P3D Re: Slide copying

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

>>I have done some slide copying work, mainly to *improve* (and not just 
>>duplicate) the original.  
>
>Could you furnish details? 

Sure! 

Equipment:

- Minolta X-700
- Minolta Auto Bellows III
- Focusing rail AB-III
- Slide Copier AB-III
- Minolta 50/3.5 MD Macro Lens

(all this sounds more complicated than it looks!)

Light:

- I have using anything from 100W bulbs to photo-floods to flash

Film:

- Kodak 5071 Slide Duplicating film (for tungsten light, optimized for
  1 sec. exp. time), this is what I usually use
- Others use SO366 optimized for flash
- I have used SO279 to make slides out of negatives
- Also regular slide film for increased contrast

Tips:  Slide duplicating film comes with a recommended exposure and color
correction.  Some experimentation is in order.  Buy large quantities so
after a trial roll or two you have plenty of film to use with the
optimum conditions.  (I buy mine in 100' bulk and roll my own film)

Look for used equipment.  I recently bought a Minolta 100 mm macro 
bellows lens with bellows and focusing rail for a bit over $100 in
an auction in Ebay.  Olympus also makes an extensive macro line.

For magnifications over 1x (usually the case in duplicating 35 mm film)
use the lens reverse for better optical performance.

All the films listed above get regular E6 processing, except for the
SO279 which is a negative film (dirty cheap to process only).

I have used slide "duplication" to:

- Enlarge slides (mainly so that they look good for projection)
- Change exposure (usually increase for projection)
- Change color balance (I have bought the 4x5 "Swatch Book" color filters
  over 100 of them, from Porter's - get their catalog! 1-800-553-2001-
  and use those between the light source and slide for color alterations)
- Copy montages
- Do weird things,..., etc.

John R. also writes:

>It is my opinion that widespread distribution of
>this knowledge could be extremely valuable to the 3D slide enthusiasts -

Slide duplication is not a secret... Any lab will do it.  They usually
want to have your slides mounted in 2x2 mounts... Reel 3D sells a 
slip-in 2x2 mount for Realist format.

Dick Twichell mentioned the degradation of quality due to the duplication.
As a I said, in a good viewer maybe.  In projection usually not.  I 
My slides from B&W stereo views look pretty good in projection.  I dare
say better than a "stereopticon" :-) with fixed window and everything.

Regards -- George Themelis


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