P3D Re: 2x2x2 Resources

[boris@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Boris Starosta)]

To Dr. T and others,

Some points regarding the 2x2x2 system.

I prefer to get my slides developed at a local lab. It's a little bit more
costly (2x actually), but I don't have to send my film through the mail,  I
don't have to wait two weeks (I receive them back same day), and I get them
in plastic mounts that are easily broken open.  This last is important,
because it allows for easy vertical "remounting" of the film chips that is
sometimes needed.  The cardboard mounts cannot be openend with destruction
of the mount.

I realize that if you insist on Kodachrome, the above is irrelevant.

(Vertical misalignment is not introduced in my camera, by the way.  The
film gates are perfectly aligned when I shoot.  The problem is introduced
in processing, because the films are run through the system in opposite
directions.  So the automated mounting machine invariably has some error,
with the mounting slightly off center, and this error is then doubled in my
pairs - think about how I have my cameras mounted, base to base, and it
will come to you.)

On the viewers, with all due respect to the efforts of the various
manufacturers, this is my opinion:

Franka - best optics in a currently produced affordable viewer that I've
seen, but no interocular adjustability makes this viewer a problem for many
people.  For novices to whom you may want to present your slides, I find
interocular adjustability crucial in helping them to fuse the images for
the first time.  But it also has a focus control, which is nice (I don't
know if this is a flaw in just my unit, or by design to accomodate
nearsighted persons, but the focus does not quite allow "infinity."  The
image is placed anywhere from quite close to nearly but not quite infinity,
when you rack through the focus range.)

Pinsharp - this viewer has the highly valuable interocular adjustability to
some extent, and is only half the cost of the Franka (or less? I can't
remember).  Optics are pretty good for casual viewing I think.
Magnification is slightly higher than all other viewers I've tried, making
for a truly big image. It also has brighter diffusers (but less even) than
all other viewers, which is good for those who do not have a light table.

I like to use the Franka on my light table, and I carry the pinsharp around
for viewing in the field.

That $6 viewer sold by Reel-3d (and also Ron Labbe) is also good, but it
has no interocular adjustment, and the one I had broke after a while,
because I kept trying to force some interocular adjustment anyway.  If it's
the right size for you, then that's fine, but if not, you will end up
breaking it.

Respectfully submitted,




Boris Starosta

usa 804 979 3930

boris@xxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.starosta.com
http://www.starosta.com/3dshowcase



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