P3D Barriers to entry into 3D (was: Re: P3D Re: PHOTO-3D digest 3247)

[Peter Davis <pd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Things that would be barriers to entry include:

	- large time requirements
	- large money requirements
	- large technical expertise requirements
	- large physical or manual dexterity requirements
	- large awareness requirements
	- large inconvenience

Of these, awareness is probably the most significant.  I doubt most people
even know what stereo photography is, let alone that it's possible.  I know
I was a View-Master enthusiast for years before ever realizing I could do
this with existing or affordable equipment.

Also, I think the first 3 (time/money/technical expertise) kind of
interrelate.  I still don't mount my own slides, mainly because I don't
have the time.  I do have Realist slides mounted by Kodalux, but that costs
more money.  It's still pretty affordable (but the quality of their service
seems to have done down.)  I could pay for precision mounting by Ron Labbe
or someone else, but that requires more money.

After awareness, I think the biggest barrier, though, is inconvenience.
Most people just get prints made at their local drug store, carry them in a
pocket or purse, stick them in an album, etc.  People do not like to be
bothered with viewers, let along elaborate projection equipment and glasses.

This is why I'm currently favoring a twin rig.  I can get 2x2 slides
commercially mounted almost anywhere, or I can get prints.  The prints are
easy to arrange for over/under or side-by-side viewing, and can be enjoyed
without any kind of viewer at all.  The prints don't look as
color-saturated as slides, and have problems with reflections, but I can
always shoot slides through the same rig, and still get commercial processing.

For the complete novice, I would recommend starting with the "cha-cha"
method.  It requires no special equipment.

-pd


--------
                             Peter Davis
               Funny stuff at http://world.std.com/~pd
           Resources for children's writers & illustrators:
		  http://world.std.com/~pd/cwrl.html


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