P3D Projection Alternatives

[Len Lavenda <lavenda@xxxxxxx>]

I have been an avid viewer of the photo-3D digest for some months now
and have been overwhelmed by the breadth and depth and expertise of
topics covered. I first discovered 3D when I cam across an antique
stereo viewer and cards in an old Vermont barn nearly twenty years ago.
The novelty of viewing history so realistically was very appealing to
me, but I yearned for the tools to create my own views. Lo and behold, I
discovered an ad for the Loreo camera in an airline flight magazine and
began to fool around with my own primitive views. However, I have always
prided myself on being a serious amateur photographer and so became
frustrated over the poor quality and lack of creative controls. Next, I
stumbled across the NSA and the photo-3D digest and uncovered a slew of
bretheran. Last year I took the leap and purchased a Realist camera and
a Kodaslide viewer. Although somewhat cumbersome and still a bit
creatively limiting, I was ecstatic over the results I was obtaining.
Now, my frustration lies in the difficulty of sharing my work with
family and friends: passing a viewer to 5 or 10 other people serves to
dampen the enthusiasm rather quickly. So I am considering investing in 
3D projection and would very much appreciate any advice that you wise
folks could share with me.

Here are some of my questions:

1. For an audience of up to 15 people, would the TDC 116 projector (with
500 watt lamps and 5" lenses) be sufficient? Or should I consider the
TDC 716 with 750 watt lamps? Is investing in 4" lenses worth the extra
money in either case?

2. Are there any other projectors that might be comparable or superior
to the TDC models? 

3. What are the best sources for these projectors?

4. Can I continue to use my carboard heat-seal mounts in a projector or
do I need to use another material, such as glass, to prevent heat damage
to the film?

5. Can the TDC projectors handle 35mm pairs? I may someday try using
twinned cameras or the "cha cha" method and would hate to be forced to
purchase a new projector.

6. From recent comments on photo-3D digest, I understand the Da-Lite
WONDER-LITE and Da-Lite SUPER-WONDER-LITE seemed the best amd brightest
screens. Is this the general consensus of the group? And which size
would you recommend for my purposes?

I don't know if I neglected any important considerations (e.g.,
reliabililty, convenience, maintenance, etc.), but if so, I'd very much
appreciate any additional thoughts or tips. 

Thanks very much for sticking with my rather lengthy query.

Regards,
Len Lavenda


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