DiscView (Transmission #2)

[PHOTO3DGUY@xxxxxxx]

This didn't get through the first time.   Trying again. 

Subj:	DiscView
Date:	02/03/96
To:	photo-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If I had the money and engineering talent (or just the money to buy the
engineering talent) I would consider proceeding  with an idea I've had down
on paper for some time;  yet it's hard to come up with an original idea
anymore these days.  Perhaps someone has already tried this:
 
Combine the talents of the Kodak Disc camera with the ViewMaster camera and
create a DiscView camera. 

Essentially this would be a camera into which a film disc could be loaded.
The disc would be larger than the Kodak Disc, and about the same size as the
ViewMaster reel, slightly smaller.  The camera would then utilize it's left
and right lenses to expose the film inside the disc. Once an entire disc was
exposed it would be turned in for processing (or maybe a Polaroid type home
development kit could be created) . The developed disc would then be
sandwiched between a cardboard or light plastic reel so that reel could be
used in either a standard ViewMaster reel, or perhaps in a new type viewer
(though I can't imagine what). This of course would eliminate the necessity
of mounting individual chips, and positioning and alignment would always be
on the mark.  

The camera design is somewhat like that of the viewer. TWO viewing holes so
the photographer could see what they are viewing, with an indentation for the
nose to protrude into the camera body.  (Like the optometrist eye exam
machine)
One of the features of the discs is that the images can be contained much
closer together than they are on the viewmaster reels.  Thus, more images can
be contained on a single disc. 

While it seems like a fun idea, I can't but help thinking that the cost of
market research, engineering, development, production, marketing,
distribution, etc. etc. would yield greater expenses than revenue.   The
basic concept might have more usefulness in the Digital world, where film is
not an issue; two lenses, two image diodes, and digital storage, seems more
interesting.  With this format you could now use one of the new virtual
viewers and see a very large image.  Or project separate polarized images
from the PC onto a screen with something like a Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer
software and ...bingo.  Or anaglyph them and view them on the PC, or print
them on a laser color printer.   Just kind of letting my imagination run away
with me.   Thanks for listening.


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