P3D Re: A newbie asks

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

>> And another - is the hot-shoe electronic flash compatible?

Yes.
    
>> I am impressed at how clear the coupled-rangefinder is... 
>> Ok - really finally. There is a sticker on the bottom saying "Restored
>> by Zak" - is this a good thing? Who be Zak?

That explains the clear rangefinder... 

>A restoration by Zak is great (from what I hear), but if it was done a
>long time ago it may not be very significant.  "Zak" is Ron Zakowski,
>a long-time David White Co. employee who acquired the Realist spare
>parts inventory and provides repair services for Realists.

Ron retired from David White Co. a few months ago.  The company is still
around, specializing in surveying equipment.  Ron now has plenty of time
to do Realist camera repairs!

>> Finally - what is the thread size for filters?
>    
>Realists take what is known as Series V filters.  Unthreaded Series
>V filters are much larger diameter than the lens itself, and are
>held in place in front of the lenses with a filter holder or
>sunshade/filter holder.  

Correct so far... but this is one option and not the most common.

>In my experience the threaded filters
>are less common (but that may not be true for other).  Someone
>posted the diameter of these but I don't recall what it is...18mm
>perhaps?  

These filters are not threaded.  They slip over the Realist lens
which is 20 mm in diameter.  They do not have any special name
other than "Realist Stereo Filters".  Realist made them but also
independent filter manufacturers like Tiffen.  They are rather
common.  The Realist sunshade/filter holder is much less common.
You can close the camera shade with these filters in place while
you cannot close it with the series V and filter holder.

-- George Themelis


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