Re: Realist History and Hat

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bill, I'll let you have the last word on this but I'll have the hat :-)
I only want to make one comment:

>>.....  Seton Rochwite was hired in the fall of 1943 and started working
>>on the design of the system.  He designed the camera, viewer (red button)
>>and even the Realist logo!  By 1947 the Realist was ready to come out and
>>Seton quit his job and moved ahead to face new challenges."
>
>Hmm, puts his all into this baby for four years, the camera is finally
>ready to come out and he quits?!?  Facing new challenges is cool and all.
>As long as it wasn't some disagreement about the quality of the production
>cameras or design compromises or anything like that.  :--)

My information comes from an interview of Seton Rochwite by Mark Wilke,
published in Stereo World vol. 15(3) pp. 4-9.  It makes sense that after
the camera was developed and manufactured there was not much work for
a development engineer.  Seton said that was fed up by the weather in
Milwaukee and moved to warmer places.  As you know, he developed a few
more stereo cameras and viewers after that.  I do not know what he has
said in private conversations but I have not read anything about a
disagreement regarding the quality of the Realist.  In a recent letter
to Dalia, response to a question regarding light leaks in the Realists
he mentions that he is not aware of any light leaks.

-- George Themelis

PS.  In response to Chuck Field's question for a list of Realist
accessories, they are not that many.  Maybe a dozen or so not counting
cameras and viewers.  As Bob said, I did post a list of accessories
with original and current prices some time back.


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