VM isn't CHEAP!

[PHOTO3DGUY@xxxxxxx]

Perhaps "VM is relatively inexpensive" would be closer to the mark.  I
personally love, and take almost exclusively,  full frame twin 35mm myself.
  I can buy a new "card" of three VM reels with 7 images per card.  (It is 7
isn't it?) Twenty one pictures for $4.50 to $4.95 new or around 25 cents per
image including tax etc.   Just try to make a full frame or even 7 perf or
 realist format for 26 centavos each.  With the cost of film, processing, and
mounts and do-it-yourself labor, put 21 of them in a package with printing,
titles, colorful marketing glitz and try to make a wholesale profit so the
retailer can make their profit, and you've got a finished product that can be
classified as definitely "high end".   
YET, tourists to America from other lands have in their favor a generous
monetary exchange rate that allows them to purchase in the US what seems
expensive to Americans, but is in the "trinket" or "curio" category to them.
There is still money to be made in niche markets; of course not a lot of
money....if a lot of money was at stake the mega-corporations and
mega-mergers would have patented, copyrighted, and bought up all rights to
every invention and idea that every 3-D hobbiest and enthusiasts ever have
had in the past, and might ever have in the future.  

I too favor keeping one list.  And while a free, open format to discuss any
relevant topic at any time is useful, if different days of the week could be
informally designated as special topic days, (as a trial) it might help serve
2 purposes: 
1) to inform, and educate those who want to see it all since they could do so
2) to allow those who prefer to zero in on particular topics participate on
"Sunday- collectors day", or "Monday-cameras day" or "Tuesday-projectors day"
or "Wednesday-slide mounting day" or something like that as an example.Maybe
the more frequently visited topics could be weekly, less visited bi-weekly,
with specials now to discuss rarely or unusual or new items, with a few 'free
for all' days. 

I also think we should VOLUNTARILY limit our messages to  'n'  lines or less.
 (where of course 'n' = some mutually agreeded upon number).  So I volunteer
to stop now.        


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End of PHOTO-3D Digest 1133
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