Marketed after the Stereo Realist ( 1041 model) and the Stereo Realist ( 1042 model ), the Stereo Realist 45 or Model 1045 or ST 45 (all names are used interchangeably on David White documents) is somehow the third choice . But what a good third choice! In addition to his older brothers , he did not blush : German manufacturing requires . Indeed, the ST 45 was not built directly by the David White Company , but by Iloca Camera in Hamburg ( Germany) , strongly inspired by the Rapid Iloca Stereo 3.5 , itself a simplification of the Rapid Stereo 2.8 designed as a competitor to Stereo Realist ! What better way is there to reduce an opponent to be associated with him?

The main goal was to propose a stereo camera with a more democratic price: in fact, the Stereo Realist 45 was offered for $ 88.50 in 1957, against $ 129 for the Model 1041 and $ 159 for the excellent Model 1042. The obvious advantage was to get rid of expenditures in research and development that would have been necessary to create from scratch a new device, at a time when the stereo photography began to be losing momentum . Other manufacturers made the same calculations , including Bell & Howell with the Stereo Colorist .

It is indeed a Stereo Realist , a concept imagined by Seton Rochwite in the 40s. A 24 x 23 mm format on 135 film and a lens spacing of 70 mm are the basics of the system. Just the same as for more expensive models , the focus adjustment is done by means of a wheel on the right that moves the rear block guiding the film . Stereo Realist 45 also provides furiously modern elements that its predecessors do not have: a quick winding lever instead of the knob , cocking the shutter in one movement ! But as there is still a cocking lever (on front), therefore you can, if you want, make multiple exposures. The exposures counter gives automatic reset to zero, and a memo disk on the top can remember you if the camera is loaded or not. Of course, the viewfinder is not reflex but here the framing is more accurate than with the ST 41.

The opening of the back is unique and requires some explanations : you need to slide back a little notched cursor visible on the right of the table remembering the key parameters, on the base plate, which has the effect of pulling out a wheel marked "R". You must then fully pull this wheel ( 13 mm stroke) and turn it anticlockwise until you hear the release of the back. Caution, as for all Realists there is no hinge and the back dislocates completely !

We note with pleasure that the trigger is on the right hand but the viewfinder has always a rather unusual low position, but that seems the hallmark of the Stereo Realists ... The diaphragm and the shutter speed can be adjusted respectively by means of a ring around each lens .
Finally, the Stereo Realist 45 has perhaps only one flaw : the lack of rangefinder , but it is really  an excellent camera showing a beautiful workmanship.