Keeping things into perspective...

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just a gentle reminder to all computer 3ders out there... Photo-3d is a
great resource but it is not the beginning or the end of the 3d world. 
About 100 people (wild guess) read and participate in these discussions. 
There are hundreds more that are not here, including some of the topmost
authorities in stereo imaging today.

What brings these thoughts are two letters I received recently.  One is
from Colin Clay in response to my request for information regarding
projector overheating, etc.  In addition to a reprint from the 1989
Bulletin 106 (posted here recently by Peter Penhallow), Colin in a
personal note described a temperature measuring slide that he has made. 
In short, he has attached thin thermocouples in the emulsion of a real
slide!  This is the ultimate in getting an accurate measurement of the
temperature "experienced" by the slide and even in my wildest imagination
I would have not thought of that!  Colin says that his target is to keep
the emulsion temperature under 50C (120F).  He even sent me material to
make my own test slide!

The other letter is from Allan Griffin, one of the topmost authorities in
3d.  He lists HonPSA, FPSA, ARPS, AFIAP after his name and, after
apologizing for the listing ("one of my few opportunities to get a brag
in") he explains that he is the only stereo recipient and only Australian
(in any type of photography) to receive a HonPSA (Honorary Life Membership
of PSA) ever.  His letter is in response to my question on the synch'tion
of the Konica FT1 cameras, a question that I asked a month ago here but 
received no photo-3d replies.  I mailed Allan a letter and got to hear the 
latest from the expert on the subject.

What's my point?  My point is that photo-3d is great but *at the present
time* there is still much more out there that possibly a regular letter
could bring.  I emphasize "at the present time" since this list is, and
will be, growing with home computers and electronic communications getting
more and more common in the future.  Still, for many of us, photo-3d is
all we need.  But, it's good to keep things into perspective when, for
example, suggesting that information is published in the web instead of
printed form, etc.

George Themelis


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