The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (January 1890)

64 Selections. A BI-CONVEX and a meniscus, while not being the most perfect form for a condenser, will be found to yield excellent results, and be at the same time comparatively inexpensive. —h. M. Nelson. * * * BEFORE putting your compressed gas cylinder away, test that no gas is escaping. A simple Way 1s to spread, by means of the finger, a little saliva over the opening, so that it forms a film across the aperture, and if there is the slightest -escape a bubble will rise.—G. 2. Baker. x O% x THe lantern-screen I use for parlour use is made of continuous cartridge paper, two yards square, and is mounted on a wooden roller. It answers better than the whitest linen, .and is ready for use at a moment’s notice.—J. A. Hodges. x No branch of photographic art is more full of promise of ‘practical utility and pleasure than the manufacture and -exhibition of lantern slides.—G. A. Rabbcth. * x * THE pleasure one feels in making a really good wet-plate lantern slide far surpasses anything one can ever feel in working the dry method. In the former case the merit —if any—is due to yourself; but in the latter case there is always a questionable amount that should go tothe platemaker. —Chas. Whiting. * * * THE artistic feeling is possessed by very few. Without it one cannot make pictures ; it is an intuitive knowledge, born of cultivation. A person may possess inherent taste, but ‘without study and cultivation it amounts to little.—A. J. Treat. x OR * WHEN I have a lantern slide to make of a diagram which consists of very fine lines, I prefer to make it by means ofa lens ;_ but for ordinary work, contact gives sufficient exactitude.—7. C. Hepmarth. x * THE ideal lantern band would be a series of pictures printed in their proper order on one long sheet of celluloid. This could be placed ona roller slide adapted to the lantern, and the pictures wound continuously off one roller on.to the other.— W. Jerome Harrison. eae IN the near future it is said the lantern will take the place -of blackboards in schools. he pupils will doubtless sit in darkness ; and if their behaviour is on a par with that of the present generation—“ What an afternoon !"—#, kdneyse Cooper. IF the photographers made lantern slides from some of their negatives, and issued tickets for a free entertainment, it would be the means of bringing them many customers ; in fact, it is one of the cheapest ways whereby a photographer could advertise. —Samuel J. Warner. * .* A LANTERN transparency made from a blurred negative is worse than useless, since the blur is magnified very ‘unpleasantly when the picture is projected on the screen.— F.C. Beach * * ¥ THE hand camera used in the summer can produce you tons of amusement in the winter—make Jantern slides of your pictures.—Jonathan Fallowfield. The Optical Magio Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. Notes and Queries. Lustis.—Use paste instead of gum for fastening the binding strips. We published the formula for a paste in our issue for Nov. 15 £.B, A.— Please send us your address ; your letter was only headed * London.” Amateur wntes:—“ At a lantern entertainment lately given the pictures were fuzzy and distorted at the top, and in the case of square slides the top was very much longer than the bottom, even had the lower corners not been cut off, and the sides of the picture were leaning, instead of being upright. The lantern itself stood on a pile of boxes, and was tipped up at an angle of nearly 45 degs., and the operators had to stand on chairs at either side in order to reach to put the slides in. What is the reason of the indistinctness? and why was the lantern set up sohigh? There was evidently a reason for it, as it would have been more simple to have set it on a table? Even with allthis the lower part of disc was about four feet from the floor.” Reply.—The indistinctness of the upper portion of the image was owing tothe lantern being tipped back. Had the screen been placed at a right angle to the base of the lantern a better image would have been produced, and the sides of the pictures would have been parallel. When the lantern is tipped back and the screen upright the distance from the lens to the lower edge of the picture on the screen will be much shorter than that between the upper edge and the lens, consequently the image cannot besharp at the top if it is focussed for the foreground. A. Hf. U. asks :—“1. Whether the etho-oxygen or the oxyhydrogen light is the better? 2. Would you advise me to use gas cylinders, or to make my own oxygen and employ a bag?” Answer.—We have not had sufficient experience with the etho-oxygen light to warrant an opinion. 2. If you have a gas baz you might find it expedient to make your own gas, but it is a question of a balance of advantages which each must determine for oneself. Y. N. writes :— “1. What is the proper adjustment of a lamp? 2. Cana long or short focus lens be used indifferently with the same condenser, or does the focus of condenser require a corresponding focus of lens? 3. Will a Sciopticon lamp illuminate a square picture quite sharp to the very corners?” Ansrver.—1. No measurements can be given, but must be determined by experiment—moving it in various directions, both up and down and sideways, until the disc shows even illumination. 2. The same condenser will serve with lenses of various foci. 3. Yes, the lamp will give the illumination, but sharpness depends upon the object glass. S. W. Gardnev.—Thanks for the tickets for the exhibition and lantern entertainment in connection with the East Dulwich and Peckham Photographic Society. We shall endeavour to be present. “Ignis Fatuus.”—We think the instrument you enquire about is of a high class. Subscriber.—We have only just received the parcel. Thanks. &, S.—Youcan ascertain from our advertising columns. 10? Noxrrt MIDDLESEX PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB. — List of awards for members’ work at the exhibition, held at Jubilee House, Hornsey-road, N., on December 16, 1889.—Landscape in silver: 1st class certificate, C. Beadle ; 2nd, J. W. Marchant ; hon. mention, W. T. Goodhew. Landscape in platinum or bromide: Ist class certificate, W. T. Goodhew ; 2nd, C. Beadle ; hon. mention, Geo. R. Martin. Portraiture: Ist class certificate, H. Beckett. Figure studies : certificate to R. B. Lodge. Lantern transparencies: 1st class certificate, C. Beadle; 2nd, H. Walker. Enlargements: Ist class certificate, A.'Le Vieger (enlargement o! cat); 2nd, W. Sweeting.