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A slide projector is an opto-mechanical
device for showing
photographic
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed i ...
slides.
35 mm slide projectors, direct descendants of the larger-format
magic lantern
The magic lantern, also known by its Latin name , is an early type of image projector that used pictures—paintings, prints, or photographs—on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lenses, and a light source. Because a si ...
, first came into widespread use during the 1950s as a form of occasional home entertainment; family members and friends would gather to view
slide show
A slide show (slideshow) is a presentation of a series of still images (Presentation slide, slides) on a projection screen or electronic display device, typically in a prearranged sequence. The changes may be automatic and at regular intervals o ...
s.
Reversal film
In photography, reversal film or slide film is a type of photographic film that produces a positive image on a transparent base. Instead of negatives and prints, reversal film is processed to produce transparencies or diapositives (abbreviate ...
was much in use, and supplied slides
snapped
''Snapped'' is an American true crime television series produced by Jupiter Entertainment. The series depicts high profile or bizarre cases of women accused of murder. Each episode outlines the motivation for murder, whether it be revenge agains ...
during vacations and at family events. Slide projectors were also widely used in educational and other institutional settings.
Photographic film slides and projectors have mostly been replaced by image files on digital storage media shown on a
projection screen
A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed, as in a movie theater; painted on the ...
by using a
video projector
A video projector is an image projector that receives a video signalling (telecommunication), signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens (optics), lens system. Video projectors use a very bright ultra-high-per ...
or simply displayed on a large-screen video
monitor
Monitor or monitor may refer to:
Places
* Monitor, Alberta
* Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States
* Monitor, Kentucky
* Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States
* Monitor, Washington
* Monitor, Logan County, West Vir ...
.
History
![Continuous-Slide Lantern](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Continuous-Slide_Lantern.jpg)
A continuous-slide lantern was patented in 1881. It included a
dissolving views
Dissolving views were a popular type of 19th century magic lantern show exhibiting the gradual transition from one projected image to another. The effect is similar to a dissolve in modern filmmaking. Typical examples had landscapes that dissolv ...
apparatus.
[Sloane, T. O'Conor. ''Facts Worth Knowing Selected Mainly from the Scientific American for Household, Workshop, and Farm Embracing Practical and Useful Information for Every Branch of Industry.'' Hartford: S. S. Scranton & Co. 1895.]
Components
A projector has four main elements:
* electric
incandescent light bulb
An incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is an electric light with a wire filament heated until it glows. The filament is enclosed in a glass bulb with a vacuum or inert gas to protect the filament from oxida ...
or other light source (usually fan-cooled)
* reflector and "condensing" lens to direct the light to the slide
* slide holder
* focusing
lens
A lens is a transmissive optical device which focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements''), ...
A flat piece of heat-absorbing glass is often placed in the light path between the condensing lens and the slide, to avoid damaging the latter. This glass transmits visible wavelengths but absorbs
infrared
Infrared (IR), sometimes called infrared light, is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than those of visible light. It is therefore invisible to the human eye. IR is generally understood to encompass wavelengths from around ...
. Light passes through the
transparent
Transparency, transparence or transparent most often refer to:
* Transparency (optics), the physical property of allowing the transmission of light through a material
They may also refer to:
Literal uses
* Transparency (photography), a still, ...
slide and lens, and the resulting image is enlarged and projected onto a perpendicular flat
screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
so the audience can view its reflection. Alternatively, the image may be projected onto a translucent "rear projection" screen, often used for continuous automatic display for close viewing. This form of projection also avoids the audience interrupting the light stream by casting their shadows on the projection or by bumping into the projector.
Types
*
Straight-tray slide projectors
*
Carousel slide projector
A carousel slide projector is a slide projector that uses a rotary tray to store slides, used to project slide photographs and to create slideshows. It was first patented on May 11, 1965, by David E. Hansen of Fairport, New York. Hansen was an i ...
s
*
Stack-loader slide projectors
*
Slide cube projector
The Slide Cube Projector is a slide projector and system, manufactured and marketed by Bell & Howell. Introduced in 1970 and marketed through the 1980s, the projector derived its name from its plastic slide storage cube-shaped magazine, about 5. ...
s
*
Dual slide projector
Dual or Duals may refer to:
Paired/two things
* Dual (mathematics), a notion of paired concepts that mirror one another
** Dual (category theory), a formalization of mathematical duality
*** see more cases in :Duality theories
* Dual (grammatical ...
s
*
Single slide projector
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
s (manual form)
*
Dissolve projector
Dissolve may refer to:
* Dissolve (filmmaking), in film and video editing, a transition between scenes
* ''Dissolve'' (2019 film), a film by Kim Ki-duk
* ''The Dissolve'', a web magazine property of Pitchfork, covering movies
* Dissolve (band), ...
s
*
Slide viewer
A slide viewer (also called transparency viewer) is a device for looking at film transparencies or similar photographic images.
Description
A slide viewer is usually a small handheld device with a slot in which a slide can be inserted to see a ...
projectors
*
Stereo slide projector
Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...
s project two slides simultaneously with different
polarizations, making slides appear as three-dimensional to viewers wearing polarizing glasses
*
Medium-format slide projector
Medium format has traditionally referred to a film format in photography and the related cameras and equipment that use film. Nowadays, the term applies to film and digital cameras that record images on media larger than the used in 35&nbs ...
s
*
Large-format slide projector
A large-format slide projector (also often called large-format projector or large-image projector) is a kind of slide projector for large image projection which has a very powerful light source (up to 12 thousand watts using arc lamps). Therefore, ...
s for use on stages, at large events, or for architectural and advertising installations where high light output is needed.
*
Overhead projector
An overhead projector (often abbreviated to OHP), like a film or slide projector, uses light to project an enlarged image on a screen, allowing the view of a small document or picture to be shared with a large audience.
In the overhead project ...
s
Manufacturers
List of known manufacturers of slide projectors:
*
Agfa Gevaert, Germany (–1984) → Reflecta (1984–)
* , Germany →
Bosch; ceased production
*
Bausch & Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is an eye health products company based in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the world's largest suppliers of contact lenses, lens care products, pharmaceuticals, intraocular lenses, and other eye surgery products. The compan ...
; ceased production
*
Bell & Howell
Bell and Howell LLC is a U.S.-based services organization and former manufacturer of cameras, lenses, and motion picture machinery, founded in 1907 by two projectionists, and originally headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois. The company is now he ...
/ TDC, US: "Headliner"; ceased production
*
Braun AG, Germany: "D", "PA"; ceased production
*
Braun Foto Technik, Germany: "
Paximat", "
Multimag Carl Braun Camera-Werk of Nuremberg, Germany, or Braun, as it was more commonly called, was founded as an optical production house. It is best known for its 35mm film cameras named Paxette, and for slide projectors named Paximat.
History
The com ...
" → Reflecta
* VEB DEFA, Germany: "Filius"→ VEB Gerätewerk Friedrichshagen: "Filius"; ceased production
*
Eastman Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
(–2004): "Carousel-S", "
Ektagraphic", "
Ektapro" → Leica
*
Elmo
Elmo is a red Muppet monster character on the long-running PBS/ HBO children's television show ''Sesame Street''. A furry red monster who has a falsetto voice and illeism, he hosts the last full five-minute segment (fifteen minutes prio ...
, Japan
* Enna, Germany; ceased production
* Erno Photo, Germany; ceased production
* VEB Feinmess, Germany; ceased production
* Filmoli, Germany → Gebr. Martin, Germany; ceased production
*
Foto Quelle, Germany: "Revue"; ceased distribution
*
GAF
GAF may refer to:
Military
* General of the Air Force, US
* Ghana Armed Forces
* Guardia alla Frontiera, Italy
Other uses
* Gaf, a Perso-Arabic letter
* Gaf (Mandaeism), a demon of the Mandaean underworld
* GAF Materials Corporation, an Americ ...
, US; ceased distribution
*
Götschmann, Germany (1978–2009) → Gecko-Cam (2009–)
*
Hasselblad
Victor Hasselblad AB is a Swedish manufacturer of medium format cameras, photographic equipment and image scanners based in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company originally became known for its classic analog medium-format cameras that used a waist- ...
, Sweden; ceased production
* HASPE, Germany; ceased production
* Hähnel, Germany; ceased production
* Inox, France: "Prestige" → Prestinox
* , Germany: "Diafocus" → Leica
*
Leitz Leitz may refer to several German companies:
*Esselte Leitz GmbH & Co KG, founded by Louis Leitz in 1896, a German manufacturer of office products
**Louis Leitz (1846–1918), German inventor and founder of Esselte Leitz GmbH & Co KG
* Leitz GmbH & ...
, Germany (1958–): "Prado" → Leica Projektion GmbH Zett Gerätewerk, Germany (1990–2004): "
Pradovit", "
Pradovit RT" → Leica Camera, Germany (2004–2006): "Pradovit"; ceased production
* , Germany: "Fantax", "Diafant", "Fantimat"; ceased production
* Malinski, Germany: "Prokyon", "Malicolor" → Pentacon
*
Minolta
was a Japanese manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta Co., Ltd., which is also known simply as Minolta, was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It made the first integrated autofocu ...
, Japan; ceased production
*
Minox
Minox (pronounced ) is a manufacturer of cameras, known especially for its subminiature camera.
The first product to carry the Minox name was a subminiature camera, conceived in 1922, and finally invented and produced in 1936, by Baltic German ...
, Germany: "Minomat"; ceased production
*
Navitar, US
*
Nikon
(, ; ), also known just as Nikon, is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging products. The companies held by Nikon form the Nikon Group.
Nikon's products include cameras, camera ...
, Japan; ceased production
* Ernst Plank, Germany: "Noris", "Trumpf"; ceased production
*
Pentacon
Pentacon is the company name of a camera manufacturer in Dresden, Germany.
The name Pentacon is derived from the brand Contax of Zeiss Ikon Kamerawerke in Dresden and Pentagon, as a Pentaprism for Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras was for ...
, Germany: "Aspectar", "Malicolor"; ceased production
*
Asahi Pentax
The Asahi Pentax series, by the , was a pivotal development in modern photography. They were the earliest Pentax cameras.
Background
In 1957, the Asahi Optical Company (later "Pentax") introduced the Pentax, a 135 film, 35 mm Single-lens ...
, Japan; ceased production
*
Prestinox, France →
Plawa Condor (1969–?); ceased production
* Pouva, Germany; ceased production
* RBT, Germany
* Queen, Germany: "Automat"; ceased distribution
*
Reflecta, Germany: "Multimag"
*
Rollei
Rollei () was a German manufacturer of optical instruments founded in 1920 by and in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, and maker of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord series of cameras. Later products included specialty and nostalgic type films for the ...
, Germany (1960–2007): "
Rolleiscop
Rollei () was a German manufacturer of optical instruments founded in 1920 by and in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, and maker of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord series of cameras. Later products included specialty and nostalgic type films for the ...
", "
Rolleivision" →
Franke & Heidecke
Rollei () was a German manufacturer of optical instruments founded in 1920 by and in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, and maker of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord series of cameras. Later products included specialty and nostalgic type films for the ...
, Germany (2007–2009): "Rolleivision" →
DHW Fototechnik
Rollei () was a German manufacturer of optical instruments founded in 1920 by and in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, and maker of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord series of cameras. Later products included specialty and nostalgic type films for the ...
, Germany (2009–2015): "Rolleivision"; ceased production
* Royal, Germany?; ceased distribution
*
Sankyo
is a Japanese company, and one of the three major pachinko machine manufacturers in Japan. Headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, their corporate slogan is "Good luck, Good life".
It was founded by Kunio Busujima. His son Hideyuki Busujima
Hi ...
, Japan; ceased production
*
Sawyer's
Sawyer's, Inc. was an American manufacturer and retailer of slide projectors, scenic slides, View-Master reels and viewers, postcards, and related products, based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1914 as a photo-finishing company, Sawyer's began p ...
, US; company sold to GAF
* , Italy → Bauer and Rollei; ceased production
*
*
Vicom
*
Vivitar
Vivitar Corporation is a manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of photographic and optical equipment originally based in Santa Monica, California. Since 2008, the Vivitar name serves as Sakar International's house brand for digital imaging, o ...
, US
*
Voigtländer
Voigtländer () was a significant long-established company within the optics and photographic industry, headquartered in Braunschweig, Germany, and today continues as a trademark for a range of photographic products.
History
Voigtländer was fo ...
, Germany: "Perkeo" → Zett
*
Zeiss Ikon
Carl Zeiss AG (), branded as ZEISS, is a German manufacturer of optical systems and optoelectronics, founded in Jena, Germany in 1846 by optician Carl Zeiss. Together with Ernst Abbe (joined 1866) and Otto Schott (joined 1884) he laid the f ...
, Germany (1964/1969–): "Ikolux" → Zett
*
Zeiss Jena, Germany → Pentacon, Germany
*
Zett
Z (or z) is the 26th and last letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual names in English are ''zed'' () and ''zee'' (), with an occasi ...
, Germany (1928–1989): "Fafix", "Zett", "Zettomat", "Perkeo" → Leica Projektion GmbH Zett Gerätewerk, Germany (1990–2004)
* CBИTЯ3ъ, Russia: "ABTO"; ceased production
See also
*
Slide viewer
A slide viewer (also called transparency viewer) is a device for looking at film transparencies or similar photographic images.
Description
A slide viewer is usually a small handheld device with a slot in which a slide can be inserted to see a ...
*
Carousel slide projector
A carousel slide projector is a slide projector that uses a rotary tray to store slides, used to project slide photographs and to create slideshows. It was first patented on May 11, 1965, by David E. Hansen of Fairport, New York. Hansen was an i ...
*
Presentation slide
A slide is a single page of a presentation. Collectively, a group of slides may be known as a slide deck. A slide show is an exposition of a series of slides or images in an electronic device or in a projection screen.
Before the advent of the per ...
References
General references
*
Inline citations
{{Authority control
Display devices
Slide projectors
de:Projektor#Durchlichtprojektion