P3D Sorry! and Is Tom wrong...? etc.

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

Sorry, I accidentally sent the last message to photo-3d instead of
sell-3d!  To make it up :-), I am posting this reply to Bill Walton's
recent message:

>I think what I am trying to bring out that stereography is not ROCKET
>SCIENCE and it can be enjoyed for very little money and almost no
>technical knowledge.

Bill, I applaud your effort to make stereo accessible to the masses 
without any worries about technical details.... and I agree about the 
money..., however,... without the technical knowledge of what 
alignment is all about, enjoyment can easily change to torture.  Also, 
you have mentioned in the past how you discovered the stereo window 
and how Paul Wing's comments helped improve your work... Why deny 
the benefit of technical knowledge now?  Saying that you can only do 
3d if you master the technical aspect of it is equally dangerous than 
denying that such tehcnical knowledge exists and is useful, IMO.

Systems created for stereo take care of many technical details.  One 
example is the "Realist-format" photography of the 50s.  With stereo 
cameras offering perfect alignment and correct stereo window, good 
viewers and projectors and decent commercial stereo mounting services, 
stereo flourished in the 50s...  Another example is the Loreo/Argus 
systems today.  Or lenticular prints.  Playing however with paired 
cameras, i.e. systems not designed for stereo, is a bit tricky, 
especially if someone is talking about slides and projection.  Hence, 
basic technical knowledge, is, IMO, required, if these results are to 
be shared with others.

-- George Themelis
    


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