Immediately behind the lenses of the 3D World focusing viewer are visible, rectangular apertures. I found them distracting so I thought I would find out if I’d like my viewer more if they were gone. The answer is, “yes”!
Details can be found on the Viewer Mod page.
3D World has shipped the second version of their illuminated, focusing viewer for medium format slides. I’ve updated the page devoted to the viewer to reflect these changes. It really wasn’t too hard an edit to make because it involved removing the following from the “deficiencies” list:
Another change a few people haven’t enjoyed is the change in the lens retension system. In the original viewers, the lenses were retained with rings which threaded on the front of the lens barrels. In the new viewer, the lenses are retained with rings threaded behind the lenses (inside the lens barrel). This change doesn’t affect day-to-day use, but it does make it harder to install shorter lenses in place of the stock 75mm achromats.
I still say this viewer is a bargain. If you shoot medium format slides, you need to have one of these viewers.
Digital images just stack up on your hard drive or at flickr. Physical images require physical storage space.
I’m still looking for the perfect way to store my medium format stereo slides, but have made some notes covering some things I’ve tried. Special mention is made of Peter Thomson’s 3D Treasures storage boxes.
Since first publishing this, I’ve heard from a couple of other photographers who have offered their storage methods for consideration.
Dan Vint suggests boxes from Light Impressions for storing slides. The company offers several sizes of boxes. Dan says he’s using the boxes designed for 4×5 images with good results. If these sizes aren’t to your liking, he pointed me at building supplies from Hollanders from which you can build your own.
Dorothy Mladenka says she stores her slides in boxes which originally held 250 sheets of 5×7 photo paper. They let her store her slides on edge and appear to be a very good fit. Of course with the decreasing popularity of darkroom printing, these may now be hard to come by in any quantity.
