others using this format if any.

Regards
Harold Tichenor
htichheno@xxxxxxxxx   
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