Re: [photo-3d] Co$t$ to build a stereo camera

[Herbert C Maxey <bmaxey1@xxxxxxxx>]

>>Bob....call Nikon Special projects and have them make you a stereo
camera
>>from the ground up.  Cost last year when I know someone checked in to
>>it...about $25-40K.   If you want to make 125,000 RBT cameras...then
large
>>camera OEMS might be interested in providing the tooling for the job.
>>Tooling up to make a camera...starting from design, procurement of
parts
>>and materials, molds and dies, probably costs in the low millions to at
the
>>minimum.

I do not have to. I understand what it costs to tool up to build
products. This was part of my job at a local contract manufacturer - to
cost out this type of work. Granted, with scale comes economy and if you
got the price of an RBT to the sub-grand level, you still would not sell
enough cameras. As for Nikon, If I were building a new camera, I would
not call them. the reason is cost, and it is not necessarily related to
the actual costs, it is more related to who they are.

Here is my only personal examples. 15 years ago, I had some custom work
done by Hasselblad. Nothing big, it was a modified A24 Magazine. Cost was
high, but it was less than had I been an average Joe. We used to project
stereo with a customized stereo projector. The lenses were custom
manufactured by E. Leitz, perfectly matched and in modified barrels.
Cost? High, but less than had we been someone other than who we were.

I agree the costs are high, but making a camera from the ground up could
be accomplished. I am sure it would cost me dearly, but I am also sure I
would make little or no profit from the exercise. I also know that the
price mentioned to have Nikon do it would most likely go far higher when
all is said and done. If I were to undertake such a project, I bet I
could find shops willing to do it reasonably.

Bob