Re: Opinions....

[P3D John W Roberts <roberts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 09:02:46 -0500
>From: "P3D Dr. George A. Themelis" <fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: Opinions....

>>>...within the stereoscopic
>>>crowd because stereo 
>>>slides is the medium of 
>>>choice

>That's not an OPINION!  It is a FACT!  Let me clarifiy this:  By "medium of
>choice" I meant that the MAJORITY of active stereo photographers are working
>primarily with slides still today, as they did 40-50 years ago (since the
>Realist and other cameras made stereo photography popular again).

>OK, I have not taken a poll yet but I can see what is going on in the
>stereo photography clubs across the USA and in PSA.  Witness Bill Walton's
>work to establish a strong stereo card movement within PSA, etc.  Even in a
>traditionally print oriented stereoscopic association like NSA, most stereo
>images are shown as slides in the annual conventions.

If the active membership of the stereo photography clubs is taken to be the
same as "the stereoscopic crowd", and if what's seen at the meetings is taken
to be the same as "the medium of choice", then the logical extension is that
"the medium of choice" is stereo slides *mounted for projection*. (!)

As Larry Berlin pointed out, prints don't project well with current equipment
(it will be really nice if someone comes up with a stereo projection system
that works well with prints), so maybe print enthusiasts are less likely to be
active in the stereo photography clubs than are the slide enthusiasts.
A number of people have walked up to me when I was taking stereo photographs
in public, and said that they had also taken stereo photographs. I believe
they all said they had taken *print* photographs. That's obviously a small
sample, but it's at least a timy bit of evidence that there may be a large
number of people out there who take stereo print photographs, but who are not
in contact with the stereo clubs.

Also - you mentioned recently that you thought there were about a dozen
stereo photography clubs in the US. Counting very roughly (and trying not to
include the collectors' clubs) on the list in the FAQ, I get about 23 clubs
in the US, and about 27 elsewhere in the world. Some of these may be inactive,
or may have very small membership. So can we guess very roughly at 2500-5000
stereo club members in the US, and 5000-10000 worldwide? I certainly hope
that the number of people who take 3D photographs is much greater than that.

If ABC plans to show anaglyph 3D on network television, they must think there
will be some interest in it, and involving a lot more than 5000 people - tens
of millions is more like it. So maybe from that perspective, anaglyph is the
medium of choice! :-)

>There is no question that prints are gaining more acceptance and that the
>scale will tip over one day, but this is what I see today.

>But I do not understand what is your problem with influencing newbies and
>giving them the correct information... Why would they care what the
>majority uses?  Let them try both and decide for themselves!

"Medium of choice" implies both "medium which is the most chosen" and
"medium which is the best choice". I think Dan's objection is the implied
connection of the two implications. The first implication may be mathematically
verifiable among a selected group of stereo photography enthusiasts (i.e.
members of particular clubs). The second implication is a value judgement,
and one for which there is not complete consensus.

If the original statement were rephrased as "stereo slides is the medium
most used among active stereo club members, and I think it's the best
medium available", I don't think Dan would have legitimate grounds for his
objection.

To give credit where it's due, I think you're one of the few stereo slide
proponents who's willing to allow that print enthusiasts are people too. :-)

John R


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