P3D Re: Realist vs RBT vs SLR's

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

Mark Dottle writes:

>So.....show me a few 5p S1 images and Realist images....and I'm 
>guessing that I can tell the difference most of the time.

Fun game to play!  Let's try it!  

How does Tuesday December 1st, 7:30 pm, sound? :-)

>Otherwise George...why would you pay big $$$$ for the RBT? 

I have been trying to explain this :-)  As I said, 1. autofocus,
2. autoexposure, 3. 59 mm base, 4. full frame (plenty of space to
crop to 7p), 5. all the above in a nice compact package.  

For quick snapshots where I do not have the time to pull out the
lightmeter or do mental calculations or set a manual camera.
For low light situations where good focus on the subject is
critical and wide apertures must be used.  All that, plus whatever
else the Realist will do (but these are the situations where the
RBT S1 excells). 

As an added bonus I get standard 46 mm filter threads (see below), 
built-in spot-meter, unlimitted multiple exposure capability
(yes, the Realist will do that, but my Minolta X-700 will not!)
motor drive, quiet rangefinder operation (no mirror-slaping, I even
get a "silent mode" where you can hardly hear the camera operate),
bubble in the viewfinder (cute!), electronic self-timer, DX film speed
reading (no more screwing up because I forgot what film I have in 
the camera or to change the light meter speed setting), built-in
lens shades, auto-rewind (with ability to save the film leader),
slow exposures up to 30 seconds, top speed at 1/250 (for some people
too low, for me fine, as the review points out, the f2.0 large
lens limits the top shutter speed), automatic bracketting (if I
like it, I generally don't), electric cable release, and a few more
extras that I forget now.

The first thing I did was to order some standard 46 mm filters.
I also got 46->49 step-up rings because I have many 49 mm filters
from my Minoltas.  Also, I got these multiple exposure "filters"
which I plan to try in the first decent (wheather-wise) weekend.
These screw like filters in the lenses and have handles that rotate.
Will block half the picture in any orientation.  Have you seen this
trick stereo by Tommy Thomas where a cowboy is sitting in a fence
and he does not have any feet?  I will try this with my daughter
playing the role of the cowboy.  Heck, with the built in self-timer
I don't need my daughter or wife to cooperate.  I can be both the
photographer and model (only I am not that cute...) Anyway, it seems
that filters and trick photography are much easier with the RBT S1.

>Too lazy to carry around that light meter? :-) For $3100 I will follow 
>you around and carry the meter ( and camera bag)  And I'll drive. :-)

:-) Will you pose too?  Or, better, will you bring Karen to pose? :-)

George Themelis


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