P3D Re: Minolta SRT Twins and Beamsplitters

[Jim Hemenway <jim@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: mail <TCNET058@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>    Recently I obtained a second Minolta SRT series camera. It was cheap
> and in fair condition. (I really didn't want it but at $75 it was one
> of those too cheap to pass up deals) So now I have an SRT-101 and its
> slightly improved brother, the SRT-202. Fundamentally the same camera.

I mounted a pair of Nikon EMs on a simple bar found on ebay for less
than $10. I had considered a piece of wood but it would have had to have
been much thicker, (for strength) than the metal, (a little less than 
3/16 of an inch).

I trip the shutters with a dual release bought locally in the Boston
area for about $30. Synchronization seems to be a problem only for
subjects moving faster than a person walking. The dual release is over a
foot long and I've noticed that I can get the two shutters to fire
pretty close together by keeping the release extended with few twists
and turns... visualize the Statue of Liberty.  I usually set the focus
on 50 feet, the aperture at f 11 with Ektachrome Elite 100, and let the
shutter priority cameras figure out the rest themselves. 

The cameras are mounted side-by-side.  This results in a stereo base
that's wider than most folks would feel is optimal, but for me it's
great because it gives me fairly good stereo pairs for my "lazy eye"
problem. I've noticed that Boris mounts his SLRs bottom-to-bottom.

I view them in a DeWiss viewer.... the only choice!

I hadn't considered Sergio's ---with holes drilled at 3 distances (to
roughlyadjust the stereo base to "people", "architecture",
"landscapes").--- but I think I'll try it when the weather gets better.
The bar which I use has a short slot which might give similar results to
the three holes.

A wide neck strap is attached to the two outside lugs of each camera
which lets me wear the thing when out and about, but I don't take it on
long hikes. Instead I bring the the Stereo Graphic or the Pentax
beamsplitter mounted on a Spotmatic.  Incidentally, for anyone thinking
of acquiring a beamsplitter, I've found it difficult to use with my
split-image Spotmatic ... but it's fine with the "micro-prism" screen in
my other Spotmatic. I have a 52mm ring and a plain screen for my Nikon
FA but I haven't found the time to try that combination with the
beamsplitter. I haven't experienced a big keystone problem yet.

What the heck, try twining the Minoltas.