P3D Re: Hayride!!! & RBT S1

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

Best buddy Mark writes:

>Darn it George!! " Hayride" is a great candid shot of kids being
>kids.....I thought you used your realist and staged the shot. 
>Now you say an RBT $1....er ...I mean S1?

Yes, RBT $1, exactly!  Two years ago Jon Golden let me borrow an RBT S1
with the condition that I write an review in Stereo World.  I kept the
camera for 3 weeks and shot 12 rolls, ALL IN AUTO EXPOSURE AND AUTO
FOCUSING MODE!!!  (Manual modes are, of course, possible too, but,
why bother? :-))

In one occasion we went for a hayride with our church group.  Kids were 
playing throwing hay at each other.  I saw this kid putting hay on my 
daughter's hair.  Lifted up the RBT and said "smile" and that was it!  
One of my very favorite pictures was recorded instantly.  Camera was in 
auto-everything mode.  Just lift and shoot.  (Read my review in Stereo 
World 23.6 and see the "hayride" picture in page 30!)

I was only 6 feet away (maybe 5).  The 70 mm interocular of the Realist
would have given too much depth for good projection.  But the 59 mm
of the RBT S1 were perfect, resulting on a close-range stereo that
projects well.

After I used the camera, I thought it was too much money to pay for
a glorified point-and-shoot.  I bet I can take the same pictures with
my (in the works at the time) 7p Realist.  For two years I suffered 
with the Realist. :-)  Results are OK but instant snapshooting under 
variable light conditions is not possible.

Finally, last month, another hayride.  More cute scenes with kids
throwing hay at each other.  I pulled the Realist, took the time to
set the aperture, shutter speed, focus.  Full sun.  Lifted the camera.
Tree shade.  Ooops, got to change the aperture to get more light.
Sun again.  Tree shade.  Finally I snapped 3 pictures.  Results were
not as bad as I had expected but still nothing like the RBT S1.  
During that ride I would have shot a couple of rolls with the RBT.  
Only 3 pairs with the Realist.

This experience tipped the scales.  I like candid people shots at 
close range.  The RBT S1 is the way to do it without flash in auto
mode all the time.  Still lots of money.  But I need this camera
now that my kids are young and cute.  Later it might be too late.

To be continued....

George Themelis


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