KODAK STEREO CAMERA
ca. 1955


Introduced in late 1954 and produced up to early 1959, this was a less expensive variant of the stereo Realist. Still, at $84.50 this was a moderately expensive camera for the time. But its relative simplicity in operation made it very popular, with about 100,000 made. With two coupled lenses it produces two separate 24mm square images spaced 2-3/4" apart, yielding 28 pairs on a conventional 36 exposure roll of 35mm film.

When the images are properly paired after processing they create a 3D image when viewed in a stereoviewer. Such 3D stereoviews had been wildly popular in the late 19th century (see the No. 2 Stereo Brownie). After a long hiatus 3D enjoyed a brief revival in the mid-1950s, especially with 3D movies. But the fad was short-lived and by the end of the 50s sales of Kodak's stereo camera had dropped off significantly.

All adjustments are manually made, but the settings are well-defined and easy to manipulate. The viewfinder has a 'periscope' construction that puts the front lens directly between the two stereo lenses. There is also a bubble level between the lens, visible through the viewfinder, to ensure that both images are properly synched without any tilt.

This camera is complete with original carrying case ($9.50 additional), original manual, lens cap, cable shutter release, and a pair of Wratten Series V filters to add contrast when shooting B&W film.



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