The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (February 1893)

The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. 37 in colour were next performed, producing the complementaries, followed by some most interesting optical, chemical cohesion, and adhesion experiments. By what is known as the vertical attachment applied to a lantern other experiments were produced, including the motion of camphor upon the surface of water. A number of thin shavings of camphor were delivered to the water surface and projected on the screen, when they were seen, much magnified, rotating and twirling about in manner extremely interesting, but not ‘ unaccountable,”’ for the motions of camphor are now well understood by scientists. It was also shown that camphor was not the only substance that produced similar motions under similar conditions. A chameleon was made to show changes of colour; primary colors produced white light; and, by a wheel of life adapted to the lantern, the motions of trotting horses, birds on the wing, and other animals in motion were shown upon the screen. —--10!:-—— Making and Finishing Lantern Slides. By J. Msncarint.™ Lantern shows, or as commonly called ‘‘ magic lantern exhibitions,’ have become so very popular, that I thought a demonstration of how these entertainments were made would be interesting to you. I have therefore come forward not as an inventor of some ‘* Mencavini patent,” but simply as a narrator of what I have learnt myself of this fascinating pastime, from books, periodicals, and a little experience. We all remember our younger days, when to be taken by our parents to a “magic lantern show” was as great a treat as to be given a piece of ‘butter scotch.’’ How many times have we gazed delighted on those large pictures shown us on a white sheet, and wondered how they were done, and what a respectful admiration we had for that man who could show us such wonderful things! Well, now, anyone with but little work can produce those “magic pictures.” F Great are the advantages of ‘lantern shows’; it delights and instructs the juveniles more than at first thought would seem. And so much am I convinced that it does instruct, that if I should have it in my power I should make it compulsory for every schoolmaster to have a magic lantern, and give at least once a week an exhibition showing some of the superior slides which can be purchased on any * Poochow Camera Club. subject required at a very small cost. By further explaining the subjects, geography, natural history, astronomy, etc., could be taught and be impressed more on young minds. than by hows of pondering over books, which in many cases are not understood, and which are repeated as by parrots. Very much has certainly been done in this. line—scientists and public speakers have been convinced of the enormous advantages there are: in using the lantern to illustrate their papers. What would require a long explanation, and then would not convey to the mind a perfect: idea of the subject, with the aid of a magic lantern and a photographic lantern slide, can be shown to a large audience one hundred times. larger than nature and with all its details. Photography has been rendered so very simple that I cannot understand how every man or woman having a spare moment does not make his own pictures. How many are the occasions when, if you had been able to take a. photograph, you would have pictures of places. dear to you, and which are bound to bring agreeable recollections in days to come. “For a comparatively small sum you can purchase an outfit, and surely you can always. ! $nd a kind friend who could explain the mysteries of this most entertaining and useful of pastimes ; aud I can assure you, that although it is many years since [ dedicated my spare ioments to photography, still I find there is such a fascination when watching the | exposed plate being developed, especially if the negative has been correctly exposed, and the development proceeds gradually and the result is a good, brilliant negative, I know not how to express the intense satisfaction it | produces. But I observe I have deviated considerably from the object of my theme. I shall now come to the point. Of course the principal thing you must have for slide-making is a good negative ; this can be of any size desired, but should be, to give good result, clear, crisp, and full of details. There are two ways to produce lantern slides one is by contact, that is the film side of your negative and the film side of the lantern plate are placed back to back in a printing frame, and exposed either to day or lamp light. Usually for this kind of work the negatives are on quarter-plates, but I have seen lanteru slides made from other sized plates when only part of the negative was required. The other way is the most used, and this is by reduction with a copying camera. Better results are given in this form. Most complicated and expensive apparatus