Projecting 6x9 transparencies?

[kwmullet]

I just got my first roll of 6x9 transparencies back that I shot with my 1936 Zeiss Ikon Folder. I can't envision a senario where I don't continue to shoot these. They're wonderful. They glow.

Now the question -- presuming I get stuck on shooting transparencies, I'll eventually want a way to project them. Is there a projector I can use to project transparencies in size from 35mm all the way to 6x9 without having to unload and load each one singlely. I'd like to just stack a bunch of transparencies in a hopper, or something like that, and display them.

I'm presuming this would be something historical/vintage.

-KwM-

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

If there is such a thing for 6x9, like the old Linhof/Leitz 6x7 projector, it's not likely to be auto loading. At best it will be the sort of projector with a sliding carriage where you insert the slide on one side of the gate and push the carriage over to the other side, where you can take out the previous slide and insert the next one, push it into the gate, and take out the previous one from the other side, etc.

 

[Soeren]

The largest I have heard about is the Götschmann 6X7 http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/gotschmann.htm
Cheers Søren

 

[David Brown]

I'm presuming this would be something historical/vintage.

-KwM-

Hey Kevin:

The military had projectors that handled up to 4x5. They come up occasionally on Ebay. But be prepared to pay! And, they are huge! (as you might imagine.)

I got a "USMC" machine several years ago that handles up to 6x6. It wasn't that expensive, but it is a bare bones job. Pretty much what David G. described.

I've found 6x6 and 6x7 mounts, but I haven't noted whether or not 6x9 mounts are even available.

Good luck.

David (B)

 

[eclarke]

I bought some 6x9 mounts from the company that bought Weiss. They had only a few boxes of them and did not express an opinion about making them again...EC

 

[medform-norm]

I bought some 6x9 mounts from the company that bought Weiss. They had only a few boxes of them and did not express an opinion about making them again...EC

We've used an old magic lantern slide projector for these sizes before, but it was for other purposes than just showing how wonderfully tack sharp your slides are. And it doesn't have trays either, of course.

And wasn't the 4x5" beast called something like the Beseler Slide King? IIRC, there's a post on one of the photo fora about slide projectors this large. If I have time, I'll try to find it.

BTW Why DO you shoot slides anyways and not negs?

 

[kwmullet]

[...]
BTW Why DO you shoot slides anyways and not negs?

Oh -- I shoot nearly entirely B&W negs. Aside from this roll of 6x9 I just shot, my last roll of transparencies was 2-3 years ago, and the previous one was 2-3 years before that. I shot some transparency film with this folder just out of curiosity, and gosh, those things sure do look nice on the light table. Also, I'm going to play around with developing b&w neg film as transparencies once I clear out a few other projects.

It does occur to me, though, that for projects I would intend to print using an alt process, shooting b&w transparencies would save a step. I could shoot my 35mm or MF transparencies, then make an enlarged negative on the enlarger baseboard, then contact print that using *whatever*. It'd save me the step of making an interpositive.

It also occured to me that when shooting color with old cameras (like the aforementioned Zeiss Ikon 6x9 folder) that transparency film is more likely to render the true "vision" of the camera without being intercepted by various profiles in automated minilab printing machines.

Upon further consideration, though, I think I'd prefer to find some kind of a projector that would accept strips of transparencies rather than mounted ones. If I'm showing someone a portrait series that they might like me to print, I'd much rather handle strips than mounted transparencies in the enlarger.

-KwM-

 

[medform-norm]

Upon further consideration, though, I think I'd prefer to find some kind of a projector that would accept strips of transparencies rather than mounted ones. If I'm showing someone a portrait series that they might like me to print, I'd much rather handle strips than mounted transparencies in the enlarger.

-KwM-

Hmm, I understand your concern, but you may have a hard time finding a projector that does what you want, unless you'd build the strip holder yourself. Have you taken a look at the models suggested here already to see if that is doable?

About B&W transparencies: you are aware that Agfa Scala is out of production, are you not? What will be your alternative?

 

[medform-norm]

Yup, I was correct, it's called Beseler Slide King. One sold in Germany on eBay not too long ago, take a look:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Beseler-Slide-Ki...QitemZ7571418206QQcategoryZ8278QQcmdZViewItem

 

[MattKing]

How about 11! Beseler Slide kings

There is a current listing for 11 of these machines on Ebay in the US:

11 Beseler Slide Kings

It is item number 7593363350.

 

[medform-norm]

There is a current listing for 11 of these machines on Ebay in the US:

Yup, they come in swarms at the start of spring, like the frogs starting their mating trek.

What the OP wants is this:

http://whistlerinns.com/noblex/nobluxslide.htm

if he can afford one.....

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Good heavens. Does someone down in Atlanta want to pick them up and parse them out to Apuggers? It would be kinda cool to be able to project 4x5" transparencies.

 

[kwmullet]

There is a current listing for 11 of these machines on Ebay in the US:

11 Beseler Slide Kings

It is item number 7593363350.

As you posted, I'd just found that. Hrm... formulating spousal purchase request language at this time.

-KwM-

Later edit --
Holey Macrel! That's a pallet-o-projectors! That'd cost my entire darkroom construction budget to ship. Maybe I better just get an overhead projector.

 

[kwmullet]

Does anyone know what this is? Local University surplus sale advertises it as an "overhead film projector" for US$30. Could I concievably get reasonable transparency projection out of this?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The picture shows a Color Video Projector. It doesn't look like something for film or overhead projection.

 

[medform-norm]

Does anyone know what this is? Local University surplus sale advertises it as an "overhead film projector" for US$30. Could I concievably get reasonable transparency projection out of this?

Looks like a video projector to me - read the small white lettering under the lens....maybe it would work if you'd make a video of your slides and then play the video..?

But I like Davids idea: let's buy the pallet all together and divide the loot. We'd have to draw straws who gets which lens.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

So did anyone buy the 11 Slide Kings for $10.50 plus a heck of a lot of shipping?

I've got one on the way from another auction and tracked the package and it's listed at 40 lbs!--

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7591466159

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

My Slide King arrived in its original long metal case from the Utah department of surplus property (it formerly belonged to the Utah Div. of Aeronautics), which looks like something designed for transporting a rocket propelled grenade launcher.

It's got a 15-1/2" Beseler lens and a carrier for 3-1/4" x 4" mounts. I happen to have one magic lantern slide in that format--a scene of two farmers with their water buffalo in a rice paddy near Manila around a hundred years ago or so. The slide is very contrasty, intended for projection. I've tried duping it on film and scanning it, and have never gotten a result that I was pleased with, but it looks beautiful projected.

The 15-1/2" lens is perhaps best suited to a larger space than my apartment. With the slide about 8 feet from the wall, I've got the lens racked out 18 inches (the focusing rails are collapsible), and the image size is about 10-1/2 x 11". Maybe that guy who bought all those machines might be willing to part with a wider lens, or maybe Galli's got one somewhere, though the lens might also require a mounting collar.

Now to see if I can find slide mounts for this thing. I've seen some pretty large slide mounts from Gepe.

 

[Sanjay Sen]

David, I would be interested to know how you set this thing up. After I saw your post last night, I went out and got one too! And it was pretty cheap at $25 + shipping. Since I have started shooting MF slides now, thought I would take a chance with this machine and see if I can figure out a way to project 6x6 slides.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

On the back there's a metal bracket that folds down to give the projector some clearance for the fan, and on the front there are two knobs, and if you loosen those knobs, two legs spring out (with some force!), so you can level the projector.

The lens goes in a mounting collar and is held in place with a set screw on the bottom of the collar. The collar is held on the front standard by means of another set screw with a knob.

To insert the slide carrier, first open the lamp housing with the knob on top. Inside you'll notice that you can adjust the distance between the lamp and the condensors, and it looks like you can also adjust the position of the condensors, but if you've only got one lens, that is probably all set up correctly. The black knob for the slide carrier goes on the right side facing forward (presuming that you are standing behind the projector), and the carrier slides into the slot until it hits a metal stop and is held in place with a metal thumbscrew.

Close the lid, plug it in, and turn it on, and it should work. Focus by turning the black knob on the right side of the front standard, and if you can't extend the lens far enough to focus, then loosen the knobs on the underside of the collapsible rails, and extend the rails.

You change slides by sliding the carrier back and forth from one side to the other, each time taking a slide out and putting a new one in.

There's a black knob on the right side of the lamp housing that controls a metal pointer. You can turn it to raise or lower the pointer, and slide it in and out of the frame, and lecture with authority, indicating what is important and what is trivial. Power Point? Feh...

I've found 6x6 and 6x7 mounts from Gepe, but haven't figured out what the outside dimensions are. Let me know if you turn anything up!

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Okay, a little more information--3.25x4" is the U.S. standard lantern slide format. Lantern slides were sold in this size as were masks for various film and plate formats. The slides were printed on glass plates, and the mask was held in place by a cover glass.

 

[Bruce Osgood]

Okay, a little more information--3.25x4" is the U.S. standard lantern slide format. Lantern slides were sold in this size as were masks for various film and plate formats. The slides were printed on glass plates, and the mask was held in place by a cover glass.

Does this mean the Beseler Slide King will NOT project a 4x5 tranny?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

No, it will not project 4x5" (and I don't think there's a larger version). I've been reading around, and I think Noblex made or perhaps still makes a projector for their 6x12cm format, and that may do 4x5".

 

[Sanjay Sen]

My Slide King is on its way and should be here tomorrow. I checked the weight and it's also shipped at 40 lbs! Hopefully I will be able to tinker around with it this weekend.

Thank you for all the info.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've ordered a 10" lens and a carrier for 2-1/4" square slides from Bill Riggins who bought the 11 Slide Kings. He's apparently a dealer in AV equipment who is local to the seller, so he could pick them up himself. His prices are reasonable, and he seems friendly and helpful. If you need parts, e-mail him at tobill@gmail.com.

My hope is that the smaller carrier will take some more standard size slide mounts, and I can avoid the issue of custom mounts altogether.

I've also found a few sources for bulbs. The Slide King takes the CZX 500 W and DDB 750 W lamp. Best prices I found were around $25 at a place called Pureland Supply. Mine came with a DDB, but I'm not projecting that big, so I might put in a smaller bulb.