Beyond "the almighty Realist"...

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Sam, you are making some interesting points in your posting...
Here is what I read:  First you admit that the Realist is a good 
deal for the money...

>There's no doubt to it's popularity, availability, quality optics, 
>and reasonable price. It's certainly the camera I strongly recommend 
>to anyone starting out in 3-d photography. But is it the best camera 
>and format for you?

Then you go on to discuss the following factors/limitations:

1. It is a used-camera so you have to worry about service.
2. Yes, it's cheap but why not spend more, like 2D photographers do?
3. You are limited to vertical format. How about 7-p?
4. You are limited to 35 mm.  How about Medium Format?

I don't think that anyone disagrees with what you are saying.  The way 
I see things, there are steps in life.  The first and most important 
step is to go from 2D to 3D.  This is a HUGE STEP.  The second step is 
to refine your 3D photography.

There are people in this list who have not taken the first step yet...  
You and I agree that the Realist (or equivalent) is a good choice for 
this first step.  Before we move to the second step, we have to 
acknowledge that, for many people, the Realist is all that is needed.  
To casually document your vacation and your family, to capture those 
memories in a snapshot fashion, the Realist is a fine choice.  

Those we want to move beyond the Realist, are faced with a couple 
of tough options.  Look what you did:  First you built your own 7-p 
camera.  Then, you bought a Belplasca.  For those without your skills, 
you recommend a FED or an RBT.  FED?  You mentioned having to worry 
about a 50 year old Realist needing service.  Is the FED as reliable 
as the Realist?  Realists are still working without service after 40 
years.  Will the same be true for a FED, 5 years from now?   Without 
any particular skills, people have opened and serviced Realists.  
Could they do the same for the FED?

RBT?  If you have the over $3000 required to get one of those babies, 
that's fine.  Go and get one.  It's all a matter of value for the money.  
Those that don't have the money, obviously, cannot get an RBT.

I would like to present another option that Sam does not mention:  Twin 
SLR cameras.  I claim that you can put together a twin SLR rig based on 
the very reliable and readily synchronized Minolta X-700 cameras, for 
under $400.  I figure $150 maximum for each body, $50 for a *pair* of 
45mm/f2 lenses and $50 for cords and a bar.  This rig will definitely 
move you one step ahead of the Realist and perhaps ahead of the RBT 
camera since you can do hyperstereo and many other tricks.  You will get 
full-frame stereo pairs which, extending Sam's thinking, beat 7-p out of 
the water.  And that for the price of one FED.

Now, before getting into twin SLRs, you should think single SLR first.  
Hypostereos, hyperstereos and lots of fun are open to single SLR 
cameras.  Most of us already have the tool (one SLR camera).  How many 
have put this tool to action?

Sam, I am glad that you are happy with your 7-p cameras and with your 
Realist on display.  Personally, I am happy with my Realist in action 
for 90% of my photography (which includes my most favorite part, 
pictures of my family, routine snapshooting, and record vacation 
shots).  For the other 10% I am perfectly happy with my collection of 3 
Minolta x-700 bodies, several pairs of lenses and related accessories.  
With my SLRs I have done everything from hypostereo (1x or higher) to 
hyperstereo with the cameras many feet apart.

In my opinion, most photographers (including myself) are limited by 
their imagination and not by the equipment that they use.  It's amazing 
what you can do with a Realist.  Jon Golden is using an RBT nowadays but 
will certainly agree with me since he has done most of his spectacular 
work with a Realist.  The Realist, supplemented with twin SLRs, has
made me a happy stereo photographer.

In conclusion, Sam brings options for those who want to move one step 
ahead of the Realist.  I add a few more.  Still there are many people 
who are perfectly happy with the Realist (or equivalent) and many 
people who have not yet taken the first step.  For this last group, I 
ask "what are you waiting for???"

George Themelis


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