Slide projectors have been in existence as a means of displaying photos or videos for nearly as long as cameras. The concept of iPhone photographers was inconceivable during the era of their creation! Whether it’s a brand new state-of-the-art 4K home cinema projector, a Phantoscope from 1895, or a slide viewer, we’ll go over everything there is to know when trying to understand them or simply buying a slide projector for you to bring the cinema to your home and view photographs or 35mm slides!
Have you ever considered how those tiny see through slides looked so great when magnified against your living room wall? The innovation of slide photography started with how it printed the image on the film. As opposed to negative film (this is where it inverts the photo’s colours when printing onto the film), slide photos use a different film processing technique. This is where transparent film keeps the colours the same you see. Most slide film bought worked out to be cheaper too since it often included the cost of developing. (You’d have to send it off to Agfa or Boots for example where they would chemically process it and return it ‘mounted’ – either cardboard or plastic and sometimes even glass!! Then you’d view them on a slide projector for old slides. Many artists these days love to create beautiful designs from these in fact.
When you insert a slide into a vintage projector, a bulb illuminates the area, beautifully shines through the film, and proceeds to a lens. The lens itself adjusts the image by ‘flipping’ it for you. It also enlarges the photo, which is then projected onto a screen. The size of the image increases the farther you are from the screen. Focusing is achieved by turning the focus ring.
Purchasing an old projector always proves challenging because burnt-out, bespoke bulbs often render them unreparable, making your investment quite worthless. Mechanical failures are also problematic to fix due to the scarcity of required skills. Additionally, caution must be exercised to avoid buying a slide viewer with a functioning bulb that could damage the slide, as safety standards were not as stringent in the past. Overcoming these challenges, however, provides great satisfaction when you mechanically project slides on a wall.
Now, let’s step back in time. A mysterious, dust-covered wooden box has recently emerged from the depths of your attic, having remained untouched for many years. Removing the lid reveals a collection of large old slides that the family has not seen in ages. If you’re fortunate, you may have a magic lantern, which was a slide projector for old slides dating back to the 15th century. The key distinction is that magic lanterns employed images painted on glass, unlike later slide projectors that used photographs. Still, many of the mechanical principles introduced by the Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens remained applicable to subsequent designs. Essentially, it involves a light source, a lens, and a transparent image.
However, it’s best to digitize slides for viewing, as it’s safer. Slides are often stored in boxes or carousels for extended periods, accumulating dust and even mold. This raises questions about cleaning slides. Converting slides to digital format not only helps preserve them but also facilitates easy sharing of the images, ensuring their long-term safety. The traditional laboratories that once processed slides have largely disappeared. When considering slide-to-digital conversion, bear in mind that it’s a complex and exacting process. To best preserve these slides, consider digitizing them with Supaphoto, the leading name in Slide Preservation. This way, you can easily share them with your family and protect them for generations to come.
Partial Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_lantern
check our article on the marvellous reel to reel machine too.
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