P3D Re: RBT X4 - First impressions...

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul Talbot asks:

>> It takes some time to get used to it.  The shutter button has 3
>> settings:  Lightly pressed it activates the light meter.  Pressed
>> a bit more it lifts the left mirror only.
>    
>What is the reason for this behavior?

Here is how it was explained to me (or how I understood it):  One of the
two cameras acts as the master and the other as the slave.  When the
mirror of the master is lifted, both shutters are fired.  But we have
to make sure that the mirror of the slave is out of the way.  So we
make this mirror lift first.  In the X4 the right camera is the master
and the left the slave.  BTW, same is true for the lenses.  The f-stops
of one lens are removed as it is linked to the other.  It appears that
the X3 (camera body) does not operate in the same principle however...

>> The accurate composition and extra
>> depth punch of the X4 will pay off in stereo projection.
>    
>Why is that?  Projection "punches up" depth (stretches the z-axis)
>anyway.  Why is even more "punch" needed?

Aha!  Good question!  You are an observant reader and listener.
What you are saying is correct.  But it ultimately depends on the
subject being photographed.  Landscape photographers find that
in many pictures there is no strong near-by foreground.  A little
extra camera separation will help if the nearest object is
further than 10 feet.

Mark Dottle writes:

>Standard Pentax lenses can be added for, lets say 70-210 zoom 
>capabilities without having to sync 2 separate camera bodies.

Hey Mark, I would not attempt the 70-210 zooms!  But if you 
stick two 2x extenders (as cheap as $15 ea.... just got two
today!) you can turn your 35-70mm zooms to 70-140mm.  It sure
sounds good in principle!  Don't know how well will work in
practice but I will let you know when I figure it out :-).

George Themelis