[photo-3d] Twinnable SLR's

[Pixschack@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/16/00 2:02:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Allan Griffin 
wrote and quoted:

<< (Cameras that can be electronically sync'd in a fairly simple manner are
 the answer.
 
   Gary:  (1) What SLR cameras are these?  Are they affordable?
             (2)  What  fairly simple manner do you envisage for
 electronically
                    synching them?
             (3)  How close (or wide) a tolerance are you prepared to accept?
   (I haven't read any previous posting on this subject)
 
  Allan Griffin
 
 >Then you have tremendous capability, especially for synchronized hypers.
 
 > Gary Schacker >>

First let me say that I approach this problem as a person who would never 
remove the top or bottom plate from a valuable camera myself. I've owned and 
used scores of cameras of many types and formats and vintages, but I don't 
disassemble them!  If you have the capabilities of a camera repair 
technician, then I guess you have many options. I can solder together some 
wire to make a simple connecting cable but that's about it!  

For people like me, there are no obvious choices in current model SLR's that 
are really easy to sync.  Some success was reported on this list recently 
with the new Pentax ZX-M.  Apparently, these will fire simultaneously when 
plugged together, but the factory remote release cables are expensive and you 
would need two of them spliced together.  It was mentioned however that the 
tiny 3 pin plug that Pentax uses may be available as a part at Radio Shack, 
making a less expensive alternative cable possible.  Boris Starosta purchased 
a pair of ZX-M's but ran into difficulty as the cameras would not trigger his 
studio flashes.  This glitch may be irrelevant to you.

Others have mentioned the use of current (I think) Cannon Rebel cameras.  If 
memory serves me well, these cameras require more than a simple plug 
together.  Others will undoubtedly expand upon this as my knowledge of the 
Cannon line is limited.

If you're willing to go to the used market you can take the Ricoh option.  
Several on this list including myself have committed to the recent vintage 
but now discontinued Ricoh XR-10M (or KR-10M which is the same).  These are 
manual focus, with aperture priority or manual exposure.  I've been using 
them for years and have acquired 4 bodies in anticipation of eventual 
attrition. If you can find them used, they will sell for not much over $100 
per body. These cameras simply plug together with a two conductor wire (the 
lighter the better) with a subminiature phono plug on each end. No diodes or 
electronic components of any kind are required for the connection.  No 
external firing switch is needed.  Trigger one camera in the normal manner 
and the other fires with virtually perfect synchronization. These connecting 
wires can be fabricated very very cheaply from transistor radio earplug 
wires.  Ricoh cameras use lenses with the standard Pentax K-mount, so lens 
availability is huge, both new and used.  When mounted together on a small 
sturdy bar, a rig like this is virtually a poor mans RBT although all images 
will be slightly hyper.  Some like this and some don't, but you face this 
with all twinned SLR's, unless you mount the bodies vertically, which will 
limit you to the 2X2 format.  You do have the option though of separating the 
cameras as far as you want with longer cables, for true synchronized hyper 
stereos which can be spectacular. 

When and if a new SLR model appears that can by synchronized as easily as the 
Ricoh's I think we will all be aware of it in short order!  Then I can stop 
repeating myself on this list like a Ricoh salesman! ;)  

Good luck!

Gary Schacker



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