[photo-3d] Re: $tereo camera co$t$--FED-BOY?

[jastuart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

On reading this thread a thought came to mind. 

How much are manufacturing costs for the FED-BOY? It's, after 
all,the only reasonably large scale production stereo camera being 
made today (I believe it's still being made, that is).

The FED-BOY certainly is no RBT, but it is in 7p format, has good 
lenses and appears to have a market price (on ebay at least) of about 
$140. Low cost of Russian labor (probably military) to boot.

I would think that if it was possible to have a management team make 
needed changes in the camera, ie somewhat sturdier frame and back,
add 
rangefinder/focus mechanism, and improve the autoexposure mechanism 
(like any modern autoexposure camera), one could probably make a 
decent, modern, essentially point-and-shoot stereo camera for the 
$300-500 range (just a guess). Whether there is a market for that is 
another question.

John