P3D Re: PHOTO-3D digest 2679

[Peter Davis <pd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 05:38 PM 4/17/98 , you wrote:
>------------------------------------------------------------
>----------
>I applaud Jeff for experimenting with the HP scanner
>adapter, but I
>think that his statements both under estimate the deceptivly
>elegant
>engineering, and perhaps over state expectations for the
>device.
>
>The device is more sophisticated than it looks. Although it
>appears to
>be a simple "45-45-90 plactic" pyramid with crude mirrors,
>the patent on
>this device is 36 pages long!
>------------------------------------------------------------
>----------
>
>No, it doesn't take the place of a $1000 slide scanner.
>DUH! HP didn't get where they are by cutting their
>own throats. As for the patent being 36 pages long,
>they probably spent more time justifying a patent
>than they did in designing the device. (Lets make 2
>mirrors at right angles to reflect the light back thru
>the slide, and tilt them a bit to compensate for the
>light not being even with the sensor.)
>
>Anyway, it's OK for $5. ($10 for stereo)
>I would have been mad if I had paid $50.
>
>Don't even bother trying to scan negatives with it. If
>you have a negative, get a print and scan that. Several
>orders of magnitude better.

How about making a negative print from your positive slides, scanning that,
and then simply reversing the colors in Photoshop or whatever?

-pd



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