Re: Owla results (p3d 1255)

[P3D David W. Kesner <drdave@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>Hi all,
>Yesterday I got my first roll of OWLA made pic's back. And they look fine
to me.
>I didn't do a comparative test but they seem fairly contrasty and sharp. BUT
>something strange happened when i started mounting them.
>They have an important black space between the immages. There seems nothing
>wrong with the advance system since there are no overlaps anywhere. Just
>appear to be slightly narrower then the 5 perf's taken with other camera's.
>Impossible to get the window right using "normal" masks with any object
>closer then  say 10 feet. In order to get it right I have to crop down and
>use narrower masks ("close-up").0.5 mm would be enough to get
>everything,further away then 7 ft, behind the window. This is not the case
>with my other camera's. The immage is wider and allows more "play". Objects
>up to 5 feet still can be put behind the window using "normal" masks .
>Anyone the same experience ?

Yes, I have the same "problem". I have only used an Owla so I didn't realize
that this might be a problem specific to this camera. I was wondering if all
stereo cameras gave such a small space between frames. Not only does it make
mounting a problem but if you use standard aluminum masks (either alone or
in fold overs) you get light leaks from the edge of the film chip being so
close to the opening. I have ended up mounting ALL my Owla slides in the 4
perf mounts to over come these problems. I actually like the frame size (I
know they would never be looked on favorably for projection - but they are
great in a viewer).

I shot a few test rolls of B&W to check focus, DOF, framing, etc. I now know
the boundaries of the half-frame mount in correlation to the view finder. I
simply shoot my shots with this in mind, getting closer or farther away to
get what I want in the photo. You could even go to the effort of cropping
down the view finder or using a fine line pen to out line the useful area.

>Unfortunatly there are no ALBION "close up"
>masks and 4 perf crop away a lot. Emde still has them. I'll probably have to
>get some of those.

I have been trying everywhere to get close up aluminum masks with no luck.
Does anyone know if Albion ever made a close up mask and just stopped
production? Is someone sitting on a stockpile of old Realist close up masks?
Would you like to sell them to me? I know you can get close up cardboard
fold over mounts from several places, but they just aren't aluminum masks.

By the way, I just received a bright, shiny, new (to me anyway) Realist 3.5
from Dr. T. Good price, great condition, fast, friendly service. I can now
compare film chips and see how "different" the Owla is.


David W. Kesner (no I'm not a doctor - just a nickname)
Boise, Idaho, USA
drdave@xxxxxxxxxx


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