Reply from David and Susan

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

I am forwarding a reply from David and Susan of Reel 3-D, regarding 
the recent photo-3d discussion on prices, etc. -- George Themelis

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Thank you for sending us copies of the "Reel 3-D Prices, etc." posting
on the Photo-3D chat group.  Throughout the past twenty years in 
business at Reel 3-D Susan and I have kept our primary goal to simply 
stay in business.  We can't strive to be the cheapest, because we are
one of the smallest niche suppliers in the photo industry business. 
The majority of our products are uniquely 3-D, and will not be found 
in any camera store. For those items that CAN be found elsewhere, we 
basically began offering them as a service. When the majority of 
camera stores stopped stocking screens and light meters and monster 
flash guns, we added a few of these items to our line of products at 
the request of our customers. When the same items are stocked by a NY 
Superstore like B&H it is like comparing a mom and pop corner store 
with K-Mart or Wal-Mart (only we are much, much smaller than the mom 
and pop store). 

During the past two decades we have also tried to bring information 
and useful items to the 3-D community by publishing books, copying 
instruction manuals and manufacturing items that we felt filled a 
need. Some of those items are: Photographing in 3-D, The Reel 3-D 
Enterprises Guide to the Nimslo 3-D Camera, the facsimile reprint of 
Theodore Brown's Stereoscopic Phenomena of Light & Sight and F. 
Drouin's The Stereoscope and Stereoscopic Photography, Plain Wrap 
(stereo size) glass, Stereo Slide Storage Pages, cardboard slip-in 
stereo mounts in Realist, Nimslo and European sizes, Universal 
Foldovers and Stereo slide Alignment Gauges, TDC, View-Master 
Stereomatic 500 and 3x3 projector polarizers, high quality polarized 
3-D glasses, polarized clip-on glasses, and the Stereo Realist flash 
adapter. Not to mention the dozens of other uniquely stereo items that 
we either import or order in sufficient quantity to make it worthwhile 
for manufacturers to continue producing them.  

This is our 20th year of Reel 3-D, and our 20th year SERVING the 3-D 
community.  There is no way that we can count how many wonderful 
people that we have met because of this hobby, how many tens of 
thousands of times we have answered the same basic 3-D photo 
questions, and how many beginners and veteran 3-D photographers that 
we have helped to get started and to keep going in this hobby. Someday 
we will retire, but for now we are glad to see that new sources and 
new items are starting to crop up in the 3-D world. 

Reel 3-D will NOT be around forever. But one reason that we are in our 
20th year is that we have been realistic in our pricing to be able to 
stay in business, mail out tens of thousands of catalogs, and stock a 
decent 3-D inventory (and we pride ourselves on FAST service!). The 
fact that there isn't really another Reel 3-D is a testament to our 
products, service, and prices. We, ourselves, are 3-D photographers, 
and every time we've heard of a new source of some 3-D item ANYWHERE 
in the world, at ANY price, we are delighted. We add that information 
to our lists of resources that we email to every catalog request, 
include in our catalog (space permitting) and give out on the phone 
every day. We feel there's enough interest and business to go around, 
and that it benefits all of us when suppliers recognize the value 
of 3-D. 

We're glad that Peter Davis found a good deal on a screen and meter. 
When he needs advice, polarizers and 3-D glasses we'll be happy to 
help him out any way we can, if he needs us. And the same goes for 
every other 3-D enthusiast from Latvia to Alaska. We hear from people 
all day long, and after 20 years it's still the best. Due to time 
limitations (and still being just two people) we cannot write or email 
answers to all the questions we receive. But anyone who phones us 
directly during business hours receives our full attention to answer 
their questions as best we can. 

Yours in DDDepth,
David Starkman & Susan Pinsky


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