Re:Digital backs

[P3D Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Wed, 08 Oct 1997
>From: P3D Bob MAXIE  comments:
>
>Huh? Digital backs on a Realist? Seems to me
>that those who use Realists, do so for their
>quality. As far as a multi-function Stereo
>Camera, I'll bet you that if some company
>provided a camera just like the Realist; people
>would buy them....................

I don't really think digital backs on a Realist is practical, but it was
suggested and could be done if someone wanted it for whatever reason.
Besides, the digital backs for Nikons are far higher resolution than the
typical digital camera. They are intended for professional use where high
resolution is a basic requirement. In that sense they make sense, though
can't be used directly that I know of. I've never seen them, but I have
priced them...

The multifuction camera that I suggested would have all the mass market
appeal needed to make it carve it's own secure market niche. It would be so
obviously better and more competitive to existing camera systems that it
would have no problem with promotion, though of course it would require
promotion of some kind.

Such factors could never exist with a current copy of the existing Realist
camera. It has too many limitations, though it is a quality camera. If you
mean a digital camera built to the Realist format, sure that could be done.
But it wouldn't offer competitiveness which would limit the marketability
quite a bit. In today's market such limitations would likely mean the
investment might not be worthwhile. A fixed base stereo camera is a very
limited stereo camera no matter the medium it uses. Digital stereo cameras
could be variable based so easily it would be stupid to not take advantage
of that very simple fact. It's possibly the single biggest advantage that
digital offers to the field of stereophotography. No longer would you have
to worry about the distance of your subject and which camera to use for the
best results. Those kinds of considerations are there only because existing
stereo camera systems are fixed in some critical geometry.

The multifunction camera is the only means available to offer digital image
quality that would *exceed* current film based resolution standards. I
estimate that that critical barrier can be surpassed, and would make all the
difference in marketing. That's part of the attraction of the idea. It's
desperately needed if professionals are to give serious consideration to
using digital imaging for lots of their current film based work. That level
of performance would guarantee competitiveness across the board and make the
basic design concept very valuable. One (very limited) way of describing it
is the use of stereoscopic principles to build a better 2D camera. The side
benefit to us is the fact that 3D is integrally a part of the system instead
of a hard to find and separate specialty item. It creates the potential for
expansion of 3D as a medium instead of like so many current advances which
often seem to limit future 3D efforts.

A story to illustrate the principle could use a monkey as the 3D camera
model. The monkey likes to swing and climb through the treetops. Current
development trends cut down all the forests and trees, leaving very little
space for the monkey to climb, not to mention ruining the environment for
everything else. Using current 3D cameras is kind of like building your own
trees to climb in. You have to know about it and want it badly enough.  If
you could make it beneficial overall to retain forests and trees, the monkey
will have more room to roam, not less. That creates a growth climate instead
of a desert. (this story is only intended as a simple illustration! Beyond
simple it may not work... ;-)

>
>Need support services such as mounting,
>though. Comments?

Any stereo application, whether film or digital would require support
services either as offerings from businesses and individuals or from
specialized software and accessory equipment. (mounting, window/alignment
services, printing, processing, formatting, etc.)

Larry Berlin

Email: lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin/
http://3dzine.simplenet.com/


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