Re: 3D deja-Vu

[P3D Sam Smith <sam@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gabriel commented on me missing Viewmaster as a precursor to the popularity
of 3D just before the boom, and he's right, it was equally important,
especially then. Viewmaster unfortunately was also partly to blame for
making 3D a novelty kid's toy as well, so it can be both praised and
condemned depending on your point of view. One of stereo photography's
downfalls is that too often it is introduced as a sensation or novelty, not
as a serious photographic medium. When the novelty wears off, there is
little incentive for innovation. This is my theory of what happened forty
years ago, and it is one that may again repeat itself.

In hindsight,one drastic innovation that helped spark the general
photography boom in the 60's and 70's was the SLR. Although it was developed
along side the stereo boom, it is very unfortunate that stereo photography
did not benefit from this. People who spent money on SLRs were certainly
serious about photography, or at least be came serious after using one. I
remember my first single-lens-reflex camera in 1975. It was a Miranda
Sensomat RE. I'd had a camera since I was 6 years old, but when I first got
an SLR, I felt I'd truly made a step into REAL photography. It wasn't that
it took better pictures, though it did: it just looked, handled, and felt so
professional. It inspired me to immerse myself in photography, something
I've been cursed with ever since.

Over twenty years later and what camera am I using? A Miranda Sensomat RE.
The twist now is that it's a STEREO CAMERA, and not that I needed it, but I
feel just as inspired now as I was then !

Would stereo photography have hit such a low if technology had kept up with
it? I think it was due for a lull, but not one so drastic. A stereo DLR (
double lens reflex) could have at least kept those already bitten by the 3D
bug interested. Although Stereo photography should never be grouped or
judged alongside general photography, it should be at least be able to reap
its benefits. If the 90's is shown to produce mostly cheap knockoffs instead
of real tools for the craftsmen and artists, then I expect there will be
another case of Deja-vu to be pondered over.

The 3D Hacker
website: http://www.barint.on.ca/~sam/imn23d.htm


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