Stereoscopy

Adjustable focus is a feature of a stereoscope that can focus the lenses for people with different eye sights.

A Brewster-style stereoscope is based on the first design by David Brewster in 1849. It is a compact hand-held stereoscope consisting of a closed box with two lenses. A door on top can be opened to illuminate paper card stereoviews or daguerreotypes via reflective light. The bottom usually contains a frosted glass which is intended… Continue reading Brewster-style stereoscope

Diapositives or transparencies are positive images on transparent material like glass or film. Glass stereoviews and Magic Lantern slides are examples of diapositives.

The French tissue is a special stereoview consisting of two layers. The first layer is an albumen print on thin paper that has been coloured on the back. This tinting is hidden by a second thin piece of tissue paper. Both layers are sandwiched between two carboard frames. When the French tissue is viewed in… Continue reading French tissue

A compact and lightweight stereoscope that can be held while viewing stereoviews. Examples are Brewster-style and Holmes-Bates stereoscopes.

Interocular adjustment is a feature of a stereoscope that can change the distance between the two oculars (the eyepieces with lenses) to match the inter-pupillary distance of the viewer. This will result in better image quality and reduces eyestrain.

A lenticular stereoscope is a stereo viewer that uses lenses to view stereoscopic images. The benefit of lenses instead of the prisms of a refracting stereoscope is that lenses can magnify the image.

A multiple view stereoscope has a transport mechanism in which stereoviews can be viewed sequentially by turning a knob or moving a lever. Examples are revolving stereoscopes and tray-type viewers but there are also multiple viewers with unique mechanisms like ICA’s Stereospekt or Lucien Bize’s Minimus.

A reflecting stereoscope is a stereo viewer that uses mirrors to view stereoscopic images. Stereoscopes based on mirrors are uncommon. Because of their size they are impractical compared to compact refracting and lenticular stereoscopes. The most wellknown reflecting stereoscope is the original stereoscope that was presented by Charles Wheatstone in 1838.

A refracting (or prismatic) stereoscope is a stereo viewer that uses prisms to view stereoscopic images.