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PRESIDENTS REPORT March, 2009. Many of us have invested in digital cameras for the advantages of their immediate replay, no expensive film, small size and low weight. Max Pow with his two high definition projectors, treated us to a professional presentation at the Fentress’s on 14 February; a taste of things to come. His earlier evening, when a new projector failed, was rescued by Marc Dawson with an imprompdu anaglyph movie on Max’s other projector. Many thanks to both for their top class presentations. Dell made good on the guarantee and delivered Max a new replacement projector. Max has kindly written the following report on the state of the digital 3-D art as it presently stands. Special 3-D Digital Report 14 March 2009 SPM: http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/stphmkr/ latest version 3.26 At the beginning of 2009 SDM was introduced making it possible to take synchronised images from two Canon point-and-shoot cameras. Having seen digital shows at Boise ISU Congress, I was keen to start, and selected Canon A650 cameras. Duncan Jones quickly came on board and selected the Canon TX1s, wanting to use both movie and single images. The TX1 is an excellent camera for 3D because of its slim body making it possible to have the cameras at any separation down to about 30mm for action macros. Warren Curran and Carl Watson both have a pair of TX1s. A single camera can also be used for sequential pairs, providing the subject is stationary. Sadly TX1s are no longer in production. The best software to handle the files is SPM both for compiling and viewing; spending a few hours to become familiar with this program will pay dividends later. The Society is now a member of the ISU digital club folio called CODE (Club Online Digital Exchange); for this we need to supply ten 3D images twice a year and these need to be supplied as separate L & R images, 1400 x 1050 pixels each. There are two resolutions being used in the ISU community; 1024 x 768 and 1400 x 1050. Our Society is able to use my Dell 5100MP projectors, 1400 x 1050, with reasonable resolution. I have just taken possession of a dedicated computer that is small enough for transport, so we can now do both film and digital at our meetings. A good projector is not cheap so I would recommend using your computer screen and a mirror viewing system with parallel L & R configuration. If paired images are kept at 2800 x 1050 pixels they can be used for normal viewing as SPM will adjust to the computer monitor in use and the same photos can also be used for projection without degrading the image. This could mean a dilemma, as time passes, for those of us for whom film is the only way — however, as long as film is being used, our Society will be able to project them and because of the computer system I have, we should be able to do both in one night providing there is time. The only criterion required is that all digital paired images must be, 2800 x 1050 pixels; dpi (dots per inch) can be ignored as only the pixel resolution is important for projection and computer viewing. Dpi is considered only when printing, as it has no influence in projection or viewing on a monitor. http://tyrell-innovations-usa.com/shop/ for jpsVisor (mirror viewer) I have tried to keep folks informed of any developments and useful information that I glean from two discussion groups I belong to, Photo-3D and SDM. Many thanks Max, also for representing us at Boise. Thanks also to Duncan for organising the memory sticks with digital 3-D into Folios A & B. Some of us need time getting up to speed with the software. Digital folios do seem to point the way. A suitable memory stick (flash drive) with included commentary sheets and notebook, can be packed into corrugated cardboard and sent as a folio, at letter rate 50¢ compared with about $5 for a lunch-box of slides etc. Viewing on monitor, parallel with PokeScope, cross-eyed or analglyph, still falls short of a good slide viewer, however, vertical format, filling the screen, has enough detail to satisfy most as Jack Parker demonstrated on Duncan’s memory stick in Folio A. But many of us are digitally limited to single-camera-sequentials with stationary subjects. Note that Ekeren 3-D equipment were selling twinned digital cameras from €750 to €950 in late 2007 prices. Contact info@ekeren3d.com for more info. I have stuck with film meanwhile for good depth of field on macros, and still vow to get the 2 Nikon F801s going for hyperstereos when I can break free from the orchid backlog due to compiling The Colour Field Guide to NZ Orchids, now available at $30. The Secretary too has a huge archive of 3-D slides so gets in the swim by releasing the shutter with a digit. From the number of archive slides now appearing in the folios, it seems, that many of us have largely eschewed film for digital imagery. The NZ Native Orchid Group’s AGM, saw my 3-D orchid show at New Plymouth on 10/11/07 where Dr Mike Duncan, President of ANOS Vic. (the Victorian branch of the Australasian Native Orchid Society), was guest speaker. He in turn got me to do a similar show in Melbourne on 4 July 2008. Max Hem kindly supplied the silver screen . It was good to meet him after seeing his excellent slides in the folios. The recent bush fires forced him and his wife to pack eve |