THE FREEVIEWER'S ASSISTANT - Part III

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

THE FREEVIEWER'S ASSISTANT - Part III

What can you do with it???  Before I describe what I did with it, let 
me first state that I can freeview even with closed eyes!  Freeviewing 
(both parallel and crossed-eye) has never been a problem for me, 
within healthy limits.  I can freeview view cards separated by 3" and 
also cross-view tiny unmounted Realist slides.

My first application was to "freeview" view cards from my collection. 
It took me a few minutes to figure out how the "assistant" works.  
Once I figured it, I was up and running.  The "assistant" has a stop 
for the pivoting mirror.  At this setting you can freeview Holmes 
cards at about half arm's length.  At this distance the accommodation 
and convergence coincide.  You can prove this by flipping the 
"assistant" in and out from your eye.  The convergence does not 
change, only the 3d image comes and goes.  You can change this 
distance at will,  but there will be some normal "freeviewing" strain 
introduced because the accommodation and convergence will differ.  
If you decide to bring the view closer, then you can adjust the 
pivoting mirror and make the acc & conv coincide again at this new 
distance.  You can basically bring the image as close as your eyes 
will focus (with or without glasses, no problem) and view effortless
by adjusting the mirror.

While I can freeview viewcards, it takes a few seconds to get it and 
then, when I change cards, I must go through the same exercise again. 
The great advantage of the "assistant" is nicely stated by Alan:  
"The really neat thing about viewing Holmes views (with the 
"assistant") is that you can stack your views in a pile on a table and 
very quickly leaf through them without removing your eyes from the 
views.  You get a smooth transition of 3-D images from one viewcard to 
another.  This is great for  painlessly previewing stereoviews at 
shows before buying them.  Plus the optical quality is first rate 
(after all, it's almost just your own eyes)."  This is true!!!

My second application was to freeview Realist slides!  No problem 
there too!  It works and it is painless!

At this point I emailed Alan to ask him how can I cross-view.  The 
answer is amazingly simple:  Just put the "assistant" in your left 
eye!!!  I tried it and it works!  I took out an uncut Realist roll 
(not mine, needless to say!) and practiced cross-viewing uncut pairs. 
It works and it is painless!!!  Gone are the painful cross-viewing 
exercises until the film is cut and mount.  Plus, with the "assistant" 
you can cross-view at reasonably short distances, and it is totally 
painless!

Now the big test:  Viewing computer images.  In the past I have 
avoided freeviewing computer images just because of the effort 
involved.  I wished for a viewer, but most viewers will put me too 
close to the screen and I did not like that, plus they are only good 
for parallel viewing.  So I decided to try the "assistant" while 
visiting Ron Labbe's Studio-3D WEB site (http://www.studio3d.com).  
I realized that Ron has all his stereo pairs presented for cross 
viewing.  Fine.  Place "assistant" in left eye.  This is convenient 
because with my right eye I can watch and direct the mouse.

Result:  "Assisted" ;) Computer 3D is fun, fun, fun!!!  

I know, Larry will ask "What is the big deal... I can cross view, 
no problem!"  Yes, but can you stay crossed while you scroll the 
screen to move from one image to the other???  Maybe Larry can do it, 
but it is a fact (or opinion??? :)) that while you are freeviewing, 
any small distraction will "break" your viewing.  Cross-viewing is 
worse and scrolling the screen is a major distraction, especially 
if you want to watch the mouse pointer too!!!!  "Assistant" to the 
rescue!!!  No need to break your viewing.  It is effortless and it 
is constant.

BTW, congratulations to Ron Labbe for an excellent stereoscopic site. 
I looked at all the stereo images and liked many.  My favorite (but I 
am partial to people and kids) was "Leah", a close-up of a little girl 
(my little daughter's name is Lea) with bottom to bottom SLRs and
135 mm lenses (I have to try it!!!)

Before I convert to total 3d computer freak with this "assistant" I 
still need higher resolution in the computer screen.  Perhaps it is me 
(my computer, my settings) but, while I don't have a serious problem 
freeviewing, with the closer distances allowed by the "assistant", I 
am having a problem.  One solution will be to move back.  The way the 
"assistant" is constructed, the stop in the pivoting mirror will only 
allow you to go closer, not further.  I am ready to file the stop down 
so it still stop but can be passed over.  This way I can freeview 
from larger distances which might be preferred for computer 3d.

I see I am overdoing in this review, but I have only one thing to say 
and then will summarize and conclude... in the next posting!

-- George Themelis


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