Get me up to speed on mounting/projecting slides

[msbarnes]

I occasionally slow off my slides every now and then. People into photography find it kind of cool, seeing a 6x6 positive. But I'd really like to see them how they're supposed to be shown: projected.

I don't want to spend crazy amount of money but I don't think that this is going to be too expensive. I'd like high quality but I'm willing to sacrifice that for economy, availability, and bulbs (I'm not sure how easy to find these are).

Mounts:

I checked freestyle and I see two types of mounts:
http://freestylephoto.biz/452601-Gepe-6x6-Anti-Newton-Glass-Slide-Mounts-20-box?cat_id=2304 (Gepe with Glass)
http://freestylephoto.biz/457031-Gepe-6x6-Glassless-Slide-Mount-20-box?cat_id=2304 (Gepe without Glass)

Any advice between these two or any other alternatives? I haven't bothered to check bhphoto/adorama yet. I just want to get an idea from the experienced. I figured that the Glass is mostly for protecting the slide from dirt/dust but this may be unnecessary if handled properly, not sure. I don't have too many slides or plan on accruing too many so I guess I can go with Glass. If I were shooting large volumes then I see how this can totally eat your wallet. At the moment, I have probably shot 6 rolls of slide film and probably would mount a dozen. I'm not that into slide film but I like to shoot it from time to time.

Projectors:

What are some options? I'm looking for 6x6 only and one that is a good value but more importantly the bulbs must be available. I'm not too sure about slide projectors but I would think that finding replacement bulbs might be tricky for some. I figured that there are high-end models and others that are good-enough. Tell me! Anything else I should know about these things?

 

[MattKing]

The advantage of glass mounts is that they keep the slide flat - thus making corner to corner sharpness in the projected image much more likely.

They also don't suffer from slide "pop" as the slide warms up.

This is particularly important for larger magnifications.

The trade-offs are expense, weight and the challenge of mounting without getting any dust into the sandwich.

Some projectors have lenses that assume glassless mounts. They count on the slide having a slight curve.

It is true that bulbs can be a sticking point, but there are some good internet resources out there.

I have a couple of projectors - a Rollei that I bought used and a Kindermann that was given to me.

I haven't decided which one to keep.

Both are quite simple, but work well.

 

[msbarnes]

so perhaps it is better to find the projector first, and then the mount. thanks.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Take a look at the 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" used slide mounts that I have for sale in the Classified section. (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Brian Puccio]

Gepe makes a great deal of variations in their slide mounts, some (7038, I'm looking at you!) are harder to find than others. You might find this PDF helpful:

http://www.gepe.com/website/files/slide_mount_inner_sizes.pdf

 

[msbarnes]

I guess I need a projector first. What are some good projectors that are inexpensive and offer easy to find replacement bulbs? I don't want to spend money on an awesome projector if I can't get bulbs! I only care about 6x6. If I can't get bulbs then i probably won't get a projector, projecting my images isn't a high priority.

 

[ac12]

You can get your slide mounts now.

Get on eBay and see what 6x6 projectors are/have been selling.
Then research the projectors for the bulb it uses, and if those bulbs are available.
And note the features of the various projectors.

What else do you want in a projector?
- loading, manual (you load one slide at a time) or automatic loading (via a tray)
- focus, manual or auto focus
- remote control?

Glass mounts can be tricky in an autofocus projector, since the projector will try to focus on the glass rather than the film.
On my 35mm autofocus projector, I just manually refocused the projector ... problem solved.

It took me MANY months to get my 6x6 projector, and bulb availability was one criteria.

 

[wiedzmin]

I use gepe with glass as in OP but you can find better price.

Regarding projector. What is your budget? How big is the room you would like to project slides (distance from projector to the screen?

+ what ac12 said

 

[msbarnes]

Distance: maybe 20' but I'm bad at measuring distance...maybe a little less, I don't' know. I can move it closer or further away. I just want to show this to family friends and for my own amusement.
Budget: less than a few hundred dollars would be cool but definitely not few thousand. If I can get by with $50 then that is very attractive.
Features: I don't care for much, if any, automation. I'm happy projecting one slide at a time and focusing on each slide. I don't have too many slides and I do not intend on using this too often. Automatic loading and remote control would be nice but not if it quadruples the price. Id pay a little more for these features if it makes my life easier but not significantly more.

Something small, portable, and inexpensive would be great. The image quality doesn't have to be the best but it has to be decent.

 

[wiedzmin]

20 ft distance and screen 7 x 7 ft you can use lens 150mm
20 ft distance and screen 6 x 6 ft you can use lens 180mm

I have Rollei P66 - I found one in v. good condition on ebay for ~ 200$. There is one right now listed but for more $ and no remote http://tinyurl.com/c6268cp
bulbs and trays are available + it is quiet

screen for example like this one http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/15522-REG/Da_Lite_72263_Da_Lite_Versatol_70_x.html or bigger like this one http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/198418-REG/Da_Lite_85424_Versatol_84_in_x_84_in.html if you have a room.

I saw older projectors with manual changing slides but for those I saw there were problems with bulbs + they run very hot and they had much longer lenses than I could use in my location.