P3D Re: New VM Virtual Viewer

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

>Is it just me, or is anyone else disappointed in the new VM Viewer? I
>have recently started to wear glasses again after 20+ years of wearing
>contacts (I need bifocals). Anyway, the viewer has wings protruding on
>the sides of the lenses, plus the lenses are inset, so that my glasses
>are a full 22mm from the lenses. Compared to the model L at 8mm. 

My friend at work got me one of these for a present.  I had heard
about the problem with the glasses from the View-Master list.
However, he wears glasses and he had no problem using the viewer.
I don't wear glasses but I pulled the viewer away from my eyes
and I was still able to see the full image without any problem.
This is happening because of the double-lens optics.  They provide
decent eye relief (same is true for the model D).

>I understand that this viewer has doublet plastic lenses and they do seem
>to have greater magnification, but portions of the images are cut off
>and distorted from my viewpoint. 

Sorry to hear this... But, neither myself or my friend, had this problem.
I had another problem... (see next posting).  I could not fuse the
infinity points in many images.

>Plus when I put the viewer to my face
>without glasses, the lenses still produce a glowing red ring around the
>images. When will View-Master learn that their viewers should be black
>(at least in the image area).

I believe that this ring has nothing to do with the color of the viewer.
It comes from the area around and between the lenses which is glossy
and reflects light.  You can have a black viewer and will still have
this problem.  But if this area between the lenses is coated with matte
black paint then there will not be any problem no matter what the color
of the viewer is.  The same is true for the View-Master model D viewers.
Newer brown viewers have a glossy lens barrel.  Even though it is black,
it reflects light and this can be annoying.  I recommend painting this
with glossy paint.  Early black models do not have this problem (the lens
barrels have a matte finish).  (see my VM model D book for more details...
only $20 :-))

George Themelis


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