[photo-3d]

["Joseph Petrarca" <jpetrarca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Rory.Hinnen wrote:
>Subject: Loreo Thoughts or Why I bought one

<snip>
<Okay, I agree with both of these statements. Recently I was confronted
<with recommending (or even purchasing) a stereo camera for a beginner. I
<chose the Loreo, and this is why:

<My friend is not a photo guy. My friend is also not stupid (one of the
<smarter people I hang around with). My friend also has a family of five
<and a job that requires traveling all around the world.
<
<I couldn't support the decision to go with a classic camera because:
<
<a) slide film is getting difficult to find. I used to find fuji and
<kodachrome is multiple speeds at target and walmart. Lately, all I find
<is kodachrome 100.
I'M FINDING THAT EVEN PRO SHOPS ARE NOT STOCKING A WHOLE BUNCH OF
TRANSPARENCY FILM STOCK.  I PUT IN AN ORDER TO ONE OF THE NY MAIL ORDER
HOUSES (ADORAMA, SMILE, B&H)- GET EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, (THEY STOCK
EVERYTHING) AT HALF THE COST OF LOCAL.
<
<b) slide film is more difficult to develope. I had to run around for a
<week or so before I found someone who could deal with my requirements
<(slide, no cutting)
HERE'S WHERE THE LOCAL PRO LAB COMES IN.  I PAY ONLY A BUCK OR TWO MORE FOR
"PROCESS ONLY/NO MOUNT" AT THE LOCAL PRO LAB THAN I USED TO AT KODAK.
QUALITY IS GREAT, TURNAROUND IS 4 HOURS, IT IS NOT TIGHT-ROLLED, AND THERE'S
SOMEONE I CAN TALK TO WHO IS AN EXPERT.  IS THAT ALL WORTH TWO BUCKS MORE
PER ROLL?  OH YEAH.
<
<c) mounting is time consuming. Very. At least to start. And it costs in
<supplies that are not easy to find (not as easy as going down to walmart
<and picking stuff up). Yeah, once I knew where to go, I had no problem
<getting everything, but until I figured it out, it was a hurdle.
OH WELL-YOU DON'T GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING...ALL HOBBIES, SKILLS REQUIRE
SOME LEARNING.
<
<d) A realist is not all you need. Light meter, slide film, cutter of
<some kind (I really don't think scissors are an option, though I've used
<them), tape, mounts, a viewer.
I SHOT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME WITHOUT A LIGHT METER, IT CERTAINLY HELPS...
BUT YOU HAVE TO LEARN THAT TOO-THE NUMBERS AREN'T MAGIC.  ALSO-I DON'T USE A
SPECIAL CUTTER.  I HAVE A SUPER-CHEAP LIGHT TABLE AND I USE COTTON FILM-LAB
GLOVES AND A SHARP XACTO-KNIFE WITH A SMALL 6" STEEL RULER.  WORKS
PERFECTLY.  VERY LOW COST. I MADE A COUPLE OF VIEWERS WITH A PLASTIC RADEX,
RADIO SHACK PROJECT BOX, BATTERIES, LIGHT BULB, ETC- FOR ABOUT 20 BUCKS
TOTAL EACH.  MY POINT IS, THIS STUFF CAN ALL BE OVERCOME-$$$ SHOULD NOT
PREVENT ANYONE.
<
<In short, my friend saw my pictures, saw my camera, was interested. But
<I think if my friend had to overcome all those hurdles before he saw his
<first picture, his interest would rapidly fade.
YEAH-IT'S INTERESTING.  I HAVE BEEN SHOOTING STEREO FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS
NOW, AND I HAVE SHOWN IMAGES TO MAYBE A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE, AT LEAST.
ALMOST EVERYONE IS, AT THE VERY LEAST, REALLY IMPRESSED AND QUITE A FEW ARE
"BLOWN AWAY"...WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE TECHNICAL STUFF, I USUALLY GIVE A 30
SECOND RAP RELATING THAT I USE REGULAR SLIDE FILM, AN OLD 1950'S CAMERA AND
MOUNT MYSELF..FINISHING UP WITH..."YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE A DEDICATED CAMERA"
AND EXPLAIN CHA-CHA USING STANDARD CAMERA AND REGULAR OLD MOUNTING WITH A
FIVE DOLLAR PLASTIC VIEWER THAT TAKES TWO SLIDES.  YOU KNOW, I HAVE ONLY HAD
ONE OR TWO PEOPLE PICK UP FROM THERE AND ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING AT ALL WITH
STEREO.  IT IS FUNNY, BUT MOST PEOPLE JUST WON'T GO THERE.  AND THESE ARE
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL USING COMPUTERS AND STUFF EVERY DAY, EXPENSIVE COMPUTERS
TOO.  I REALLY THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE PRETTY LAZY.  ALTHOUGH IT IS
CERTAINLY CONTRARY TO MY INCLINATIONS-I SUPPOSE THERE IS A PLACE FOR
SUPER-SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY- EVEN IF THE VISUAL EFFECT IS SIGNIFICANLY LESS
(IMHO).
<So I'm giving him a Loreo for Christmas. And he'll buy the film
<anywhere, and he'll develope it with all his other rolls of film, and
<it'll be just as soft as his little instamatic that he uses now. If he
<get's bit by stereo and has to do more, good. He'll know what direction
<to go to.
THAT'S REALLY NICE OF YOU-GOOD LUCK.
<I really think that some of us don't realize how complicated what we're
<doing really is. We all pretty much have an interest, or probably a
<passion that carried us past the initial difficulties. I can't guarantee
<that for every beginner.
YOU ARE PROBABLY ABSOLUTELY RIGHT...IT'S HARD TO BE OBJECTIVE (NPI)
SOMETIMES.

JOSEPH