[X] My Assistant

[SkyeLab]

Folks, you must remember the classic Viewmaster (Fisher Price I think), see here for a reminder:

http://resumbrae.com/ub/dms438_f03/Stereo/viewmaster.jpg

So, how easy would it be to transfer L & R stereo pair imagery from the MER onto transparencies? Example :
http://www.postcardsmuseum.com/images/view...fthewinds00.jpg

I for one would buy a set of those, (for me and my 7yo boy).

Any thoughts?

Brian

[Bob Shaw]

The problem with Viewmaster is, of course, the peculiar packaging. I've never heard of anywhere to get the transparancies popped onto the carrier card commercially, though you could possibly find somewhere via a Google search. Creating the stereo pairs (very small, remember?) would be a fiddly job at best, not to mention the difficulty in simply properly photographing the original images. There *were* a few domestic Viewmaster cameras at one point (late 1940s to 1960s) and even some 3-D projectors (they used polarised glasses). eBay prices for the cameras are about $200, projector $350, cardboard carriers about $50 for 20. Collectors love 3-D, sadly, especially the proper GAF or Sawyers Bakelite models!

What would be no problem at all would be more conventional 3-D using two images and a viewer - Pentax make a nice little folding table-top one (model no 0-3Dv1) which was supplied with their Optio 330RS digicam at one point (it took 3-D pictures). 3-D doesn't work for everyone, and there are different variations on a theme, too, some of which don't need a viewer but do need the knack of selectively crossing your eyes!

And anaglyphs can be made with freeware and just need those red/green glasses...

Both conventional 3-D and anaglyphs would be entirely feasible and could be printed out cheaply at your local camera shop (once you explain to them what you're doing, so that the folk at the photolab don't have fits!).

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