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From: ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: slide projectors
Message-ID: <3117@rabbit.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Sep-84 00:46:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: rabbit.3117
Posted: Fri Sep  7 00:46:27 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Sep-84 11:48:58 EDT
References: <981@ihuxw.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 48

Answers to questions about the Leitz RT-300 projector:

	1.  Does it have autofocus?

		Yes.

	2.  Is it compatible with Kodak slide trays and the
	    Kodak stack loader?

		Yes.  Lenses too, mostly.

	3.  How does it compare to the Kodak Carousel for image sharpness,
	    image brightness, and quietness of operation?

		Noise level is about the same.  The difference in
		brightness and sharpness is immediately apparent
		to the most casual observer.  It's so bright, it
		looks like it should burn a hole through the screen,
		not to mention your slides, but it doesn't.
		In fact, a review I read says that it is unusally
		gentle to slides, heat-wise.

	4.  Is it worth the extra $200 over the Carousel.

		Yes, except that the difference is MUCH less than
		$200.  For instance, the September 1984 issue of
		Modern Photography has an ad from Olden Camera
		offering the Leitz projector for $349.  (This is
		the new model that will synch to audio-visual
		doodads; I expect you can find the older one for less).
		Kodak projectors are offered in the same ad
		for $104 to $279.  It is probably most reasonable
		to compare the Leitz with the $279 model,
		for a difference of $50.  I don't know exactly
		what features the Kodaks have, but I'll bet the
		difference between the Leitz and the cheapest Kodak
		with autofocus, remote control, and timer
		(all of which the Leitz has) is still well under
		$200.

I would pay $500 for the Leitz projector (if I couldn't get it
for less).  I have compared the Leitz with a top-of-the-line
Kodak, side by side, on the same slides.  They were simply
not in the same league.  Then, just for fun, I swapped lenses.
The result was a dramatic improvement in the Kodak's image
and a dramatic deterioration in the Leitz's image, but the
Leitz projector with the Kodak lens was still better than
the Kodak projector with the Leitz lens!