P3D Re: Slip-in mounts

[Michael Kersenbrock <michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 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.

You and Ron seem to be saying that any slide that isn't
*precision* mounted is automatically "poorly mounted".
Using a slip-in mount is automatically horrible trash.  Although
I've  used them relatively little over the years, in my experience
they have haven't been that bad.  Now, if all one does are macros,
or tend to have bushes in bad spots, then there could be
consistent problems.   But if one (say) uses a Realist camera
and keeps the nearest object 7-feet (or further), and one
uses a film-cutter so it's cut straight and pretty well centered,
then the slip-in will work pretty decently most of the time (and
not have those batches with fuzzy edges) for hand-viewer use.
For that matter one can use the slip-ins first then remount those
they want to.

Sometimes even eating at McDonald's can be appropriate!


> > > 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.

I used a single glove (like I do when using RBT mounts which
is pretty much what I use exclusively of late).  Slip-ins are *MUCH*
faster than using an RBT mount (for me, but maybe I'm
just dog-slow using RBTs).  Personally, I find
the touching of film with a glove no more disturbing than the
film pulling across the camera's innards and the light-trap felt
in the film canister (twice, or even three times in the case of
film bought in bulk and hand-loaded).

I don't generally recommend the slip-ins either, but if one doesn't want
to spend the time, I think they're a step up from using Kodak
mounting.  Or at least in my experience,  results may vary.   :-)

Mike K.