Fw: [photo-3d] Twinnable SLR's

["Allan Griffin" <agriffin@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Gary, Hello once again,

Just a few more words on this question of just how easy it is to synch
a pair of Ricoh KR-10M, their later replacement, Ricoh XR-X3PF,
Pentax MZM and possibly the latest Ricoh 35R.

Of course, its very easy to grab any two of a same model of any of any of
the above and link them together via their external release ports.
However, the degree of "synch" or "out-of-synch" you get is purely in the
lapof the gods.  All these cameras have a "tolerance" allowed where the
individual CPUs can be + or - a certain tolerance with respect to the design
position.  When you grab any two cameras of the same kind at random, you run
the risk of getting one at max + (plus) tolerance of say 5 milliseconds (ms)
and one at max - (minus) tolerance of say 5 ms, then you have a pair of so
called synched cameras that are 10 ms out of synch!  The position can easily
be even worse than this.  On the other hand, you only need to find a pair of
cameras which hasthe same degree of either plus or minus tolerance (thats
average tolerance - because the fine line does wave around a little - and
you are in business with an acceptable degree of synch for sports action and
the like).  My goal is to get a pair that is within 0-2ms variation 80% of
the time.  Sometimes one has to settle for this at say 70% of the time!

The testing system for the above is very simple.  The time to test is at
point of purchase.  Once you have bought your cameras, its really too damed
late to fix them (or you have been extremely lucky) without going in for
internal master/slave surgery, rigging an electroic synch box or the like.

If there is sufficient interest, the above can be explored further.

Allan Griffin


----- Original Message -----
From: <Pixschack@xxxxxxx>
To: <photo-3d@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 17, 2000 6:38 AM
Subject: [photo-3d] Twinnable SLR's


> 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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