P3D "Shameless hucksterism" and DrT

[George Themelis <gthemelis@xxxxxxxxx>]

I would like to take care of some unfinished business before the
list shut down last year.  

Responding to my series of postings on starting in stereo
photography with a single camera, Mike Canter  replied with a
subject line reading: "shameless hucksterism", saying that my
plugs for the Bogen slide bar and my Realist red button book
(from a different posting) do not belong in photo-3d.  Perhaps
the only thing that did not belong in photo-3d was the price of
the Bogen bar.  Everything else belongs here.

I would like to share with you the story behind the Bogen slide
bar, which also illustrates the way I operate:  

Two years ago, a friend and club member, Richard Fier, showed me
this slide bar that he bought at a local camera store and he
thought it would be nice for stereo photography.  At this time I
owned a couple of slide bars and had taken plenty of stereo
pictures (tabletops) with slide bars.  But when I saw the Bogen
slide bar, I immediately fell in love with it!!!  It was much
more compact, easier and faster to use and less expensive than
anything else I had tried before!!!  

Realizing that this is a great tool for stereo photography, I
got one for myself and it became a standard stereo accessory
like a flash or a light meter.  But I did not stop there.  I
wanted the world to know about it so I posted in photo-3d and
gave all the details.  I also got a small stock from B&H to
resell for a very modest profit.  I took about half a dozen of
these slide bars in each of the last two NSA conventions.  They
disappeared right away!  People who saw my demonstration bought
it. They wanted to grab mine too, but I wouldn't let it go. 
Eventually the word got around and other stereo dealers (Dalia
for example) started carrying the Bogen bar.

Parenthesis:  When I was a young kid, growing up in Greece, my
parents owned a clothing store.  I helped around the store but I
could not sell clothes!  I was not convinced that clothes are
important for you or that they make you look great.  And I could
not lie!  I could not tell anyone that they look good in this
new sweater because I did not believe it.  Obviously, I did not
care for clothes and, consequently, I could sell clothes.  I
maintain this attitude about clothes and about selling today. 
But when I know that a product is good, when I use it myself and
can see its great potential, then I become a great spokesman for
this product.  

Remember Harold Lloyd?  The nothing-a-year salesman for the
Realist?  I cannot really compare myself with the Great Harold,
but through the years I have become short of a salesman or
spokesman for stereo photography, the Stereo Realist, the red
button viewer, the halogen frosted bulb, the Bogen slide bar,
the Talbot storage pages, and even the RBT S1.  Check my
"toys"... there are all there!

http://home.att.net/~drt-3d/toys/

Now, some people have tried to reverse the argument.  They say:
"Sure, you say good things about the Realist because you sell
Realist cameras".  But that's not how it works.  I buy, sell and
repair Realist cameras because I like Realist cameras.  I sell
Bogen slide bars and halogen frosted bulbs because I think they
are good for you, not good for my wallet!  And, basically, I
don't care if you get these items from me or from someone else. 
My web page has lots of praise for items I do not sell.  And the
praise for items I do sell is not so I can convince you to buy
them from me.  The reason I carry them in the first place is
because I like them and use them myself!

I hope this clarifies my intentions and attitude towards selling
stereo goods.  As to the question about what is allowed and not
allowed in photo-3d, announcements of new or old products,
review of these products and information on availability, is OK.
 Details of business transactions (and that includes price and
shipping details if you are the seller) are not allowed.

Regards,

George Themelis


=====
George Themelis, DrT-3d@xxxxxxx
http://home.att.net/~drt-3d/
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