Binocular viewing apparatus

I came across the object shown in the picture. Binocular vision, but of a single image. Each eye is redirected to the central are via prisms (definitely) and a semi-transparent mirror (presumably). The plane of focus is somewhere in the gap between the bakelite body and the piece(s) of ground glass. Sure, even without stereo vision, binocular viewing is more comfortable than squinting, but, is it worth the extra complexity?

 

Has anyone seen such a device before?

 

I don't think semi-transparent mirrors would be used. Maybe surface-silvered ones.

 

Looks like a binocular loupe to me. Maybe for viewing photographic slides or examining microscope slides? Who knows?

 

Binocular microscopes are pretty common, and can be used for much longer than a monocular version without eyestrain.

Maybe for viewing photographic slides or examining microscope slides?

Slides: possibly, probably. Microscope slides: not enough magnification.

can be used for much longer than a monocular version without eyestrain

That is probably the idea of that device.

Also, binocular viewers for regular slides give a sort of "pseudo-stereo" effect. They were often advertised for that as well as relieving eye strain.

I know there were devices to put in front of a camera lens to make stereo pictures in one frame,

which look similar to those shown.

 

If you made slides, you would need a way to view them.

 

Mirrors and polarizers in front of a projector might work but this viewer might, also.

Remember (see my first post) this is not for viewing stereo pictures. Both eyes are looking at the same point in the space just in front of the ground glass, as i could check with my finger.

Maybe; maybe also promotional language

I'm more inclined to believe that

unfortunately not.

 

By the way, when I wrote "I came across" in the original post, this item is on sale at our local charity, where I manage the photo section. And, in the same display, there is a real stereo viewing device.

So if you put a 2x2 slide in, both eyes see the whole frame?

slide viewer.

get sonice mirror-stereoscope berezin must have it. have seen an alternative which has head-strap included. will match on the sonice also.

one can view the subject in 3dstereo, nothing pseudo.

the same can be achieved with two vertically mounted not to big SRL. 3DStereo-previewing.

or two Stereodatamaker canon-compactcams with nvp3d-primsglasses(swiss product/invention)

Or using Kula3d bebe on smartphone plus using one of the cheap chinese clipon stereoviewers.

two smartphones can now be twinning and opencamera remote used to get 3dstereo-images of action(read on their site) or camerada app(much simpler) didnt test yet both.