P3D it's okay, let's all get along

[tmd@xxxxxxxxxxx]

One fellow says:
>The 1 in 30 rule (or 1 in 25 for hand viewer and
>1 in 50 to ensure projectability as Piper has it) does not assume, as

1/30, 1/25, 1/50, 1/f.  Which is it?  Seems like the number changes with
the "expert."  We are told it's so simple, but maybe that's the problem.
Maybe too simple.

>Theorum (as I call it) that permissable depth for a Realist-format
>camera stereogram may be calculated simply using the standard depth of
>field scale on the camera, using f/5.6 in the case of the Realist.

Dick says it's f5.6.  George says it's f8.  Piper says f12.  How accurate
can these little guesses be if the numbers keep changing?  And why do you
need another rule for maximum depth if the 1/30 is so accurate?  Both rules
try to gauge the same thing, and both do it poorly.

These simple rules seem to work if you keep changing the numbers.  Me, I
can't remember all the exceptions where they don't work.

And need I mention another piece of photo sophistry, the sunny 16 "rule"?
You can't even mention it without bringing up a list of exceptions and
adjustments.  Amateurs can't make it work, and professionals wouldn't be
caught dead.

These guestimates are okay in a pinch.  Heck, in a pinch, you can use flint
to make a fire.  Stop telling us it's the best way, in all cases.

Here's the crux of the problem: Even a monkey can take a great picture.
Entirely random settings, (and random composition for that matter) will
eventually yield a small number of splendid photos.  So if these "rules"
aren't much more than a wild guess, a couple decent photos will certainly
result just by luck alone.

Which makes me think.  At least two very vocal proponents of the "what, me
worry" school of photography have also stated they take upwards of 80 or 90
rolls of film a year!  Could there be some nice photos in 2000 totally
random images?  I think so.  And a lot of wasted film.  I mean, you would
need a drawer eight feet long to store that many stereo slides, every year.
What percentage go in the trash?

It's comical that the guy who's always selling sunny-16, f8, and 1/30 is
also the same guy that makes such a big deal of accurate stereo windows.
Imagine his reaction if you told him you just whipped up your slides
without measuring.  The horror!  Maybe measuring isn't so bad after all?

It's okay to snap photos without measuring anything.  Enjoy your
photography.  Go ahead and use sunny-16 rule, the 1/30 rule, the f5.6 rule,
or even random settings.  But let's stop fibbing about how well these
guesses work.

If some people get better results by measuring, so what?  Let's stop the
attack on people that want to improve their understanding of the science
behind the art.

Tom



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