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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!harpo!eagle!allegra!alice!rabbit!ark
From: ark@rabbit.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: slide projector
Message-ID: <2265@rabbit.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 8-Dec-83 14:16:15 EST
Article-I.D.: rabbit.2265
Posted: Thu Dec  8 14:16:15 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Dec-83 02:00:02 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 34

Several people seem interested in this, so I'll re-post a paraphrase
of my answer to the original query.  A few years ago, I read an article
in Modern Photography comparing about a dozen slide projectors.  They
found that the projectors could be divided into three distinct classes
of image quality:

	1) Leitz
	2) Kodak
	3) Everything else.

The article contained photographs of projected slides taken off the
screen; the differences were immediately apparent to the most casual
observer.

With one exception, Leitz projectors are unbelievably expensive and
require European-style rectangular slide trays, of the type that spill
all the slides on the floor when you tilt them.  That exception is
the Leitz Pradovit RT-300, which is apparently made specifically for the
American market.  That projector takes Kodak Carousel trays and stack
loader.  Apparently Leitz buys projector bodies from Singer (!) and puts
in their own optical system.  The standard lens is their well-known
90mm f/2.8 Colorplan-CF.

I had the opportunity to compare this projector with a Carousel recently.
Side by side the differences were striking.  The Pradovit gave much more
accurate colors in a brighter and sharper image.  Even putting the Leitz
lens on the Kodak projector made a big difference.

For whatever reason, the New York photo discounters seem to have been
selling the Pradovit at a plausible price recently.  Although the list
price is something like $600, I've seen it advertised for about $300,
which is not far from the price of the top-of-the-line Kodak projector.

I urge anyone looking for a slide projector to take a good look at the Leitz.