Chinon 35mm stereo camera

[Paul Howell]

Saw this on Ebay, could not find any info. Based the CP9 AF body.

 

[BAC1967]

That’s interesting, must be very rare or a prototype. One thing I noticed is there are two infrared focusing eyes, one for each lens. I would think you would want one so the focus of each lens is the same. If each lens was focused different it could screw up the stereo image.

 

[Donald Qualls]

If it's a prototype (as seems likely) they probably just didn't fill in or close over the second focus eye. More likely (from the mount spacing and such) it's a homebuilt or a novelty item that doesn't actually work in any way. It'd need the auto advance reprogrammed to handle the skip-frame (shoot, wind one, shoot, wind three), if in fact the mounts are actually two frames apart. Seems unlikely to actually produce useful stereo images...

 

[Paul Howell]

I wonder if it was made for an industrial application, notice one lens mount had a red dot for lens alignment the other green, 2 different lens?

 

[AgX]

There were firms who made combos of SLRs in small series.

The colours of the mount indicators likely hint at which lens goes to which side, as possible inter-lens coupling-mechanics typically would not show such at first sight.

 

[Donald Qualls]

There were firms who made combos of SLRs in small series.

Did they have the resources to reprogram the camera's controller? And if so, why would they keep both mirrors, prisms, eyepieces, and flashes?

 

[AgX]

Why bother taking these out if it works with them? Furthermore to save on complicated electronic coupling both cameras might still meter on their own. With integral metering that should work. And then you need those parts.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Aren't most of the electronics in the side with the grip -- present on only one body?