The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-20
ON THE MAGIC SHEET.
How Amateur Photographers May Enter
tain Their Friends.


tographcr can turn his skill is the maxi
ing of lantern slides and exhibiting tue
results of his erdeavors by means Of "
stercopticon. Pictures of all kindA
when thrown upon the screen in an en-
larged form, arc all the more interesr
ing because of their being all your own
and your friends will appreciate then
more fully as the exhibition takes Cd
the aspect of an illustrated lecture on
subjects in which all are more or less
directly interested. The stereopticon
can be procured from any dealer in
optical or Photographic supplies at
prices ranging from ten dollars upward
An hour or so whiled away with such
entertainment is as instructive as it is
thoroughly amusing.
The process of preparing slides from
ordinary negatives is by no means a
difficult one. and is within the capabili-
ties of almost any operator who has
made fair progress in the art. Two
young ladies, to the writer's knowledge,
who had less than years experience,
have prepared collection of lantern
past summer, which will compare favor
ably with the work of professionals,
At a recent private exhibition they dis
played over 100 different views, embrace
ing bits of marine scenery, landscapes
groups, mountain glimpses, ETC., m
were good, and their chief charm lay
in the fact that they were homemade.
Of fn
the size required for the lantern slide is
largely mechanical. OF course, there is
a certain portion of it which must be
controlled by Judgment. but hat is
small indeed. A positive is made on
glass from the negative, the pates to
be used being specially preparation the
purpose.
They yield a clear, sharp blsck-and-
tan effect, throwing distinct shadows
on the object sheet. These positive
plates can be made by direct contact in
printing frame, but, as a rule, they
are not satisfactory when ln;dc that
way The lantern slides are cCnSidera-
bly, smaller than any of the ordinary
plates now in use and in making q con-
! is secured and the effect is seldom good
| Besides. it stands to reason that large
negative reduced to the size required
for the slide, will be much more com
pact and will give finer results
Contact printing is done on the same
principle as ordinary paper printing.
Lay the transparency plate over the
/
/ dark room, of course). and expose to
white light, either daylight or gaslight
| for few seconds. Then return to the
/ dark room and develop the slide. A
/ special developer is needed for thi:
work. repairing no more skill. however
than that used in developing ordinary
dry plates The better plan is to reduce
the negatives by the simple process
which follows
The reduction is effected with the list
of Il box. or cone, which is attached t.
the front OF the camera. This con-
should be constructed on the regula
mathematical plan accord < to theS
proportions: Add together the width o
the negative and the width of the de
sired slide and multiply their sum 81, -.
| the focal Icneth OF your lens -Dlx "a
this product by the width of the slide t.
get the distance in inches, the negativ
must be from the lens, or in other word
the length of the cone. Then divide tn
product by the width of the negative t
get the distance at which the slide mus
be from the lens. The slide is expose
in plate holder. which is placed in tn
acl of the camera at the distance tror
the lens determined by the last calcula
zion mentioned.
A lOx constructed for negatives o
the six and half by eight and Il hal
size and slides two and scvcn-eight
inches wide (the Standard used in cor
nection with a siX-inch wide angle lens
should be twenty-three inches long.
is well, however, to make box twenty
one or twenty-five inches long, so tina
it can also be used for smaller negative
and so that room will be left for tn
operator to uncap his lens. The ligf
that enters between the back or sma
end of the box and the front of tn
camera does little if any harm. 1t ca
easily be guarded against by THROWN
a dark ClOIn over Jne dpcTCulc.
In the front board of the box squar
hole should ne cut just IA trifle smalle
than the negative, so the negative ma
rest against it without falling through
Little strips nailed on the outside wi
hold the plate il, position. The entil
box should be raised on strong boar
at the proper height to connect pc
fectly with the lens of the camera whe
placed in front of it. A couple of STRIP
of wood should be nailed on the boar
to keep the camera rigidly in its props
position. 1t will be seen at glant
that the size of the image may be varie
at will, simply by moving the Gamer
backward or forward, focusing.
course. with every change of position
This can be had OF any dealer to hol
the little slides in large plate holders.
After the camera has once bee
placed in its correct position, the obje
carefully focused of the required siz
much trouble can be saved by marllir
out guide lines on the board at whit
the camera must rest and also the poi
of exact focus on the bed of the Gamer
, Then the outfit will always be reat
and need not be refocuscd. If small
negatives than those for which Il
box was constructed are to be use
[ - l.. I, lN,.. ,NI,N