Re: Original Holmes cards and glass vs. film

[P3D John W Roberts <roberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 21:29:15 -0600
>From: "P3D  Dr. George A. Themelis"  <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Original Holmes cards and glass vs. film

>>What was the type of camera used for the original Holmes cards?
>>What was the f/stop, and shutterspeeds used?  What was the lens
>>separation and lens focal length?  What was the speed and size 
>>of the film?  

>I am not an expert in this area by there must have been a variety of
>cameras used, not just one.  But in the late 19th century, they say
>that half of the cameras for sale were stereo.  I suspect that cameras
>had variable f/stops and shutter speeds.  I believe glass negatives
>were used for those pictures.

I don't know when the *first* Holmes format cards were made, but I think
the many stereo photos taken during the Civil War were sold this way.
Again not sure of the timing, but in the early days of photography,
"shutter speed" was determined by the interval from when you took off the
lens cover until you put it back on again. :-)

Incidentally, the first stereo pairs were not photographs - they were
drawings. (And these may even predate 2D photography.)

John R (too lazy to look it up)


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