Re: APS Format Stereo Camera

[P3D Greg Erker <erker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>I can see a system where an APS film canister is dropped
>into a stereo camera with the appropriate lens focal length and
>center-to-center spacing (average human IPD).

  I recall the APS film having irregular perforations. One at
each edge of the image (I think) rather than a continuous
row of perfs. If this is true you can't have arbitray spacing
between the L/R images but would have to use integral numbers
of APS frames.  So the L/R images would have to be adjacent, or
separated by one or separated by two other images.

  I don't know the exact frame spacing but if it is 25mm
then the spacing will be 25, 50, 75 or 100 mm. None of these
matches average IPD very well. You could do the film loop
between the lenses to allow 75 mm frame spacing on film but
65ish mm lens spacing. This, of course, complicates the camera
mechanism.

> The processed positive film (an option Kodak
>has considered) can be dropped into a stereoviewer designed to accept the APS
>canister and with the push of a button the film will be dispensed from the
>canister as dictated by the encoded information on the film presenting a
>perfectly aligned orthostereo image!  NO fuss, no muss, no alignment, no
>mounting, it's all there.  You could even design the viewer for folks like
>George T. and I who throw away most of our images by making it skip images we
>do not want to show up on subsequent viewings.

  It may take a while before Kodak or Fuji makes APS slide film
(MO).  When they do it may well be 200 speed or higher and be
excessivley grainy for 3D use. The smaller image area and larger
magnification (in an ortho or near-ortho viewer) would make
APS 3D grainier than 35mm. There is the possiblity of better
emulsions being produced for APS that would reduce this problem.
They would eventually be available for 35 mm as well, similar to
the new Fuji Reala film being the same technology as Fuji's
APS film.

  Having a drop and load cartridge for a viewer would be convenient
but for those who bracket shots or do in camera dupes the roll
of (say) 20 stereo images may be reduced to 5 or 10.

  For Joe Public, who's every shot is a keeper (unless totally
black) the cartridge method would work well since he would
be happy with most shots and wouldn't bracket or take multiple
shots.


>   I would like to get some feedback from those of you who can "think outside
>of the envelope".  As you see, there are only really two significant hurdles
>here (as I see it), specifically the positive APS film and the equipment
>designed to process it.  Kodak indicates that both positive and Black and
>White film are possibilities in the format but present market conditions do
>not allow for its' current release.  I know it would take a pretty good shove
>to get someone like Kodak to produce this material but they are not the only
>players licensed to manufacture this.  Fuji and a couple others are
>"co-inventors" of the APS system as I understand it so there may be
>possibilities there.

  The big hurdles are slide film availability which may depend
on how many pro's turn to APS (since the average Point &
Shooter couldn't care less about slides).

  The second hurdle is developing the camera. It may be
technically straightforward but would probably cost $1 million
or more.

  It's a nice idea. But long odds, I would say.

Good luck - Greg E.



------------------------------