P3D Re: RBT S1 - I love it! :-), part 2

[Eric Goldstein <egoldste@xxxxxx>]

Dr. George A. Themelis wrote:

> With older stereo cameras you need some decent apeture
> to get sharp pictures.  With the RBT S1 you learn that there is such
> thing as f2.0!

First, congratulations to you, George, on your purchase of the S1. Of
all the RBTs I've road handled (kindness of stereo superguy Jon Golden)
this is the pick of the line. The Hexanon lenses on these cameras are
just superb by any standard. Second to none. This, the excellent
automation systems of the camera plus the handling ease of the S1 are
what make me drool over them! (I think I may have drooled on your
camera, btw 8-))

Second, let's take note that award-winning stereo photographer George
Themelis is shooting wide open without hyperfocus... excellent! I, too,
love to use selective focus in stereo photography. Break those rules!

But I do want to take exception to the statement that 50s cameras cannot
be shot wide open. If you are getting bad results with your classic
camera at f/4 or wider, there is something wrong with the camera. I have
done much handheld shooting at full aperture in available light with my
Ilex and Ektar Realists and Belplasca... they perform beautifully,
particularly the tessars and tessar-types! Are they as sharp wide open
as they are at f/11? No, of course not. No camera is, including the
Hexar. Including top-of-the-line Nikon and Zeiss and Leitz aspherical/LD
glass. Is the difference visible? Often, yes, especially when viewing
stereos with higher orders of magnification and higher demands upon
resolution than drug store prints from flat cameras. But do they perform
unacceptably? No, they should not look "bad," and if they do it's time
to get your camera set up by an expert.

Remember that the exposure tables used with the Kodachrome of the 50s
calls for wide apertures much of the time. Many of those classic slides
we enjoy are shot at wide apertures... f/4 on a cloudy day...

Eric G.

BTW is should be pointed out that the S1 has one drawback in that the
top shutter speed is 1/250th...


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