Living In A 3D World…Aren’t We Doing That Already??

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There is some 3D-ness out now in the movies, the latest being Journey to the Center of the Earth, with more coming, but let’s give props to the 3 Dimensional photos that you may have had as a kid. Only viewable on this little item,
The Viewmaster.

It is STILL the coolest thing to pick up one of these plastic binocular type devices, slip in a circular disc and let your mind see things as in real life. With a proper depth of field, and almost like you can reach out and touch them.[photopress:mod_l_red.jpg,full,centered]
I always prefer the photographs to the animations as it has that extra tweak of reality shift. And after all, photography is about a reality challenge and capture. Not overtly, nor specifically, but one of the essences.
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What is it about these things that makes us impulsively pick them up and click along ?
For a more scholarly approach, click on this photo, below.
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But we think it’s the fun factor that is almost becomes a challenge. How good is the 3D-ness of the each image. The better the separation , the better the image. Somehow, if you duck when a 3D object approaches you, or you reach out to grab it, it’s considered a big win.
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The material available for your viewing pleasure is enormous.

[photopress:6142J37ZW7L._SL500__1.jpg,thumb,alignright] You can get everything from world travels to the Charles and Ray Eames design set, to animals of the deep. Something to look for when you hit the flea markets.

You know the fascination for 3D goes way beyond the Viewmaster though. Even though it was, and is the most common form of 3D viewing.

No, we are not forgetting the red and blue glasses, nor the polaroid lenses that are used for movies.
Or even the lenticular photos from 4 lens,3D cameras like the Nishika or the Nimslo.
Too obscure? We’ll explain more in a moment

Remember, still photography has been in this 3D world for years!

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St. Louis Worlds Fair 1904
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NYC Bridge

using anaglyph glasses (red/blue) the dimensionality is visible. WHAT? You don’t have a pair?
OK, email us and we’ll send you some. 1st email in gets em.


The Stereoscope

“The first stereoscopes called the Wheatstone’s stereoscope was developed around 1833 by British inventor Sir Charles Wheatstone. These first stereoscopes predate photography and the stereopairs in those days were created as hand drawings, similar to today where we create synthetic stereo pairs using computer graphics. The first stereoscope with a lens is attributed to David Brewster around 1849 and used paper prints contained within a box. The stereoscope shown here was developed around 1868 by Oliver Wendell Holmes and Joseph Bates, it force the eyes to only see the image they are supposed to see by using a lens and placing a physical barrier between the images.”
copyright Paul Burke 2005

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Classic

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Ummm…Modern??

There have been updates in the gear It used to be a Kodak Realist that used 2 lenses for the dual imagery.The center one is your main viewing lens.

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In the 80’s the Nimslo 4 lens camera created images that were seen through a reticulated plastic screen and required no special lenses. Actually did some pretty good 8 x 10 images with one of these. Limited printing companies.
And guess what? It’s Baaaaaccccckkk!
That cool image you saw at the top of the page? OK, maybe not a cool image, but cool in what you could do with that technique.
All done with this camera:

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Or you can go this route:

The good folks at 3D Stereo.Com are carrying a 3D lens to fit your digital SLR, allowing you to shoot 2 images (left eye-right eye) on one frame [photopress:lensincap.jpg,full,centered]

I bought one, put it onto a Nikon D200 and it is incredible! A fixed lens with minor adjustments available (2 Fstops), it really works.
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Using manual settings to get the right exposure, and of course my favorite 4×6 printer to quickly print out the dual images on one right sized print. They also sell folding paper viewers on the cheap, to get you started.

If you have more interest in this, or perhaps want to pick up some 3D items ( books, cameras,lenses, Viewmaster reels, etc.) the best place, no kidding is : 3D Stereo.Com,INC.They are the most knowledgeable, well stocked, nicest folks.
Let em know you read about them on photoinduced.com. We have no affiliation with them, just think they have the best stuff.

At the end of the day, all we’re saying is; keep exploring different ways to see, enjoy the methods and techniques out there for you, and have some fun. More fun.

And remember, your audience is watching.

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