Stereo Realist

The company began advertising the "Stereo Realist" in photography magazines in 1945, although it was not produced until late 1947.

[2] The David White Company had great success marketing the Stereo Realist system to the public.

[3] The Stereo Realist system proved so popular that Revere, Bell and Howell, Three Dimension Company (TDC) and Kodak marketed their own cameras using the same format.

The Kodak Stereo Camera in particular, which was both less expensive and easier to use, might have outsold the Realist, had it been released prior to the end of 1954.

Note that in the Realist 45 the film cartridge is loaded on the right side of the camera, causing the images to be upside-down relative to the numbers.

The standard Realist and Kodak Stereo Camera have the cartridge on the left side, so the images have the same orientation as the numbers.

The routine for taking a photograph with a Stereo Realist is elaborate, compared to a modern camera.

This was called "The Three R's in Outdoor Stereo Photography" [10] and is based on the then-standard ASA 10 color slide film.

The double exposure button would have to be installed by the factory, but the depth-of-field scale and red marks could be added by a dealer or even the camera's owner.

Thus, older model Realists are sometimes found with red marks or depth-of-field scales, but without double exposure buttons.

The stereo base was ideal for subjects that were 7 to 20 feet from the camera, which worked well for most pictures but was somewhat lacking for more distant scenic shots.

[12] Because the Realist effectively created a new format of slide, its users needed a new line of accessories and services.

The David White company obliged by producing a whole system which included everything needed to take, mount, view, and store stereo slides.

Viewing accessories included several types of slide viewers,[20] the Realist stereo projector,[21] and polarized glasses.

Some users preferred cardboard slip-in mounts made by third parties because of their ease of use, even though they were generally considered to be of lower quality and were not suitable for projection.

The Brumberger binder frames and mounting glass were very popular among users of stereo projectors.

Later slides from this service were usually in "precision mounts" which contained an aluminum mask inside the same style of cardboard foldover.

[26] The Realist 45 is a stripped-down version of the German-made Iloca Stereo Rapid, without the rangefinder and self-timer.

[30] The Realist 45 also differs from the Kodak Stereo Camera in several ways: the Realist 45 film transport features a swing-out lever that allows rapid winding, a handy feature for those wishing to take a lot of shots quickly.

There was a single shutter for both lenses, thus insuring perfect synchronization, an important consideration when stereographing live insects.

Realist Inc. also produced an accessory lens kit, model 1525, that allowed varying the distance further from the subject (-3) or much closer (+3, +6 and +10).

The interocular remained fixed at 15 mm, so the magnification given by the +10 lens resulted in excessive parallax, and many people found the pictures produced by it difficult to view.

In the book Amazing 3D it is suggested that Kodak abandoned its mounting service in 1955 and then resumed it after the demise of the Realist.

[citation needed] Kodak maintained its stereo slide mounting service into the late 1980s.

[41] Supplies are generally available from stereo photography clubs, eBay or mail order companies.

Users who do not do their own film processing but which have their own 35mm film scanner and a computer with photo editing software such as Photoshop or GIMP can have their negatives returned uncut (lab dependent) and can prepare the images for printing on standard size photo paper themselves.

For general consumers, slides were replaced with technologies such as video camcorders and photo CDs (bundled with a set of prints).

Slide film remains available as a professional and enthusiast product, and is available from camera stores and through mail order.

With the recent popularity of 3D movies, 3D televisions and 3D computer gaming, there has been a renewed interest in stereo photography.

[48] The "Stereo Realist" trademark is currently registered to John J. Zelenka and is currently in use as a 3D production and services company located in New York.