P3D My first roll of 3D film!

["Les Hall" <leshall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just mounted my first roll of slide film shot with my newly acquired
Stereo Realist. Awesome! Amazing! Hey - it's 3D silly!

The intital few frames were messed up as I wasn't quite sure what the
loading procedure was. I subsequently got the Zeroxed manual from Reel-3D
(an in-depth tome if I ever saw one - Not!). At the rear they explain a
procedure for loading film because of current film having short leaders. Is
their explanation accepted as being the best way? 

I was very surprised at how close together the frames were. It's a shame
that there isn't a bit more latitude when cutting it up. I used a film
cutter that is from a Polaroid instant 35mm slide outfit. It worked okay
although it took me a while to get the sequence right - i.e. what was a
right frame, what was a left etc. It didn't help that I had taken many
shots of the same scene so it was harder to tell what pairs went together.
Won't do that again.

I mounted the pairs using the heat-seling cardboard mounts from Reel-3D.
Just used itty bitty bits of Scotch tape to position prior to sealing. I
had a small travel iron set on medium and it did a good job. The mounts
worked out fine and I was pleased with their rigidity and the relative
sharpness of the apertures. Are these mounts the most used? What other
kinds should I consider?

Out of a possible 29(?) pairs I mounted only 12 of which I would say six
are 'decent' images with a good stereo effect. I understand now what y'all
were meaning about 'carboarding' as these images have a far greater depth
than I expected. As for exposure and sharpness I was quite amazed at the
resolving power of this old camera and it would appear that the aperture
and shutter are operating as rated.

I used Provia film, the colour of which I like very much. I just bought
some rolls of Scala black & white slide film which I'll use next - it's 200
asa speed will allow me that little bit faster shutter speed.

Finally. I mounted one pair the wrong way round. It looked 'wrong' - duh! I
figured that if I just flipped the slide round it should look correct, but
it didn't. So I remounted it and it looked fine. I don't understand how
this can be. Surely if you just turned the slide round you are looking at
the right through the right eye, except the subject is back to front? Am I
missing something here?

Overall a great experience and a rewarding debut into the world of
stereography. Sorry this post is so long.

Les, Dallas.


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