TDC Stereo Vivid

[P3D Gary Nored <gnored@xxxxxxx>]

Kaplan wrote about the TDC Stereo Vivid: 

>The only problem I encountered (and maybe someone on this list can help) 
>is that the viewfinder is horizontally vague, and it is near 
>impossible to accurately frame the subject.  

I would have to agree that the dim viewer, fuzzy on the edges, is the only 
serious
fault one could find with the TDC Vivid. But there is hope. Get yourself a pair
of _powerful_ reading glasses at your local drugstore. Look through the
tiny viewfinder through your new glasses and viola! The image becomes
much larger, you will be able to see the edges clearly, and focusing becomes
much easier. 

You may also find a pesky light leak on the right side of the camera at
particular angles of the sun. Keep the camera in a case, and that problem
pretty much disappears. 

In terms of human factors engineering, the TDC Vivid is superior to the Realist
in practically every regard. I find that I consistently get better pictures 
with 
the Vivid because it's so much easier to avoid mistakes. For example, It's 
hard to accidentally defocus the camera. The hyperfocal settings are clearly 
visible at all times, all the settings are marked with big letters and can be 
checked at a glance, both shutter and f-stops are well geared down so 
it is as easy to make a 1/3 stop change as a 1 stop one, and the clever 
exposure system on the top makes gross exposure errors detectable 
at a glance. 

Hope the reading glasses help. 

Gary Nored


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