P3D Re: Inexpensive viewer?

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

John Gaasland writes:

>Just made the leap into 3-d and bought a Revere 33. 

Hurrah!!!  

>Now I need a viewer!

Certainly!

>Can't spend a lot of money for one at first, my wife would not be
>pleased. 

Stereo comes first, wife follows...  If I were to listen or please my wife,
I would still be freeviewing! :-)  Try and convince her that a good
viewer will be good for her too since your pictures will look even better.

>Can someone suggest an inexpensive one that works well? 

Inexpensive and good are usually in conflict.  Here is what is available.

A - less that $5: SV1 from reel-3d, $3.25.  Plastic, no light, no
adjustments.  Possibly the best value for the money.

B - under $50: Brumberger, StarD, Life-Like (used should be $35 to $50). 
Plastic lenses, internal illumination (IL).  Focusing but no interocular.

C - $50-$100:  Kodaslide I, and other viewers from the 50s that have
single-element lenses (some glass, some double but not achromatic), IL,
focusing and interocular.  (BTW, the TDC viewer currently auction in Ebay
is not the Deluxe but the single-element one.  I can supply one for less
money!)

D - $100-$200: Realist red button, Realist green button, Kodaslide II,
Revere, TDC Deluxe, and a couple more I might be missing.  These have all
the features of group C, plus good quality achromatic lenses.

E - Over $200:  Wollensak and a few rare viewers, basically in group D but
in higher price range because of rarity.  Also, sequential viewers.

My advice:  Do what most of us have done, i.e., start with the $3.25 viewer
and then, when the wife is convinced (voluntary or involuntary, makes no
difference :-)), jump to group D.  I think it would be nice to get a good
Revere viewer to match your Revere camera.  It so happens that I have one
for sale :-)  Please contact me for the details.

Regards -- George Themelis


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