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

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

John Roberts writes:

>If someone had told me that the results might be "torture" unless  
>I bought a Realist outfit right from the start, I might have been 
>discouraged enough to not pursue the matter further.

John, this might not have been your intention but you made it sound
as if I suggested that unless someone buys a Realist right from start, 
the results might be "torture".  I hope it is crystal clear that this
is not what I am saying.  I am saying that: 

1) Stereo cameras (not just Realist-type, you can include  Nimlso, 
   Argus, RBT, etc.) are designed to take care of technical 
   challenges by offering correct alignment, synchronized exposures, 
   matching lenses, etc.

2) Use and adaptation of mono systems in stereo, requires some
   knowledge of technical issues, especially if slide film is used
   (which because of its small size it is harder to align and
   crop as it is with larger prints) and stereo projection is 
   desired (projection is usually more demanding in terms of
   alignment and it is done to be shared with an audience- usually)

My posting was a reply to Bill Walton's message that stereo
photography can be enjoyed without any worries about technical
issues.  I am saying that some knowledge is required if your 
tools are home-made.  That's a general statement and not an 
endorsement for Realist-format cameras.  

Regarding your concern about "recruiting" new members into stereo, 
I would say that what we really need is a new automatic, worry-free, 
inexpensive and good quality stereo camera system... but this seems 
to be a dream in the very near future so we'll have to settle with 
what we've got today...  As long as I know and I hear of people (in 
photo-3d, for example) who are starting succesfully with widely 
available and inexpensive 50s stereo cameras (just like I did 11 years 
ago), I will continue to provide my own free "recruiting services" :-) 
as I have done in the past.  (Note: That I have no cameras to sell.
If I get any, you will read about it in "sell-3d")

-- George Themelis


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