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P3D Beyond 7p...



John Fairstein wrote:
   
>But I just received a Themelized Red Button viewer which works fine with
>7-perf! But that's not all -- I also just received a Super Themelized
>8-perf Red Button viewer which features a new reflector. This reflector
>is an amazing piece of work as it provides even illumination across the
>8-perf aperture.

Thanks John!  Since the secret is out :-) I might as well provide the
details:  I have worked out a 8p modification of the red button that
will cover not just 7p (28 mm) but even the widest RBT mount (34 mm,
the apertures of the viewer are actually 38 mm wide) so now this viewer 
can be called a "full frame viewer"  a.k.a. "Super Themelized 8-perf 
Red Button viewer" (I like it John!)

Opening the apertures is not a big deal.  The biggest obstacle was
fitting a reflector whose edges do not show in the viewing area
(this was pointed to me earlier by Dale Walsh and it can be very
annoying).  So I had to design and fit a reflector which extends
at the very edge and beyond the viewing area.

Light uniformity is always an issue in any viewer widening.  The 
Kodaslide viewer cannot be modified beyond 7p without seeing the
large AC bulb at the inner edges and the two "legs" holding the
reflector at the outer edges. (I am sure Elliott and other bright
hackers around could do it, it is just beyond my regular routine
work without butchering the viewer).

The even illumination that John is talking about is a result of
a combination of the reflector, a bright white painting all over 
the bulb housing and the use of a bright FROSTED halogen bulb.
There are absolutely *no* shadows or hot spots but I cannot bend
the laws of physics... there is some drop in light intensity
towards the outer edges simply because the light bulb is located 
at the center.  But thanks to the bright internal painting and the 
secondary reflections from up, down and front, this drop in intensity 
is minimal and non-distracting.

How good is the viewing towards the edges of a full frame slide?

Depends who you ask... :-) Obviously, Peter, Eric and myself
will give different answers.  But consider this:  Following Eric's
65% clarity rule, I have just extended the clear area by widening 
the viewing area! :-)

If you want to wait until someone comes up with the wonder-viewer 
that will offer crisp sharp and flat viewing down to the last mm 
of the full-frame viewing area at a 44 mm (or shorter) focal length, 
you are certainly free to wait.  But if you want to have full-frame 
viewing TODAY, then check my ad in sell-3d.  I will offer this 
service starting today (1/1/98) and will also offer full-frame 
viewers for sale in the near future.  Just check sell-3d frequently 
(I do not take orders for viewers and do not maintain a "waiting 
list").

Please note that "full-frame viewing" still refers to using
standard stereo format mounts (like the ones offered by RBT
and Spicer) and *NOT* 2x2 slides.  I just finished and shipped
a backlog of viewers, ALL modified for 7p ONLY.  John's viewer
was still at experimental stage.  This service is new for 1998.

You are all invited to stop by my table and check the Super Realist 
red button viewer in NSA 1998 (also bulbs, books, power supplies 
and many accessories!) and form an opinion for yourself!

Regards and Best Wishes for the New Year -- George Themelis


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