P3D RE: Slip-In Mounts

["David W. Kesner" <drdave@xxxxxxxxxx>]

In p3d Digest 3723 Michael Kersenbrock replies to my post:

> > 2) Precision mounting is near impossible
> 
> If one is using it for hand viewing (like not having
> a projector) then this doesn't really matter.

I must respectfully disagree here. I find it much easier to spot poor 
mounting in a hand viewer. I do not understand this pervasive 
feeling that it is ok to view poorly mounted slides in a hand viewer. 
The only thing that I find easier to tolerate in a hand viewer is 
excessive on film deviation. Perhaps this is because the percieved 
deviation is less in the viewer than on the screen - I don't know, 
maybe one of our resident math experts can explain.
 
> > 3) They can be hard to insert the film chip
> 
> Once figuring out the "trick", insertion is pretty
> easy (use a piece of carved film as a "guide-leader").

It is more than a trick, you still have to "handle" the film chips 
excessively to get them in their slots. This might mean having to use 
gloves and actually touch the emulsion or using tweezers and risk 
slipping and scratching the emulsion. I find both of these methods 
objectionable, other may not.

> > 4) There isn't any room to adjust the window
> 
> If one is using it for hand viewing (like not having
> a projector) then this doesn't really matter much
> (okay a teeny bit if you have George's eyes, but
> if one is using slip-ins, one probably isn't that
> critical).

As in 2) above I must disagree again, and I don't have George's 
eyes *{;-)

It is no more difficult or expensive to precesion mount the first and 
only time. Poor mounting is poor mounting and can be seen no 
matter what method you use to view whether that be freeviewing, 
plastic lorgnettes, lighted hand viewers, high quality achromat de 
Wijs viewers, or projection.

As I have said before: your slide deserve quality precesion 
mounting - do not settle for anything less.

That's all for now,

David W. Kesner
Boise, Idaho, USA
drdave@xxxxxxxxxx