Stereo Realist

Designed by Seton Rochwite and made by the David White Company, the Stereo Realist is the best selling Stereo Camera of all time. It is a 35 mm stereo camera with rangefinder focusing and takes photos in the 5-perf stereo format (also known as Realist format), of about 23x24 mm, the length along the film being that of five perforations.

The Stereo Realist camera attracted celebrities throughout the 50s. The most notable user of the camera was silent film star, Harold Lloyd, who used the camera to make portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page, among others. Advertisements of the time featured celebrities, many who were friends of Lloyd's and in his stereo camera club. Celebrities in these advertisements included Vincent Price (on the set of House of Wax), Edgar Bergen, John Wayne, James Cagney, Bob Hope, Joan Crawford, Doris Day, Cecil B. Demile, and Frank Capra.

The popularity of the camera continued into the 60s. In 1971, the Realist Stereo Macro was added to the line of cameras. This is a rather different camera, having two small lenses mounted together on the left side of the body, in a rim-set shutter with speeds 1 - 1/125 second, plus 'B' and 'T'. There is no focusing, or even a viewfinder; the camera is focused by the use of close-up lenses.

Today, the trademark is owned by John J. Zelenka, a stereo photographer.

Focusing knob with depth-of-field scale image by Kathryn Froilan (Image rights)

image by Howard Sandler (Image rights)
Stereo Realist 3.5 (1041)
Manufacturer: David White Co., Milwaukee, WI, USA Date of Production: About 1947 Type of Camera: viewfinder/rangefinder camera Film 135 cartridge Size 175 x 65 x 59 mm (W x H x D) Weight 820 grams (1,125 grams with everready case) Lens Separation 69.28 mm Image Format 25.40 x 23.42 mm (W x H) Image Window Separation 70,92 mm Lenses David White Anastigmat (glass, matched), 1:3.5/35 mm clip-on filters 20 mm Diaphragms Iris diaphragms between the lenses, continuously adjustable from f/3.5 to f/22 Focusing Manual, 2½ ft. - infinity. Movement of the film plane Shutter Double lamellar type shutter, behind the lenses. Cocked with seperate lever Shutter Speeds 1/150, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, 1/10, 1/5, ½, 1 sec. and "B" and "T" Viewfinder Optical reflex viewfinder (approx. 0,5x). Parallax-free. Rangefinder linked with distance setting, 123 mm baseline Film Loading Manual Film Transport Manual, with transport knob by 10 sprocket holes (= 47.5 mm), sprocket wheel on top Film Rewinding Manual. Unlocking with rewind release knob. Rewind knob. Frame Counter Additive, 1 to 36. Manual reset. Flash Contact Hot Shoe Tripod Socket ¼“ / 20 TPI Special Features Double exposure prevention, eyelets for carrying-strap, cable realease provision. Accessories Operating instructions, everready case, viewers, Bulb Flash, Projector, Mounting Kit

Stereo Realist 2.8 (1042)

Manufacturer: David White Co., Milwaukee, WI, USA Date of Production: 1951 Type of Camera: viewfinder/rangefinder camera Film 135 cartridge Size 175 x 65 x 59 mm (W x H x D) Weight 820 grams (1,125 grams with everready case) Lens Separation 69.28 mm Image Format 25.40 x 23.42 mm (W x H) Image Window Separation 70,92 mm Lenses David White Anastigmat (glass, matched), 1:2.8/35 mm clip-on filters 20 mm Diaphragms Iris diaphragms between the lenses, continuously adjustable from f/2.8 to f/22 Focusing Manual, 2½ ft. - infinity. Movement of the film plane Shutter Double lamellar type shutter, behind the lenses. Cocked with seperate lever Shutter Speeds 1/200, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, 1/10, 1/5, ½, 1 sec. and "B" and "T" Viewfinder Optical reflex viewfinder (approx. 0,5x). Parallax-free. Rangefinder linked with distance setting, 123 mm baseline Film Loading Manual Film Transport Manual, with transport knob by 10 sprocket holes (= 47.5 mm), sprocket wheel on top Film Rewinding Manual. Unlocking with rewind release knob. Rewind knob. Frame Counter Additive, 1 to 36. Manual reset. Flash Contact Hot Shoe Tripod Socket ¼“ / 20 TPI Special Features Double exposure prevention (overrideable), strap eyelets, cable release provision. Accessories Operating instructions, everready case, viewers, Bulb Flash, Projector, Mounting Kit

Accessories

David White stereo viewer image by Peter M Lerman (Image rights)

• Wide-angle lenses
• Filters with filter case
• Flash
• Leather Case
• Leather ever-ready case
• Mounting kit, includes film chip sorting box, heat seal, film cutter, and slide mounter.
• Electronic Viewers: Red Button, Green Button, White Button, Gold Button
• Projector
• Silver screen, for projection
• Slide Mounts: Metal, Paper, Plastic, Glass

Links

• Stereo Realist Camera Repairs at Stereoscopy.com

Integral flip-up lens caps image by Peter M Lerman (Image rights)

closed image by John-Henry Collinson (Image rights)

Stereo Realist Model 1041 Made by David White Co., Milwaukee (Wisconsin) image by Steve Harwood (Image rights)

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