Re: 3Discover info

[P3D Gabriel Jacob <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dr. George A. Themelis writes

>Well, I am sorry for not leaping with joy but all this sounds like
>a big joke to me.  First of all, the viewer uses slide film.  Second,
>it is full-frame 35 mm.  Third, the images in the film must be
>transposed in order for the viewer to be useful.
>Here is a company that has made a nice cheap viewer.  A camera system
>that will work with this viewer must be very complicated and expensive.
>You expect me to believe that their "research teams" are seriously
>studying this possiblity?  Sorry, I am not buying this story and I
>hope I am wrong!!! (for a change ;))

If it is a joke, the joke is on me and everybody else since I am not
the one perpetrating it. In any case it's not the right time for it
as it's not April yet. :-) In all seriousness the brochure and people
have mentioned as such. If you want I will send you the brochure and
a postcard also at the same time. ;;;-)
As for the cost, I don't see why it should be that expensive. I guess
you are comparing it to a RBT camera, i.e. apples and oranges. Marketing
wise and technically as a mass produced camera with the quality similiar
to a Loreo a full frame 3d camera would be very possible. Look at the
Loreo, they were able to produce and market a camera for roughly $100
with a paperweight viewer to top it off. So why couldn't a company
such as Wrebbit make one. Of course they would have to collaborate with
others, but every company does that nowadays. I am pretty sure they
don't make the lenses themselves in the viewer. So the first two points
of it being a slide and full frame doesn't seem to be a problem. The
third point is the stickler as we have discussed here on P3D. But this
would not be a major problem if they set up machines that can take the
original slide film and copy it to 2nd generation with the views 
transposed. I mentioned before if it would be possible to do this on our
own with home brewed stuff but nobody commented. Here is one of my
question-suggestion that I posted Oct.23,96

>Seriously speaking thou I am still formulating in my head if this is
possible. You mention "another 3-D hacker project in the making".
Maybe not. What I was thinking is would it be possible to first take
the pictures with a RBT camera, the one that conforms to the 4p spacing.
Then after having them developed, using two slide copiers coupled to a
RBT and placing the roll of developed film upside down in them and 
make a copy of that.<

In any case it would be less trouble than using cutters and mounting
as in the case of Realist format or VM reels, which never stopped them
from coming out with a camera for reels. 

>About the lay (was that lay or "lazy"? ;) people who showed interest
>and are asking about taking their own 3d pictures, I have to say this:
>Yes, people do ask me how they can take these wonderful pictures that
>they see in my red button viewer.  The minute I point to a stereo camera
>and the minute they realize that they cannot convert their crummy 2d 
>prints from their cheap P&S cameras to fantastic 3d slides, these people
>lose interest fast.

Yes that's true people lose interest fast when they learn they would have
to "mount" them themselves. (of course they can also send them away for
mounting) But other than that, p&s 3d photos is possible for snapshots,
which is what we are talking about regarding the masses. Again I refer
back to the example of the Loreo. So this would have the advantage of
being 8 or maybe 7p and would hold 12 3d views compared to changing the
slides for each 3d view in the traditional stereo slide format.

>Someone needs to tell those people that they can take stereo pictures
>today without the "special techniques and equipment" used by the
>3Discover photographers (which I bet are as simple as one or two 
>SLR cameras).

I agree with that point but as we speak there is no inexpensive full frame
3d camera. And yes they do use one or two SLR cameras and no secretly
developed camera.

So in conclusion, yes they are looking into it. I guess if they find that
from a manufactering and economical point of view it is feasable then
they will go ahead with the project if the viewer part of the market is
succesfull. So I guess we have to buy alot of cassettes and be more vocal
and send comments and suggestions to Wrebbit so they know there is a market
for it. Suzanne Kosturik, product manager as I have mentioned can be 
contacted at vision3d@xxxxxxxxxx She expressed interest in communicating
with P3D and have given her the info on how to subscribe. If she does, she
has more info on the product that should be enlightening.

Gabriel the joker??????;-)



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