Best lenses for slide projectors

superflash · May 22, 2017

If I use a modern high resolution lens ( like Otus, Sigma Art etc... ) and a ultra-high resolution films for chromes on a film camera, is there a projection lens that manages to see on the screen all the details impressed on that film (for ex. leica-pro, rollei apogon etc...)? Or does exist an adapter that allow us to mounts a camera lens on a slide projector?
Do someone of you have some experiences with it?

bdial · May 22, 2017

Some lenses are better than others, of course, but I don't think the lens is the limiting factor. I'd expect The screen and viewing distance are probably going to outweigh what the lens can produce for detail , for example.

MattKing · May 22, 2017

A projection lens should be a lot easier to design than a lens used to photograph images.
The range of suitable magnifications is predictable. The light source should be collimated and relatively free of extraneous, flare creating light.
Essentially, projection lenses are like enlarging lenses, except for different magnification.

AgX · May 22, 2017

There a few top lenses, however near top lenses could be got dirt cheap with old projectors.

The problem though with many (also modern) lenses is the fit. Even if the threading fits there still may be a front part of the barrel that makes it stuck. Also one may not switch lenses deliberately as the condensor must be apt for that focal length.

With used taking lenses so cheap, they might be an alternative. But trouble likely will be making them fit mechanically as optically.

Chan Tran · May 22, 2017

The trouble with slide projector is that it's difficult to get the entire slide in focus. The slide curves slightly enough to cause part of the slide to be out of focus. I have tried Kodak curve field lenses and flat field lenses and they have about equally the same.

AgX · May 22, 2017

The Leitz curved field lens was designed for those cardboard Kodachrome frames, as far as I know.
With frames that hold the film by lateral tension no misforming should take place and a standard flat field lenses should be fine.

RichardJack · May 23, 2017

I have the Leitz for my Kodak projector and it's not really better than a Kodak or Sawyer. What I did find that helps with any lens is to build and install a lens stop reducing your projector lens to f5.6 or f8. Your projection will be darker but your eyes will adjust. But what you'll have is better DOF and your corners will look as good as your centers. The problem is not the lens it's the slide, they all vary.

superflash · May 23, 2017

Here we are, sorry for the delay. I'll go in order to answers:

bdial: thank you, you have reason, the screen is important, what is the best? No-beaded screen are better for deatils? And viewing distance is right: in common house distances are not long, so if you want to see very sharp with medium screen, it's occurs a huge analog resolution.

MattKing: certainly, most of projection lenses are simple triplets, but they are not good, so we need lenses a little bit complex ( for ex. Elmarit pro 150 has some glasses used on 180/2 APO for Leica R.

Agx: yes, yours is excellent tip, we have to also consider the lens damper (another problem...)

Chan Tran: yes, sure, to avoid popping it's need a good cooling system, and to enlarge DOF a variable diaphragm lens

RichardJack: if you use a f8 or 5,6 and the screen is big , is necessary a power projector as simda 3462, Ektapro 9020 with high-light or Carousel 2055 with booster, otherwise slides are too dark.

But anyway, do you know how it can possible to find tests, articles or review of best projection lenses?

AgX · May 23, 2017

Concerning screens: new they are rather expensive, though you typically only get some sheet of plain PVC.
My advise is to buy used amateur screens in various tastes and get a feeling for the characteristic of the various surfaces.
Keep in mind though that there are fashions in screens. The common surfaces from the 70s are typically no longer manufactured.

Concerning lenses: fellow member Henning Serger wrote about lenses, maybe you can find here what he said about this issue.

superflash · Dec 19, 2017

Thank you again for your advise, AgX.
I have sought Henning Serger's posts and they are very useful.

jtk · Dec 19, 2017

In the 70s, some of us simply knocked the optics out of Kodak's black plastic focusing tubes and installed (very easy) various enlarging lenses...or, for ultimate resolution, the 63mm Nikor macro lens. And of course, we used glass mounts, such as GEPE, to keep the film flat.

OlyMan · Dec 19, 2017

Depending on the model of projector in use, decent OEM lenses can now be bought stupidly cheaply if you watch the market for a while. I'm on the lookout for a Kodak 60mm PC lens to go with the mint boxed one I managed to buy last week for the price of a burger and fries. There are some dreamers that still think their lenses are worth $$$ despite the number of enthusiasts still interested in analog projection must surely be down to penny numbers. If I ran eBay, they and their likeminded brethren would get one free re-listing before they had to start paying for the privilege of filling my servers with their over-priced crap that won't ever sell.

JensH · Dec 20, 2017

superflash said:
Thank you again for your advise, AgX.
I have sought Henning Serger's posts and they are very useful.

+1

Very good lenses are:
Carl Zeiss P-Sonnar T* 2,5/90mm
Leica Super-Colorplan P2 2,5/90 MC
Rollei AV-Apogon 2.8/120mm
Doctarlux 2,5/70mm (rare)

I bought two Zeiss-Ikon Royal AF selektiv projectors, one with the P-Sonnar 90mm and one with 2.8/60mm for 50 Euro each. The P-Sonnar is really great, the 60mm is not on that level...

Best
Jens

darkroommike · Dec 20, 2017

What projector? Most projectors get hot enough that the slides "pop" so a good AF projector and a curved field lens work well. If you have a good AF Carousel projector you can fit a Leica projector lens (good luck finding one!) or a Golden Navitar, Kodak was at one time the industry standard for AV multi media productions and everything was to the Kodak standard. (Psst-I bet Leica did not build their projector.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEICA-LEITZ-PRADOLUX-RT-300-SLIDE-PROJECTOR-/332488844839

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Golden-Nav...207197?hash=item41c83b5a5d:g:~qkAAOSwXY5ZRsVD

AgX · Dec 20, 2017

None of their two round-tray projectors were built by Leitz. The 35mm version was made by Kodak and seemingly only directed at the US-market. Leitz' straight-tray projectors do not even accept round trays as alternative. Some german competitors made projectors that can do so. But in general Germany can be called straight-tray land.

jtk · Dec 20, 2017

If the transparency is valuable the smart (professional) thing to do is to duplicate it and project the dupe, rather than exposing the original to handling and heat risk.

Chan Tran · Dec 20, 2017

AgX said:
None of their two round-tray projectors were built by Leitz. The 35mm version was made by Kodak and seemingly only directed at the US-market. Leitz' straight-tray projectors do not even accept round trays as alternative. Some german competitors made projectors that can do so. But in general Germany can be called straight-tray land.

Kodak Ektapro uses tray and they were made in Germany but don't know if Kodak made them in their factory or contract them out.

AgX · Dec 20, 2017

Kodak Carousel projectors are rather rare here in Germany, they typically were used commercially.

OlyMan · Dec 20, 2017

AgX said:
Kodak Carousel projectors are rather rare here in Germany, they typically were used commercially.

That's ironic...the European carousels were completely different products to the American carousels and they were all made in Stuttgart. I'd have thought you guys would be virtually falling over piles of them.

Sirius Glass · Dec 20, 2017

First of all it depends on the usual projection distances that you will use. If you use several you many want a zoom lens or have several lenses.

AgX · Dec 20, 2017

But basically, as with taking lenses, there are certain lens designs and there are focal lengths.

The most common types in modern slide projectors are 4-elements lenses, that are similar to the Tessar type. The high-end lenses are more complex. In any case they are at least of 4 group design. And thus can be distinguished.

superflash · Dec 22, 2017

Consider this question:
wide angle projection lenses are worst than normal and tele lenses?
Among medium format lenses what are wide?
I know Zeiss 75mm P-distagon for PCP80; Apogon 90mm and Schneider 90mm for rolleivision 66. Do you know others?

Dan Fromm · Dec 22, 2017

My 1"/2.8 Navitar and 38/2.8 Elmo PC lenses for Carousel standard projectors do very well in small rooms.

Alan Gales · Dec 22, 2017

Back in the 80's I wanted a Leitz projector but couldn't afford it on a student budget. I ended up with a Kodak projector but bought a Schneider lens for it. The pro shop where I bought it said the Schneider would rival the Leitz lens in quality. I was very happy with it but I didn't project individual slides very long at a time to keep them from getting hot. The Leitz projector was advertised as not heating up slides like the Kodak did.

OlyMan · Dec 23, 2017

Alan Gales said:
The Leitz projector was advertised as not heating up slides like the Kodak did.

Strange...I have never found that mine overheats the slides, but then again we got a completely different line of projectors compared to the the USA, designed and manufacturered by Kodak AG in Stuttgart, all based on the original 1963 Carousel Model S.

Best lenses for slide projectors

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