Stereoscopic Views

Here you can find out more about 3-D view formats and see a few 3-D images. Before trying to see the views in 3-D, be sure you've read how to free-view (below). All stereo image exhibits here are in cross-eyed format.

You can jump directly to a category below, use the red arrows to skip up and down through the categories, and the green arrow to return you here.

Formats

Free-Viewing

Old Views

New Views

Formats

View-Master. Nearly everyone recognizes a View-Master reel. The reels are 90 mm in diameter, and contain seven pairs of images. Each mounted image measures 11 mm by 10 mm. Pairs are mounted about 65 mm apart.

Tru-Vue Strip. These strips are made on 35 mm film. Each image is about 19 mm by 20 mm (excluding captions) and images are on 63.5 mm centers. There are usually 14 pairs, and the order of images on a strip is 1R, title, 2R, 1L, 3R, 2L, 4R, 3L, 5R, 4L, etc.

Realist. Another popular format. A pair of images is mounted in a card, measuring 101 mm wide and 41 mm tall. The mounted image size varies, but is typically about 22 mm by 23 mm. Images are about 63 mm apart.

Tru-Vue Card. These cards, about 93 mm by 140 mm, have seven pairs (one above the other) and came in a protective paper sleeve. Mounted image size is about 13 mm by 14.5 mm; images are about 62.5 mm apart.

35 mm Pairs. This is a stereo pair of 35 mm slides in a Radex holder. The holder puts the slides on approximately 64 mm centers.

Stori-View Card. These cards have two pairs, one above the other. The card is flipped over (top for bottom) to see both pairs, and descriptions are on both sides. Card size is about 91.5 mm by 44.5 mm; mounted image size is about 13 mm by 10.5 mm; images are about 62.5 mm apart.

Photographic Card. Stereo photographs mounted on cards were popular from the mid 1800s into the 1930s. The standard size is 3½ inches by 7 inches, but some were 4 or 4½ inches tall. In 1882 a curved card was introduced, and by the 20th century was used by most manufacturers.

Free-Viewing

"Free-viewing" is basically a technique for looking at a stereoscopic ("stereo") pair of images and seeing them in 3-D without a viewer, glasses, or any other equipment. Two techniques are discussed here: cross-eyed viewing and parallel viewing.

When you look at something, your brain gets two pictures, one from your left eye and one from your right. These two pictures are slightly different, because your eyes are separated by a fixed distance (the interocular distance). Your brain integrates these two flat (or one-dimensional) images into your perception of the world in depth.

Stereo images come in pairs. One image is a left-eye image, the other a right-eye image. To see the pair as a single, 3-D image, you have to get each eye looking at the correct image.

Cross-Eyed Viewing. If the stereo pair is reversed (the left-eye image is on the right and the right-eye image is on the left), you can free-view the image using the cross-eyed viewing method. The geometry is illustrated in the diagram.

To see a 3-D image using the cross-eyed method, you must first cross your eyes. You'll then see four, unfocused images. Try to bring the middle two images together so you only have three. Then ignore the outer two images, relax, and slowly concentrate on bringing the middle image into focus. This middle image will be in 3-D.

Right-left pair for cross-eyed viewing

Above is an image for you to practice on. Start with your eyes about 12 to 18 inches from the screen. It may take you a while to learn this technique, but with practice your eyes will soon be able to quickly form a 3-D image. This method is the easiest to master, and is the format for all of the 3-D images at this site.

Parallel Viewing. The stereo pair must be normally displayed to use this technique. That is, the left-eye image is on the left and the right-eye image is on the right. Again, the diagram shows the geometry.

To see a 3-D image, first "look through" the image (as if in the distance). This will give you four images. As before, bring the middle images together, ignore the outer images, relax, and slowly bring the center one into focus.

The image below is in parallel format. Begin practicing with your eyes about 18 to 24 inches from the screen.

Left-right pair for parallel viewing

Although the parallel viewing method is not used at this site, it is worthwhile to learn, especially if you're going to collect older photographic stereo view cards; it is not always convenient to carry an old, large viewer to the flea market or yard sale, and the 3-D effect in some views can be lacking or non-existent. Mastering this technique will allow you to examine the 3-D effect in any card view you happen across at any time.

When viewing images on the computer, try to eliminate all glare from the screen; viewing in a darkened room is best.

Old Views

An older stereo card from a boxed set by the Keystone View Company, this view is called "Human Wreckage in No Man's Land, Chemin des Dames, France" and is numbered V18837. It is from World War I.

Hopis stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon in this Tru-Vue filmstrip view from 1934, "The Grand Canyon of Arizona," Series Two, "Glimpses of Indian Life," number 312.

This looks like Bettie Page, the popular pinup of the 1950s. It was found, along with some racier views, in a local collectibles shop. It's mounted in a Realist format "Easymount" made by Crafstman's Guild; the number 658 is stamped on the mount.

Here's a portrait of Sally Rand. It comes from the end of the Tru-Vue strip "Sally Rand Bubble Dance," number 1312, dated 1934. Every other view in the strip shows her fully unclothed, dancing with a large bubble.

New Views

I also collect old tube radios; this is a General Electric model H-500U from 1939. I like it because of the strong machine age styling and the swirled bakelite case. It's only about nine inches wide.

If you'd like to see more old radios, please visit my other site, the Antique Radio Page!

Here's another old tube radio, the Belmont model 6D111 from 1946. The streamlined look makes this Belmont radio a true classic.

This is a pair of old clocks. The original white paint was almost all gone on the ball clock, so I stripped and repainted it in green and gold. The other clock is made of copper.