The Fascinating Renaissance of Slide Projection

(Part 3)

By Hermann Groeneveld / SilvergrainClassics

Suitable films

Projecting slides often arises from the motivation to breathe life into old treasures from the archive and reminisce. It gets exciting when slide projection becomes a long-term project, possibly on a specific topic, for which images are only to be created on film with the analogue camera. The preparation begins long before the actual projection, with the search for the right slide film. Its character should fit the theme and a very personal photographic style of the photographer. And it should convey desired emotions in its projection. Slide film is undoubtedly the most honest way to convey a unique aesthetic commonly referred to as a film look in the projection. After all, the result can already be assessed unadulterated on the light table. This requires several experiments with different materials at the beginning. At least that’s possible again: Films are currently experiencing a renaissance, albeit at a high price. FUJICHROME Provia and Velvia are available again, EKTACHROME E100 as well. And lots of experimental cine films with a special look: cinema film feeling for still photographers. Atlanta Film Co. should be mentioned here, for example with the EUPHORIC. The recommended process for the EUPHORIC is E-6, which results in a positive image suitable for projection. In the so-called cross-development in ECN-2, the EUPHORIC develops like a negative with slightly increased grain and contrast. Experimental color and black-and-white films are usually offered as negative films for development in the standard C-41 process. Cross-developments, however, lead to a slide-positive suitable for projection. Unmasked color films, such as the new Harman Phoenix 200 from Harman Technology / Ilford Photo. After all, this film has a high experimental character. Creative photographers are in demand to refine the development process with their own experiences and to exchange ideas with the community. From the sale of the Phoenix 200, Harman Technology finances further research and development. In issues 21 and 24 of SilvergrainClassics, we discussed this film with in detail. By the way, masked films are less suitable for cross-development, you would have to remove the color mask again by digital means.

Tools around the slide

In Buchen, Germany, there is a company that still feels at home in the traditional world of images: Kaiser Fototechnik you will find a lot of helpful information about the slide. Slide frames, for example: one-piece glassless folding sticks 5 x 5 cm for small format slides, LED light panels, slide viewers and magnifying glasses, archive sleeves and folders, up to small aids for cleaning and caring for slides. In the Baden-Württemberg medium-sized town of Calw, Germany, there is another small medium-sized company that has made a name for itself in particular with furniture for archiving slides that is as practical as it is attractive: Archivtechnik Kunze. Pretty much every slide photographer has had contact with this company at some point in his career: The practical Journal 24 slide cassettes for 24 34 slides each are widely known, which can be stored in almost any bookshelf to save space. Or in one of Kunze’s noble slide cabinets, with an integrated light desk. For medium format photographers, Kunze offers the Journal Fix Slide Frames for the formats 4.5 x 6; 6 x 6 and 6 x 7. A catalogue with the entire portfolio of Archivtechnik Kunze can be downloaded from the website.

Projecting and digitizing from one magazine

In issue 22 of SilvergrainClassics, we looked at the different motivations for digitizing films and slides. There is actually no direct connection to slide projection here. But for the organization and clarity of a slide archive, its digital recording and meaningful indexing of projects and motifs is helpful. This can certainly be done in a lower, screen-appropriate resolution. Or you can capture your slide archive in high-resolution RAW files. The clarity is thus created in the same way, visually and through the assignment of metadata. Further optimization within the framework of the digital postal process of the data can take place at a later date. Ideally, the SilverFast Archive Suite should be used as scan software and for post-production, which meets these requirements exactly. For slide photographers, the magazine scanner is the best solution. This allows a finished slide presentation, for example, to be digitized one-to-one. If necessary, the same slide magazine intended for the projection is also fed to the scanner. It is no coincidence that the proven magazine scanners from Reflecta and their identical siblings from Braun bear a resemblance to a classic slide projector. Last summer, Reflecta launched the revised Reflecta DigitDia 8000 Magazin Scanner. With a resolution of up to 10,000 DPI according to the manufacturer and a maximum density of 4.2 Dmax, the DigitDia 8000 digital reproductions at an even higher speed compared to its predecessors. LaserSoft Imaging informed us at the time of going to press that the adaptation of its Archive Suite to the DigitDia 8000 is close to completion.

SilvergrainClassics had planned to subject this scanner to a thorough individual test with the SilverFast software and to present it in our magazine. Unfortunately, the Reflecta company refused to provide us with a test device for reasons we could not understand. They are not interested in working with us. We learned that competitors in our business had similar experiences with this company.

Canvas

Ideally, the projection room can be completely darkened. This is because ambient light quickly has a disturbing effect on the projection: the image contrast is reduced, and the projected slides lose their radiance and brilliance. However, this is not the only decisive factor for the full enjoyment of a slide projection. The quality of the screen contributes significantly to the success. Unfortunately, screens optimized for slide projection are only available on the second-hand market. In order to make the right choice, some theoretical knowledge is required. Under no circumstances should you switch to canvas that are suitable for projectors. A slide projector cannot project black. Dark areas in an image are created by little light, possibly no light. Disturbing ambient light brightens dark parts of the image unnaturally, to the detriment of contrast and detail of the entire projected image. A slide projector with a higher lamp power would not be able to compensate for this situation. The only remedy is a canvas optimized for slide projection, which blocks unwanted light and accepts only the projected light. The decisive factor for the performance of a screen optimized for slide projection is the reflection factor (gain). The factor expresses the relationship between the light hitting the canvas and the light reflected by the canvas. Basically, the canvas texture, which is decisive for the gain factor, is based on two types of foil or cloth: Diffuse screens (type D) reflect the light of the projection evenly into all spatial axes. They have a matt white surface. The gain factor is between 1.0 and 1.2. This canvas is ideally suited for projection in a home cinema. Type Reflex (type S) canvas, usually with a gain factor above 2.0, reflect the light twice as intensely as type D canvas. However, the optimal viewing angle for the best possible reflection is 40-60°, i.e. much closer to the projection axis than with type D. Canvas of this type are suitable for environments that cannot be completely darkened, such as outdoor applications. The ideal aspect ratio of the dial canvas is 1:1 at two meters square and thus corresponds to the 35 mm slide, both in landscape and portrait format.

End

The Fascinating Renaissance of Slide Projection (Part 1)

The Fascinating Renaissance of Slide Projection (Part 2)

See also

High-End Slide Projection – Part 1

High-End Slide Projection – Part 2