>>Sounds a lot like an expensive Sputnik.

I've owned and fixed up several Sputniks, and I now own a TL 120. The TL 120 might
sound like an expensive Sputnik to you, but the difference in the sharpness and quality of
the images I've been getting from this new camera are astounding. The faster shutter
speeds and precise close focusing are letting me get a lot of shots my Sputnik could never
manage.

Dr. T makes a great point about the issues that often crop up with the far more expensive
RBT cameras. Prior to the release of the TL120 I had the following choices as an MF3D
shooter wanting to step up from the Sputnik: I could buy an old Rolleidoscop or
Stereoflektoscop (probably for a lot more money than the TL120) and hope I could keep
the antique shutters working. I could shell out $5,000 or more for a Gilde 3DMF camera,
try to put together a working twin rig using used high end MF SLRs or hope I could find a
skilled craftsman to merge two Mamiyas together for less than the cost of a small house.
To me this new camera is nothing less than a miracle.

It is frustrating to deal with the inevitable quality and design issues that come up with
small production runs of unusual gear, but those of us who shoot stereo need to have
realistic expectations and be prepared to make a mod or fix here and there.

Jim Harp

"jamesbharp" wrote:

>I've owned and fixed up several Sputniks, and I now own a TL 120. The TL 120 might
>sound like an expensive Sputnik to you, but the difference in the sharpness and quality of
>the images I've been getting from this new camera are astounding. The faster shutter
>speeds and precise close focusing are letting me get a lot of shots my Sputnik could never
>manage.
>

Sounds like you are the guy who can do it. Make a side by side comparison of the TL120 and a well tuned Sput that is. You could even put them in Folio II and show us a fair comparison. (I too am in folio II) Something with a lot of detail and depth from 2 meters to infinity would be nice.

Think about it.

Chuck





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>sounds like you are the guy who can do it. Make a side by side comparison of
>the TL120 and a well tuned Sput that is.

I have no interest in shooting with a Sputnik these days, but I have tons of slides I took
with various fixed up Spuds over the years, and I will probably do some sort of comparison
in my next folio entry. I have some Sputnik shots that are tack sharp, although if I look
closely I can see that sharpness falls off a bit around the edges.

With the Sputnik I got lots of nice clear images, but only a few shots really came out
absolutely pin sharp. It was as if there had to be just the right combination of camera
stability, lens alignment, perfect focus and cosmic radiation for the thing to perform at its
best. In comparison, every shot I get out of my TL120 is pin sharp, as long as I've
focused it correctly and kept it stable.

There's also no way to compare a 1/250 or 1/500 shot on the TL120 with a Sputnik
image. I took a few 1/500 shots of fountains in Las Vegas that look like ice sculptures.
The TL120 makes it possible for me to focus precisely and do closeups and portraits that I
could never get away with on the Sputnik.

Jim Harp