P3D Re: Stereo Realist Owner's Manual on-line?

[Linda Nygren <lnygren@xxxxxxx>]

Greg Downing wrote:
> 
> Hi folks,
>      I just got a Stereo Realist on loan for a month from the Oakland CA
> stereo club, and in my haste I walked off without the owner's manual. :-(
> I didn't think it would be a problem but now I have my film loaded and
> can't figure out how to cock let alone release the shutter. Is the
> realist owner's manual available on-line anywhere? -Thanks
> 
> Greg Downing
         Greg Downing <downing@xxxxxxxxx>
> IS&T Helpline
I am pretty sure that it is not available online.

The shutter cocking lever is under the lenses. Just be sure you are at
the shutter speed you want before you cock it.  The shutter release
button is on the top left (the inventor was left handed). The winding
knob is on your right as you take the picture, and in order to advance
the film you need to momentarily press the button on the top right of
the back to get it started. If there is a second knob on the top left of
the back, this is the double exposure prevention override mechanism. In
other words, if you pull it out you can take as many double exposures as
you want. If it is in the normal "in" position, it will prevent you from
taking double exposures. If this knob isn't present then you need to be
careful to wind after each exposure (cocking the shutter before the
next) so as to not take accidental double exposures. The red indicator
on top of the camera indicates that an exposure has been taken but the
film has not yet been advanced.

The dial on the top should be set to "A" for advance at this point. At
the end of the roll, turn it to "R" for rewinding with the knob on the
left. The focus knob/ distance setting is on the right side, and the
apertures are of course marked on the rings around the lenses and the
shutter speeds on the ring around the viewfinder. You probably had most
of that figured out. The viewfinder and rangefinder windows are on the
bottom of the camera, and are designed to allow/encourage you to rest
the camera on your forehead for additional stability. 

If you already loaded the film without help, be sure that you properly
engaged the film in the little sprockets in the middle, or your film
advance won't work right. The easiest way to do this is as described in
Dr T's revision of the Realist instructions, which is excellent by the
way. (I don't have the book handy, so this is not a quote, but a
description of how I do it.) The film advance should be set to "R" then
just pull the film through between the little metal piece and the
sprockets, which should turn easily, then engage the end of the film
leader in the uptake reel and wind from there. Once engaged, switch to
"A" and put the camera back on and advance another 2 or 3 times,
pressing the little release button momentarily each time you advance.
The instructions in the original manual and on the inside of the camera
would work with the older style long film leader, but not with modern
film with its short leader.

I hope this helps. -Linda


mailto:lnygren@xxxxxxx


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