Stereography

[BAK61]

Anyone playing around with stereo cameras like the Holga TIM or Loreo cameras?

 

[Truzi]

I'm fairly new to this. A few months ago I picked up a Stereo Realist 45 (35mm). I used it once just to test - using color negative film, I scanned the negatives, put the pairs together (for cross-eyed viewing) in The GIMP, and had them wet-printed at Walgreen's. I didn't assemble the images well, but the camera works perfectly.

Next week on vacation I'll be using it "for real." I'll use transparency to do it the right way, and probably some B&W negative film so I can optically print them when I have the bathroom set up as a darkroom.

 

[Oxleyroad]

I use a Loreo a few times a year for giggles. It always draws the attention of those around me. Works fine for a $20 plastic camera. Gives more than adequate images for placing in the stereo viewer.

 

[xya]

I have both, a stereo-realist and a loreo. the stereo-realist is fantastic with slide film and its mounts and the viewer, but it is a lot of work. the loreo is much easier and fun nevertheless.

 

[GregW]

I've used a fair number of different stereo cameras, Realist, Revere 33, Richard Verascope F40, Leica Stemar and Nimslo. Stereography is a bit of work, you have to be able to patiently align and mount the chromes or use software that takes a bit of learning to use. Being the sort of person who is hyper organized and neat really helps. Of course I'm far from that so it sometimes is a struggle. My advice is to set yourself up from the beginning with a good work flow and organized storage. The Holga is probably pretty fun. A quick way to stereographic images without a big outlay of money.

 

[BAK61]

I have the TIM and the Loreo. The Loreo seems to work better in the sense that the film lines up better.
I also have the Loreo Lens for my digital camera. That works great because you don't waste shots.

 

[edp]

Get a Sputnik! It's pretty good once it's overhauled and the worst problems are fixed (shiny interior, light leaks round the door). You can't beat a pair of 6x6 slides in the viewer.

 

[SafetyBob]

I will also join the band wagon advising you to get one of the classic stereo cameras. These days, it is alot of work to cut, align and do the work the lab used to do. I do not know of any lab that will mount your stereo slides. Since I only have the classic stereo Realist hand held viewer, I can only tell you the results will make you giggle every time you look at your work.

What makes it more rewarding is that I use my dad's stereo realist camera he bought in the late '50s.

Bob E.

 

[Ross Chambers]

On impulse I bought a Holga 120, cheap enough from Freestyle, overpriced seriously in Oz. I had achieved quite good results with a RB67 and a Yashicamat 124G via the slide across and make the second exposure technique. That has the disadvantage of course that any moving object becomes a hazy ghost in the viewed stereo print.

The Holga applies tension to the film with a cheap foam plastic insert on either side. These pulled off on the first advance wind, stuck in the gate and wrecked most exposures.

The salvaged ones were what I guess Holga is known for: flat contrast and overall fuzzy focus. They did save me the task of cutting and aligning the contact prints.

I feel that the stereo effect is best achieved when the prints are sharp and have good contrast, the Holga isn't great for that. Manfrotto makes a good slide bar with a scale that works accurately and well with the slide across technique.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

My brother has a small collection of stereo picture cards and a wooden viewer. They are just incredible to use and see, when the image is clear and the focused image depth was good. I had always shied away from stereo cameras but might look into it again. I have seen some creative applications of it with scanned images to create a flickering animated 3d image. It's so much easier to adjust your eye to them than using the old wood and glass viewers. I have even seen results from from cameras that take more than 2 frames such as the nimslo, applied digitally that seemed to have even more depth to the image. The Nypl took on a monumental task of scanning their entire stereo picture collection and made it available online to edit into animated flickering 3d images. They did a good job and I suggest that people take a look at it if they have a bit of time. It's called the stereograminator.

I think I'll have to pick up a stereo realist for the summer and really give it a try.

 

[GregW]

You can get a realist for the cost of a holga these days. look around. I think of the realist format I prefer the Revere 33. It is also available cheap. I went to the Verascope for the wider format- 7 sprocketholess wide instead of 5. It's a bit more money. But the revere is a nice camera, easy ergonomics and sharp lenses.

 

[BAK61]

I have an antique stereoscope and a bunch of cards. I always loved my viewmaster growing up. I have a copy of the Stereo Realist Manual by Morgan & Lester, and am thinking of getting a Realist. I love playing around and using B&W film to get an antique look..

 

[DrTang]

I too prefer the revere (or even better - the wollensak) to the realist..I sold my 2.8 when I got the revere (cept now that I picked up a custom - who knows)

I really like viewmaster myself and wish there was a way to keep that dang cutter sharp and in spec

and - duplicate the slidefilm before cutting so I could make small runs of subjects for the heck of it

I bet it can be done digitally now with some kind of scanning and imaging to film chain

 

[TimFox]

I've had good luck with the old Pentax stereo adapter set. One piece (two front-surface mirrors) screws into the filter thread of a 50 mm lens (35 mm camera) and gives two portrait images on a 24x36 mm landscape slide with a blurred border between them. The other piece (two eyepieces) holds the 2-inch slide (conventional mount). With a proper foreground cue, the stereo effect is good.

 

[m1tch]

Look out for a Gomz Sputnik, I have one, its pretty cool

 

[R Paul]

I have had a Realist for a few years now and it's really a great camera but takes a bit of time to think in stereo. Camera is like a brick--Literally. By using hyperfocal focusing,you rarely miss a shot. Just repaired a flash sync problem with a couple of regular screwdrivers. Have boxes of mounted slides ,but never thought of positive stereoviews. Could be the answer when slide film runs out There are D*** ways to manipulate images for printout. Gonna drag out the projector one day and amuse the wife and kids
rob

 

[nokia2010]

Well, there was one "Revere" Stereo for sale in Romania. Too much for my budge. I don't think the store haves it any longer.
But I wonder how good it worked. And if it can be adapted to be used with Xenon flash.