Re: Slide Mounts

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

I am following the debate on slide mounts with great interest.

Robert Linnstaedt has come up with a complete cost analysis
(down to labels!!!) to conclude that there is only one mount 
that it is cost effective and accurate... The RBT mount.

He keeps a straight face when he tells the stereoscopic community
that the cost to use this mount is:

0.78 US$ per mount!!!!

If I want to mount all 29 pairs from a 36 exp. Realist format roll,
the cost would be $22.62.  (OK, if I am selective and only keep 20
pairs per roll the cost is "only" $15.60 per roll.)

He calculates that the aluminum mounts (if you can find them) have 
a cost of $1.35 per mount!!!!!

No wonder 90% of the stereo slides are mounted in heat-seal
cardboard mounts!!!!

Just to clarify a few things, I used to sell Albion mounts for $10
per 50 and have advertised them many times in photo-3d (that's
$0.20 per mount -- ops, forgot the shipping costs!!! :-))
and I was even making a profit at these prices, which means that
there were sources to get these mounts even cheaper.  Current
temporary shortage of Albion mounts prevents me from selling them
at this price, but I have a good stock FOR MYSELF to last me at 
least 3 years.

EMDE mounts and glass can be still found in "flea markets",
camera shows, dealers, etc., and I have a good stock of glass and
binders to last me again for at least 3 years (ironically, some of 
that stock I purchased from the US RBT representative! - Thanks Jon!)

Personal Opinion:  The aluminum mounts are as fast to use and as
accurate (if not more) as the RBT mounts.

For personal use only, I keep my slides mounted in Albion
bare metal mounts at considerable savings in $ and storage space.
Slides circulating in postal SSA circuits are covered with paper
foldovers and are very light.  Aluminum-mounted slides with paper 
foldover can be projected too.  Slides that I submit in PSA (these
are my best projection slides) are mounted in glass.

Note:  Once you mount the slide in an aluminum mount you do not
have to remount to use with cardboard or glass and you can easily
go from one system to the other.

Despite Jon's best efforts to convince me to switch, I am still
sold to aluminum.  RBT, for me, is TOO THICK (does it have to be THAT 
THICK???), it does not look good in the viewer (due to reflections
in the THICK apertures) and, due to price and thickness, it is a
special purpose mount.  "Special purpose" means that you cannot use 
it to mount all 29 slides from a roll, but only the 5 best ones, the
ones that you will project or circulate.  You still have to find
an alternative mount to mount the other 20 or so pairs.

So, Rev. Linnstaedt, thank you for the extensive cost analysis
and comparison between the different mounts and your effort to
convince us that RBT is the cheapest and best mounting solution,
but I am NOT SOLD and I am anxiously waiting for ALBION production
to resume.

Sincerely -- George Themelis


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End of PHOTO-3D Digest 1981
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