P3D RBT S1 - I love it! :-)

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

OK, you asked for it!  Just mounted my first roll from the RBT S1.
To say that I am extremely pleased would be an understatement!

Let me explain a few things... Many things have changed since I
reviewed this camera two years ago.  At that time I was basically
still using a 5p Realist.  In the next two years I tried a couple
of Belplascas, I had my Realist enlarged to 7p, I searched and tried
all the best Realist models (like the Ektar).  My aim was to find a
stereo camera that will take sharp pictures at wide apertures.  Why?
Because I like to take handheld pictures with available light.

When I tried the RBT S1 two years ago I did not have the experience
(or maturity) to see what I was getting.  I mounted all my slides
in 7p mounts.  I did not have a good viewer that will show the entire
width of the 8p RBT mount (never had used one at the time).  My overall
impression what that this camera was a nice toy for rich people. 
I could not see myself paying that kind of money for any stereo 
camera and especially for a fixed focal length camera made by joining
two "point and shoot" cameras.  I honestly did not think it was worth 
it.  I was convinced that I could get the same or better (!) results 
with a Realist or a Belplasca.

>From the dozen rolls I shot with the RBT S1, I got some nice pictures
but not every picture was great.  A few good ones stayed in my memory
and tried to duplicate with other cameras.  One was a candy store
front I shot inside a shopping mall.  I loved the color saturation and
sharpness of this picture.  I had no idea what settings the RBT used
because I was using it in program mode, but the light was low.  I tried
to shoot similar pictures with my Realist 7p.  No way.  I could never
get the exposure right even though I was using a light meter. And
the picture were never sharp at the edges of the 7p frame at wide
apertures.  I changed the lens board of the Realist 7p two times.
>From David White 2.8 to Ektar to "German".  Still, could not make
my dream come true.

I'll take a break and continue in the next message...

-- George Themelis


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