P3D Re: Viewers

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

Rob "Everything I have is Y1.96K compliant" wrote:

>Some Realist Handi-Viewers have the achromatic lenses, though I
>don't know if they came from the factory this way, of if these are
>owner-done retrofits.

This was discussed in Dalia's Inside 3-D, 2.3 (Winter '96).  Mark Wilke
wrote a letter saying that this viewer was introduced in 1952 with 
achromatic lenses (red button lenses, I believe) for $12.75.  The
price was later dropped to $5.95 and the double-element lenses were
replaced with single-element (glass).  There are no identifying
features so you cannot easily tell what viewer you have.  The model
number for the Handi-Viewer is ST63.

>Since the button on the Realist Red-Button is an interchangable
>loose part, some Red-Button viewers have a white button, some
>White-Button viewers have a red button, and some of each may have a
>black button!

That's certainly possible, but does not happen very often.  Earlier 
(and most common) white button Realist viewers come in brown case.
The "white button" viewers with black body are less common.
The black button simply indicates a more recent red button viewer.
The buttons can be switched around but there is usually no reason
for that to happen.  

More information on the Realist "buttons" is found in my red button
book! :-)

George Themelis


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