Sunset/Realist lens

[lasmart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

          Re Sunset Labs:

          They indeed are about the only commercial lab that I see
          even MENTIONING stereo services in the mainsteream photo
          mags. As I've posted before, I've only used them for their
          very inexpensive stereo slide duping service, and to that, I
          said, "You get what you pay for."

          Re Realist Lens:

          My good stereo buddy, Jim Hollis, neatly outlined the
          optical angst all stereophiles wring themselve through upon
          submitting to stereoaddiction. Soon after NSA '92, I was
          desperate to find a Custom Realist, or to find out which
          camera's lens was the best (and less costly and most
          available).  I ran up quite a few phone bills talking to the
          likes of Jim, Zak and Charles Piper. And now, for the first
          time, I present to the * THE ANSWER * to this ageless
          question:

               It depends.

          Yep. Some German/2.8/Custom lens are not as up to snuff as
          some 3.5s. Zak has an "optical bench" from the Realist
          factory that measured the lenses' accuity - but there was a
          broader range of tolerances at that time. Piper says the
          early Ilex lens stank, but Zak said during the early
          manufacturing, many of those lens were QCed and returned, so
          many of the early lenses had higher ratings.  Remember, the
          Realist's inventor, Seton Rochwite, LEFT Realist shortly
          after over disagreements about quality!  Anyway, Zak said
          that a future Stereo World article (as a follow-up to their
          vauted Custom article of '92) will give the history of all
          the Realist lens used (but he told me that in '92 - where's
          the article?!)

          Wide Lattitude Smart


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