Ken Rockwell Falls In Love With His Slide Projector

Zonan said:
Of course, the much-loved super-camera M7 fell out of favor in a few weeks to the M9, which in a week or two has also been relegated to the closet in favor of the Canon S90, the pinnacle of image-making (until net week).
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Sounds like the same thing we do around here, a new favorite with each release.
Welcome, Ken, and enjoy.
 
Trius--instead of searching for a Pradovit--save yourself time, trouble and $$$$ and buy a good Ektagraphic IIIA and then buy a good lens for it, such as a Navitar 70-125/2.8.
The autofocus features in the Pradovit can be erratic, and parts are getting scarce. Not so with the Ektagraphic. The lens is the key. Kodak lens are, with few exceptions, not as good as the aftermarket lens.
Paul
 
Just in case there is someone reading this thread that has an interest in getting a slide projector and trying it out and is now put off from doing so because of some of the opinions stated here, Kodak carousel projectors do not suck. They were the standard for well over 40 years. I have owned a Kodak 4600 for 25 years. I use it regularly. It has never needed repair. I think I've changed the bulb twice. I own a Leitz projector as well. Yes the image is sharper, but 99 people out of 100 would not notice the difference unless they could see the projected images side by side. The Leitz projector jams regularly which is a problem I never had with the Kodak. The bulbs are more expensive and harder to find and the straight slide trays are not very common in the U.S., whereas you can regularly find carousel trays in thrift stores and at garage sales for a dollar or less.

If you have never tried slides or projecting them, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. There is nothing like a projected, well exposed slide regardless of the projector you are using. Even inexpensive projectors (e.g. Vivitar, Sawyer, etc.) will give you a good show. With the availability of good projectors at prices of $5-20 and screens for less than $10, you really can't go wrong. You do not need a Leica or Rollei projector or a special after market lens any more than you need a Leica M as opposed to, say, a Nikon or Canon camera, to make a excellent image.
 
TEZillman said:
Just in case there is someone reading this thread that has an interest in getting a slide projector and trying it out and is now put off from doing so because of some of the opinions stated here, Kodak carousel projectors do not suck. They were the standard for well over 40 years. I have owned a Kodak 4600 for 25 years. I use it regularly. It has never needed repair. I think I've changed the bulb twice. I own a Leitz projector as well. Yes the image is sharper, but 99 people out of 100 would not notice the difference unless they could see the projected images side by side. The Leitz projector jams regularly which is a problem I never had with the Kodak. The bulbs are more expensive and harder to find and the straight slide trays are not very common in the U.S., whereas you can regularly find carousel trays in thrift stores and at garage sales for a dollar or less.

If you have never tried slides or projecting them, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. There is nothing like a projected, well exposed slide regardless of the projector you are using. Even inexpensive projectors (e.g. Vivitar, Sawyer, etc.) will give you a good show. With the availability of good projectors at prices of $5-20 and screens for less than $10, you really can't go wrong. You do not need a Leica or Rollei projector or a special after market lens any more than you need a Leica M as opposed to, say, a Nikon or Canon camera, to make a excellent image.
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Agree, how many thousands of slides though a Carousel have you seen, at conferences, meetings, lectures? Carousels do not suck. What sucks is poorly exposed transparencies, which we all have done, darn it. Thanks for agreeing with me TEZillman
 
Paulbe said:
Trius--instead of searching for a Pradovit--save yourself time, trouble and $$$$ and buy a good Ektagraphic IIIA and then buy a good lens for it, such as a Navitar 70-125/2.8.
The autofocus features in the Pradovit can be erratic, and parts are getting scarce. Not so with the Ektagraphic. The lens is the key. Kodak lens are, with few exceptions, not as good as the aftermarket lens.
Paul
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Paul: Despite the fact that my tongue was firmly in my cheek, I did not use the proper emoticon, as is often my practice. It's just part of my charm. 🙄

My wife tells me we have a Carousel projector in the attic. Previously, I had had a Rollei projector with the straight trays, which worked reasonably well.

Should I decide to bring the Kodak down from the attic, I might search for a better lens if it could be found at a reasonable price.

And as far as finding an Ektagraphic goes, I should be able to do that ... I do live (well, sometimes) in Rochester.
 
Well, on the strength of this thread I've just bought a Kodak Carousel S-AV1000 for a bargain amount (including three slide carousels). I'm picking it up on Monday and look forward to spending these long winter evenings looking properly at my slides for the first time.

It's definitely one of those threads that serves to point out something I've not had but should have - so thanks to Mr Rockwell and the other forumites for making this suggestion. It' s a great low-cost way to enhance the whole photographic thingummywotsit.

It comes with a vario-Retinar 70-120mm lens - should I think of upgrading this lens?
 
KR is the Duracell Rabbit of photography. He will walk (talk) for ever without knowing his direction. Only difference is that instead of a drum in his hands, he's got cameras.

But I read him, it's fun.
 
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TEZillman said:
Just in case there is someone reading this thread that has an interest in getting a slide projector and trying it out and is now put off from doing so because of some of the opinions stated here, Kodak carousel projectors do not suck. They were the standard for well over 40 years.
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I guess different opinions on them are due to the different markets they had in the US and Europe.

In much of Europe, rail mag projectors monopolized the consumer market, and the Stuttgart made professional series were the only Carousels officially marketed there by Kodak. These all-metal devices were seventies design icons, built like a tank, designed to run for years non stop in fixed public installations, and even the entry model was in the pro SLR price range - their reputation is legendary.

In the US on the other hand, Kodak marketed carousel mag projectors right up from consumer level - and in their budget plastics versions, the drop-and-push mechanics were far from being as reliable as those on consumer rail magazine projectors (and the slides travelling over the lamp housing in poorly vented plastics boxes with one motor driving everything made them cook one third of the magazine whenever the motor and fan failed), hence a worse reputation there.
 
In the US on the other hand, Kodak marketed carousel mag projectors right up from consumer level - and in their budget plastics versions, the drop-and-push mechanics were far from being as reliable as those on consumer rail magazine projectors (and the slides travelling over the lamp housing in poorly vented plastics boxes with one motor driving everything made them cook one third of the magazine whenever the motor and fan failed), hence a worse reputation there.

Since this comment was in response to my earlier post, I guess I will post a quick reply. I suppose only someone who has been a projector repair person can give a knowledgeable opinion on the reliability of any projector. It's not something that one can easily find statistics on.

In addition to the projectors I mentioned in my earlier post, I've purchased several other carousel projects second hand as people were selling them for less than $10 and I couldn't pass them up. I currently have seven or eight of them. I've never had a single problem with any of them other than needing to replace bulbs very infrequently. I've known a number of other family members and friends who have used the consumer grade models over the years and I am unaware of any problems anyone has had, so from my experience I would say that they are highly reliable. I have never heard of one where the motor failed. I do not see where Kodak carousel projectors have a poor reputation in the US, but perhaps I have only had limited experience with perhaps two dozen projectors.

The point of my first post was that in the earlier posts in this thread it sounded like Kodak carousel projectors should all be consigned to the trash. My experience is that there is nothing that could be farther from the truth. It also sounded like all Kodak lenses were trash as well. In my experience the difference between them and a higher end lens, while noticable, is not much different than the difference between using a leica camera lens vs, a Nikon camera lens.
 
Well, I get mileage out of my old single shot

Well, I get mileage out of my old single shot

I often set up my Argus single shot projector and do some slide viewing. It's slow, adequate and strictly manual. But it forces me to take time to examine each slide. I'm never going to scan a very large percentage of my slides taken over the years. So, viewing slides is almost a better option.

As regards KR, I enjoy the web site and the approach to information. I mentioned in a recent post about NOT knowing what a "rotter" KR was until I joined this site. I enjoyed his site frequently until I learned the "truth" about KR from RFF.

So, it's actually refreshing to see him getting far more positive press in this thread, and I will now admit that I have been "sneaking" over to his site just as much since posting here on RFF as before.

Thanks for your efforts Ken.

PS, as regards listening seriously to many comments made on other matters, regardless of the comments here about Walmart, I still get my Medium Format (120) E-6 and C-41 processed by Walmart for mere pennies compared to other processors I have used over time. Quite nicely done I might add.

So, personal experience, as usual, wins out over listening to the masses. Trust your own filters, and avoid the scotomas created by following the crowd's advice.
 
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