Making stereo cameras & RBT

[P3D <JGoldenRRP@xxxxxxx>]

SOMEONE WROTE TO THE LIST....

What about using the RBT idea and putting two point and shoot cameras ($100
price range) together??  Then, for a  better model, put two cameras like the
Olympus 3500 together having 
the two zoom lenses run off of one button as well as both shutters?? That
would be in the $800 price range (maybe even $1000).  Shutter speeds and lens
openings would be automatic.  I would even allow for two flashes in the
camera for good flash coverage.

MICHAEL KERSENBROCK REPLIED....
Although one can certainly use a pair of cameras which are twin'ed externally
on a common bracket -- and many have done this --  using RBT's style of
stereo camera generation probably doesn't cost as much as it does because of
the camera cost -- the bulk of the cost is du to the custom-work that is
being done to those cameras.  Imagine if you wanted to build a RBT camera
"clone", the two cameras started with are the easy part!  :-)  As expensive
as RBT cameras are, they are a really good deal, IMHO, for what you get and
the work that is done
to generate the product.  Lower price cameras (particularly if picked to be
easiest to RBT'ize) are used, prices certainly could be lowered but probably
only down to "very high" rather than the normal "really really high" prices.
 At the "bottom end" it becomes questionable if the custom work and cost to
RBT'ize it would be worth a thousand or two of labor to RBT'ize $200 of
camera.  I think RBT is coming out with a "low end" solution, but it still
takes more than most people's pocket-change.

JON GOLDEN RESPONDS....
Micheal is on the money here.....the cameras are not the cost factor that
creates the selling price....it is the labor and engineering.  If it were so
easy to create molds for housings....we would have seen the popular standard
bearer Red Button Viewer re-created, and perhaps the Kodaslide II and maybe
we would see the favorite old Realist Metal masks come back that so many of
us loved.
RBT's are not just a pair of cameras "put together", there are film advance
considerations here, structural considerations, a custom manufactured tripod
centerplate to balance the camera on the tripod for the X2 and 109 (nee 108)
models. The X2, 109 and S1 series camera all have custom molded
housings....to give the camera a comprehensive single unit
appearance....elongated camera backs myust be created as well.  F-stop,
shutter speed, optics must be coupled either mechanically (X2 & 109), or
electronically slaved 
(S1 autofocus).  

Any further questions....email for more info on the cameras to me.  Thanks
Jon Golden RBT USA


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