[photo-3d] Medium Format Viewers (again!)

[Dylan the Hippy Wabbit <dylan.wabbit@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi folks,

First I'd like to say that I've been off the list for about eighteen
months, and it's good to hear from you all again.  The constant
good-natured bickering made it feel just like coming home! ;-)

Secondly, the timing of my return couldn't have been better.  (Very rarely
do I get to say that!)  While off list I've begun using a pair of Yashica
124Gs to shoot stereo slides, but I don't yet have a viewer.  I'd rather
tinker than import one of Alan Lewis' kits, just for the experience you
understand, so the discussion of viewer optics has been very helpful. 
Mostly it's confirmed that some of my plans were along the right lines,
which is nice.  Mind if I run them past you?  Some feedback could avoid
pricey mistakes if it's already been tried and failed.

Optics

I was thinking medium format loupes, for their known high quality and
guaranteed full coverage of a 6x6cm slide.  They would also come
conveniently preset to the correct focus.  I was already of the opinion
that I could fix the separation, and the recent discussions have confirmed
that to my satisfaction. 

The downside of that is, of course, cost.  £110 each.  The Widescreen
Centre in London sometimes have a good, but reasonably priced, model.  The
Russian factory isn't being forthcoming though.  :-(

I'm not aware of any equivalent to Edmund's Scientific here in the UK and
going down that sort of route will also mean I'll have to sort out a good
mounting method.

Illumination

Stealing the light will make for a simpler start, maybe I'll add lamps
later.  I remember a discussion concerning Illustrator's Mylar for a
diffuser on this list, but I can't find it.  Maybe it happened after Dan
Shelley's 3DCD was made.

One idea I'm toying with is having a white reflector at 45 degrees to the
slides, so that the light comes in from above.  Well, that's where it
usually is.  Then you can hold the viewer horizontally.  Unless you're
using window light of course.

Slide Mounts

I only know of the one source for these, RMM3D.  After what happened to the
lenticular printing services for my IT Wizard I'm a bit nervous about
single sources.  Any alternatives?

What are the practicalities of using pairs of standard 'one eyed' mounts? 
I can just see a giant Pinsharp viewer!  Has anyone tried it?

If I go with RMM3Ds siamesed mounts what is the separation?  I'd
anticipated looking through the lenses slightly off-centre like a print
viewer, but with the size of the slides being so close to typical eye
separation it may not be necessary.

I haven't thought too much about guiding the slides into the correct
position in the viewer, but it will obviously be important to make the
thing easy to use.

Actually mounting will be a whole new adventure.  My plan is that infinity
points (actually furthest points, you might not see to infinity) should be
65mm apart max, and any window problems fixed by masking.  Shots taken
inside, without anything at infinity, can probably be mounted to the
window.  Am I right?

I've got my eye on a big magnifier on legs from a disabled people's aids
shop for the basis of a mounting jig.

Any suggestions where I've Still Not Got It would be appreciated.

TIA

Dave Spacey

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