P3D Re: Viewmaster Cutter

[michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx (Michael Kersenbrock)]

> I recently found a Viewmaster film cutter in a thrift shop for $1.50.

You found an even better deal than the one I found ($50)!  Bravo!

> Would it be worth it to invest in a Viewmaster camera if I could find
> one?  

Yes.  It's fun for the reasons you state.  The cameras usually
are pretty easy to find (at least around here). 

> Is it a hassle to mount those little chips?  

On the basis of the ONE reel I mounted, it's very simple.  You
don't have the alignment activities you have with the Realist format.
They only go in one way (and they're marked on the reel as to which
chip goes in which of a slot pair).  Empty reels are $2/each though.

Note also there is a different cutter for the VM Personal and the
Mark-2 camera.  Make sure you have the matching camera.  :-)

> I grew up on
> Viewmaster reels and love stereo photos.  I acquired a Realist camera a
> year or so ago, and love the images it produces, and I'm experimenting
> with twinning a couple of Nikon F's for full frame work.

It's just fun to make viewmaster reels for the having grown up with it 
factor, plus for once *everybody* knows what the heck you're talking 
about.  :-)

And the quality of image isn't as bad as some might have you 
think.  There's something between magnificient and pure trash,
those aren't the only choices. 

I've used only one film so far in my VM camera (Fuji Sensia 2)
but suspect that Kodachrome 25 would do just FINE.  :-)

The new 12X Duke's viewer that's in Dalia's new catalog that
just came out ($195 as I recall) would make looking at your own
(first generation slide rather than copy of a copy of a copy....
 which production viewmaster images are) pretty grand.

I saw a prototype of that new Duke's viewer.  The viewer itself
looks and feels a great deal nicer than the prior version, and 
the optics are great.  It's a REALLY nice viewer, and a great deal
cheaper than the milled metal one that's still only 8X or so.  So
if one wants a REALLY nice VM viewer, but can't fork over $600, then
the $200 Duke's viewer from Dalia is a great one to get.  I'm
considering getting one myself.


>     I've followed this group for a while and don't recall that many
> people talking about shooting Viewmaster format.  Any VM shooters out
> there with advice?

I'm sure there are many.  I'm really not one, but that
doesn't stop me from giving advice anyway.  :-)


Mike K.


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