Stereoscopic Apparatus

A stereoscopic apparatus (shorter: stereo apparatus ) is a Camera gathering two photographic rooms - and thus two objective S - placed coast beside interdependent manner in the same case, intended to produce conveniently and in the same moment a stereoscopic couple, i.e. two photographs twin (but nonsimilar) for the restitution of the relief or, if one prefers, of the 3rd dimension.

History of the stereoscopic apparatuses

The Stéréoscopie has, until now, known four large waves corresponding to radical technical changes. The stereoscopic apparatuses followed the technological change, just like their cousins monoscopic (or monocular), but always with a few years of variation, time necessary to the reflection and the design of machines serious and usable. Moreover, the stereoscopists, not very inclined with precipitation, like to see a technique stabilizing itself somewhat before adapting it and adapting it in a final way to their specific needs.

The stereo apparatus of the years 1850

The stereoscopic apparatus of the pioneers of photography is manufactured by cabinetmakers, just like the “normal” apparatuses. The same body out of noble wooden, carefully built, gathers the two rooms separated by a median vertical partition. It is up to the user to choose his objective in the optician of its choice. These apparatuses are seldom built in series, and rather correspond to independent drives photographers of trade, according to the use which they want to make. It is not question, at that time, of Photographie of amateur: the photographer, stereoscopist or not, must prepare his photographic emulsion on the spot, which it suitably spreads out over plates of glass appropriate to the format of his apparatus. These formats are standardized little, or at all, but the width of each element of the couple is, by the force of the things, around 8 cm, which gets consequently a rather marked feeling of relief, whose customers of the stereoscopic charts then sail very about it in Europe and in America generally does not complain. A typical construction of this time is a body in cabinet work with a drawer of Mise at the point with toothed rack, which carries both objective S to brass mounting, equipped with Diaphragme S sometimes coupled by a common rod. The stoppers play the part of Obturateur. A double stopper with horizontal hinge guarantees a equal Exposure time on the two sides.

The stereo apparatus of the years 1900

As of the end of the century, the technique changed, the customers too. It is from now on possible to buy the photographic plates out of hard-bound boxes of a dozen, all ready with employment. It appeared to new customers travellers easy, eager to preserve alive memories their peregrinations, but as of impetuous young people people to Casquette or Canotier, definitely less silver plated, but as much curious as their elder to practice an art or a so new entertainment and, say it, if astute. These two categories want apparatuses easily transportable. That dissuades them to carry with them large photographic rooms: they are thus turned in rows tightened towards the Stéréoscopie, essentially of small size. This time, the apparatuses are indeed manufactured in series, but always with artisanal means. With most fortunate are proposed rigid apparatuses, out of wooden or metal, sheathed or not. The obturators, the diaphragms, the slopes of development are carefully coupled by systems of rods articulated on concentric rings surrounding each objective, themselves very elaborate, often of type Tessar or equivalent. Young people are entitled to apparatuses moulded in Bakélite deprived of any adjustment and provided with simple objectives. Between these two extremes, there exists a whole category of stereoscopic apparatuses with Soufflet simple or double, generally built out of sheathed wood. The formats finally tend to be standardized, and one meets soon in an exclusive way the 6 X 13 cm (double 6 X 6 cm), launched in 1893, soon followed small size 45 X 107 mm (double 4 X 4 cm). These apparatuses and these formats perdurent until 1939, with, towards the end, a strong preponderance of the Pellicule compared to the plates glass, which however ensure a better flatness.

The stereo apparatus of the years 1950

Change of scenery, there still. With leaving the war, for want of anything better, one perhaps continues 6 X 13 of the years 1930, but one has a cast on the side of America which has just invented the Kodachrome. craftsmen have the idea to put Film cinema 35 mm in apparatuses stereo. Thus, there will be all at the same time the Relief, and very soon the Couleur! Verascope 40 of Jules Richard is launched in 1939. It is a expensive apparatus, but very snuffed, manufactured by a workshop of Precision mechanics. Its production will remain always confidential. It remains on sale until 1967.

It is not the same in America, where Realist Stereophony will know, of 1946 to 1971, with an apogee in 1954, a true passion on behalf of a public informed or succumbing to the charms of a noisy publicity: how to resist, when one sees Realist between the hands of the president Eisenhower or the largest high-speed motorboats of Hollywood, like Harold Lloyd, Bob Hope or Humphrey Bogart? After this date, the quarter of million approximately stereoscopic apparatuses with film 35 mm produced in the United States primarily, but also in Europe and even in Japan for the last of them, will be enough to satisfy the needs for the stereoscopists for the whole world to the paddle for the third millennium.

The stereo apparatus of the years 2000

Many stereoscopists of the whole world, concerned of the quality of their production, currently continue to practice the silver Photographie, and particularly the Diapositive, more beautiful than ever. They ended up being equipped with apparatuses 24 X 36 double, often reflex cameras, manufactured in a very artisanal way by specialists meticulous persons, able to assemble two monocular apparatuses of the trade, to saw them and to join together them physically, mechanically, and even electronically if necessary.

Loreo, a company of HongKong always distributes a bottom-of-the-range apparatus 24x36 able to carry out stereoscopic sights on an ordinary film 135. Except the limitations of the apparatus (plastic case, developed fixes), the fact of having the two sights on the original format tends to privilege the subjects with vertical framing.

After 2005, much from stereoscopists however passed to the numerical stereophotography , taken using two apparatuses placed side by side on a bar of their manufacture, and greater possible number of electronic couplings. But currently, there does not exist, on the market, nor even on an experimental basis, of stereoscopic digital device itself, i.e. in only one rigid case.

Some typical models of stereoscopic apparatuses

Richard verascope

Produced by Jules Richard of the years 1890 to 1930, the Verascope existed in format 45 X 107 mm or 6 X 13 cm (and marginally, in format 7 X 13 cm). It was in chemically turned blue Laiton, and existed in many versions, according to the requirements of the customer. Sight with framework or central optical, Developed with helicoid slope or not of development of the Obturating whole, fast or not, store with plates, back film or simple grooves for frame, the completions was varied, and the prices too. To finish, the objectives were going from very ordinary to more refined.

Heidoscop and Rolleidoscop

War-horse of Franke and Heidecke during the years 1920, forsaken soon with the profit of the Rolleiflex dual lens, but monocular to which it directly gives birth as of the years 1930 (the prototype of Rolleiflex is Rolleidoscop painfully amputee of half and turned of 90°), Heidoscop (with plates or film) or Rolleidoscop (with film exclusively) exists in 45 X 107 mm and 6 X 13 cm. The objectives are always Tessar Carl Zeiss Jena. The third central objective ensures an aiming reflex camera (framing and developed) of high degree of accuracy. One to some extent never made better as regards stereoscopic, and even photographic apparatuses…

Realist stereophony

Left after the war under difficult conditions of provisioning, even in its native Wisconsin, this solid apparatus is built around the Kodachrome in Cartouche of Film 35 mm. It results a format from it doubles 23 X 21 mm almost square and adapted well to the stereoscopy, to observe in Visionneuse (Stéréoscope), or to project in polarized light. Finally one laid out all at the same time of the relief and the color! Central aiming enters the objectives, but without room of aiming.

Verascope 40

Last apparatus of Ets Jules Richard before those are not devoted exclusively to the production of measuring instruments, Verascope 40 (or Verascope f40), although available since 1938 or 1939 (it is proven by direct testimonys and photographs taken during the second world war), starts to be known of the public only after 1946. Still it is inaccessible to the majority of the purses of this time. That will not facilitate its diffusion. It is exported in the United States under the name of Bush Verascope f40. It is a refined apparatus, at all industrial. Aiming of time, but developped at the telemetric point. Able to produce, often, of the excellent photographs, on film 35 mm, in format double 24 X 30 Misters.

Two stereo apparatuses 24 X 30 appeared thereafter: Belplasca (VEB Belca, Dresden, 1955) and EDF-Stereophony (EDF, Kharkov, 1989), semi-automatic.

Apparatuses for corrugated images

The production of corrugated images (or with lenticular networks) requires specific apparatuses comprising at least three objectives, sometimes well more. In years 1980 appeared, in an episodical way, the apparatuses with four objectives (Nimslo, Nishika), then three only, intended for the general public production of corrugated images.

See too

Stéréoscopie

External bonds

French Stereophony-Club
history of Stéréoscopie, on Gallery-Photo
International union of Stéréoscopie (RESULTING)
detailed List of the stereoscopic apparatuses, on Stereoscopy.com
the kit 3D Loreo

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