off topic... stereo

Images taken in a controlled environment or with a posed subject. All subject types.

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mtuell
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off topic... stereo

Post by mtuell »

This isn't macro, but I thought you guys might enjoy a print from my "new" camera, a circa 1957 GOMZ Sputnik. In 1965, GOMZ became LOMO, which you may have heard of... :)

Anyway, the Sputnik is a 120 roll film camera that takes a pair of 6x6 (60 mm square) images, through a matched pair of 75 mm f/4.5 anastigmat triplets. There is a third lens for framing / focus, and all three focus together! It's a cool manual camera, for sure!

Cross-eyed stereo
Image

This is two 8x8 prints that are slightly different, so we'll see how the stereo vision works out for people. I took this picture today and developed it this evening.

Sorry for the random posting!

I hope you like it! :D
Mike

lonepal
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Post by lonepal »

Hi Mike;

I think your vintage camera is very rare one, you said its 1957 model :)

Anyway I like vintage cameras. Lomo was a very successful brand at its time I think. It has so many optical equipments. I also like Lomo 3.7 and 3.5 microscope lenses very much, they are cheap but high performer lenses.

Bytheway is it hard to develop roll films? I think you should have an enlarger and a darkroom :)
Regards.
Omer

Cyclops
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Post by Cyclops »

Nice old camera. Unfortunately I can't see 3D as I only see through one eye so such images are lost on me.
Canon 5D and 30D | Canon IXUS 265HS | Cosina 100mm f3.5 macro | EF 75-300 f4.5-5.6 USM III | EF 50 f1.8 II | Slik 88 tripod | Apex Practicioner monocular microscope

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

The image is a really clear 3D for me. I'd like one of the cameras - for if I ever get a shelf with space to put it on.
1957 produced some very strange things, and my wife, the day Sputnik went up :D
Chris R

vendav
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Post by vendav »

Hi Mike,
Perfect 3D for me, one of the most effective I've seen.
1957 was a good year, I remember it well with all that smoking behind the bike sheds!
David

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

so we'll see how the stereo vision works out for people
Looks good.

Since you asked for critique... There are some alignment issues. The right side image is higher than the left, which requires a head tilt and introduces some unmatched areas around the edges of the frame. Three dust spots light up like fireworks. For my tastes, the pair can be significantly improved by pulling them into StereoPhoto Maker, doing an "Auto alignment", then tweaking the shift and cropping ever so slightly to avoid framing discrepancies. After correction, I see some differences in shadow density around the frame of the sculpture at bottom of picture, leading to a perception of difference that I often call "shimmer". But of course I am channeling my inner perfectionist. This is a good pair.

--Rik

mtuell
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Post by mtuell »

Thanks, everyone!

No, it isn't hard to develop film or make contact positive prints. You need a dark room to get the film into a developing tank, from there it is done in room lights. You need a few cheap chemicals. For enlargements, you would need a medium format enlarger. I've got a Beseler 23CII-XL, which is a lovely instrument from many moons ago. I also have a Beseler Cadet II, but it only does 35 mm and smaller negatives. These were enlarged something like 4x, so the grain is really not visible, which is the beauty of larger format film. For simply contact prints at native size, you could get away with no enlarger, but you do need a uniform light source of some kind. From there, you need a dark room with safelight, processing trays and chemicals. You can round up most of the hardware on eBay used and the chemicals aren't too expensive on Amazon or whatever.

I put the pair together in Stereo Photo Maker, but didn't play around with it at all. I'll investigate... I bet I can do better! :D

I said circa 1957 - I don't know the exact year, but it is the first version, putting it somewhere between 1955 and 1961, I think it was.

As for the subject, the sculpture is chunks of Pyrex from I think the second batch ever made, in 1935!

One further point about the photo quality itself - the enlarger lens is a 100 mm f/5.6 Schneider Componon S, so it is no slouch on that end...

Of all the versions and companies that produced this from 1955-1974, I think there were 86,000 made. They are available, but not super cheap - I think I paid $130 for my copy.

Do a little research - you will find common complaints being light leaks, internal reflections and lens flare. I've only done two rolls so far, but I haven't seen major defects with the particular unit - got lucky I guess!

Thanks again,
Mike

mtuell
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Post by mtuell »

Well, I finally got a chance to play with Stereo Photo Maker a bit more... cool program! This should be overall a better set, now.

Image

Mike

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Yes, much better -- no alignment issues or dust spots.

The biggest piece of shimmer is now caused by some "tearing" in the left hand image:
Image
It's an odd effect, and comparing against the first pair it seems to have been introduced in the rework.

Any idea what went wrong?

--Rik

mtuell
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Post by mtuell »

Good eye, Rik! They are details I "fixed" in the first version, but didn't do again on the second.

I finally broke down and got some color film and (gasp! :shock: ) took it to a professional film lab since I'm not set up for color at home.

Here is a quick taste:

Image

Image

I will get these and more in larger versions on my PBase site http://www.pbase.com/the_microscope_tuell/ in the stereo section.

As a reminder, these were taken with a GOMZ (subsequently LOMO) Sputnik stereo camera from circa 1957 or so. Medium format 120 roll film, Kodak Ektar 100, with the negatives scanned at 6 MP.

Sorry to be off topic again - I just think it is pretty cool making vintage tech shine again, and how it relates to the stereo images so many of us enjoy on a small scale.

Mike

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