Re: SLR twin rig as a weapon?

[P3D John W Roberts <roberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 16:32:35 -0600
>From: "P3D Dr. George A. Themelis" <fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: SLR twin rig as a weapon?

>>I challenge Realist junkies to top that!

>Here is the challenge:  After you whack someone with the Realist, the
>camera is still working fine as if nothing happened.  Can you do the
>same with your twin SLRs????  Twin SLRs make for a very expensive
>whacking! ;)

On the other hand, suppose your had a heavy 2-3foot steel macro bar, with 
an SLR on each end, and you found yourself in a situation where you had to 
use it to defend yourself, and you realized that doing so would almost 
certainly destroy your expensive camera. Wouldn't you be more than a trifle 
annoyed? Wouldn't you be inclined to swing harder, realizing that it's 
going to cost you at least a few hundred dollars? Wouldn't you think that 
as long as your camera is a lost cause, you might as well protect yourself as
effectively as possible? On the other hand, if forced to defend yourself
with a Realist, wouldn't you be tempted to hold back a little bit, to
reduce the risk of damage to the camera?

The smart bar-room bully or photographic mugger is aware of this, and when
given the choice, will go for the Realist-carrier over the twin-camera-carrier
most every time.

Of course this opens up an opportunity. If you have a twin camera rig, and
you want to take it to a hazardous area, you can consider inviting along
a friend with a Realist. Then while the thugs are swarming over (and getting
slugged by) your friend with the Realist, you can discreetly retire from the
encounter and get your twin cameras to safety. If your friend catches up to
you later, you can excuse your departure by pointing out that the Realist
was in no danger of being damaged. If he decides to take a swing at you,
hold your twin bar up by the ends, so the Realist impacts the middle of the
bar.

Photographic questions for the day: 
  - Suppose two Realist owners get in an argument over the best type of 
      film to use, and decide to settle it by combat - can a Realist survive 
      a high-speed impact with another Realist?
  - Suppose you whack someone with your Realist, and the impact trips the
      shutter, taking what later turns out to be a prize-winning photograph.
      Do photographic ethics require that you share the prize with the
      person you whacked, since technically they're the one who tripped
      the shutter?

Remember - Realists don't whack people - stereo photographers whack people!

John R (planning to get rich selling Realist safety equipment at the next
NSA convention :-)


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