P3D Re: Anyone with a beamsplitter? , P3D Re: Beamsplitters

[abram klooswyk <abram.klooswyk@xxxxxx>]

Boris Starosta wrote (7 Oct 1998, PHOTO-3D Digest 3016):
>I would like to learn more about beamsplitters.

I believe the last beamsplitter debate faded out in july/august this
year. Now that it is brought up again I like to share a little story.

Paul Wing wrote an article in Stereo World may/june 1981, 
vol 8 nr 2 p 19 (in his series "Equipment Notes with Paul Wing") titled:
"Beam Splitters No Solution for 3D Pictures", 
which I considered as more or less the definitive article on the 
subject. So I made a translation of it for the 3-D Bulletin of the 
Netherlands, Nr 59 oct/nov 1981.

Paul Wing's opening sentence was:
"Don't buy a beam splitter for your Pentax!" and he continued:
"(...) I've never seen a really good stereo picture made with one of
those gadgets. If you already own a Pentax and want to add another 
assessory that will find it's way to the back shelf, go ahead, but don't 
say I didn't tell you."
Paul then mentioned beam splitters by Burke and James, Leitz and Zeiss.
"(...) results even with these deluxe units are a big disappointment."
"(...) the angle of view is more than cut in half." 
"(...) almost impossible to control the window for good viewing. 
Oh sure, you'll be excited if you have never taken a stereo picture of 
your own before, but you will quickly tire of it." (...) 
"This strong recommendation applies regardless of how precisely the
unit is made. That narrow, tall, fuzzy edged picture is simply
unacceptable."
"Even worse are the cheap larger units sold for the Polaroid cameras."
(...) Projection using a single projector is also possible but I don't
know anyone who does it. Here again, the results would be third rate."

Although I clearly had indicated in the Dutch Bulletin where the article
came from, I got some very angry reactions, which proved the existence 
of people who really used a beam splitter (and were happy with it...), 
and who took the messenger (me) for the message. But they were right of 
course in assuming that I agreed with most things Paul Wing wrote.

In many European countries it was (and is) difficult to buy a real 
stereocamera for people who were (are) not in contact with a stereoclub, 
but it is not quite understandable why anyone who *can* buy a real 
stereo camera would use a beam splitter.

Abram Klooswyk


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