LANTERN SLIDES.
So many of our new members have written asking how lantern slides are made, and what is required for an outfit, that we publish another paper on the subject.
Most young amateurs have an idea that it requires a great deal of skill to make lantern slides, but any one who can make a good negative can soon learn how to make a good lantern slide. The simplest way is by contact-printing. Select a negative free from spots, scratches, or pinholes. It must have fine detail in the shadows, and no harsh contrasts of light and shade. The regulation size of a lantern slide is 3½ by 4, so choose a negative which will still make a good picture if all but the portion included in these dimensions is blocked out. Cover the part of the negative which is to be blocked out with needle-paper, or paint it with non-actinic paint, applying it to the glass side of the negative. The negative is placed in a printing-frame, and then by a red light, the slide is placed over the part to be printed from, the film side toward the negative.
If one has a lantern the light of which is suitable for printing lantern slides, cover the negative, open the door of the lantern, and then holding the printing-frame about fifteen inches from the light, expose from five to twenty seconds, according to the density of the plate. A plate that prints quickly will need but five or eight seconds, but a denser plate will require a much longer exposure, often as long as thirty seconds. Cover the plate as soon as it is printed, close the lantern, remove the slide from the frame, and place it face up in the developing-tray. Turn the developer over it quickly, taking care that the whole surface of the plate is covered immediately. Any developer that makes good negatives will make good lantern slides. A weak developer is to be preferred to one which brings out the image quickly. Develop till the detail is well out, wash and fix same as a negative.
As every imperfection in a plate is magnified many times when thrown on the screen, great care must be taken in the developing, fixing, washing, and drying. When the slides are washed enough, take a piece of clean surgeon's cotton and wash the film very gently, then place to dry where no dust will settle on the surface.
If there are any spots on the plate after washing and before drying, they may be removed with ferricyanide of potassium in solution. Tie a small piece of surgeon's cotton to the end of a glass rod, dip it into the solution, and touch the spot very lightly. Rinse the plate at once, and if the spot has not entirely disappeared, repeat the operation. The ferricyanide works very quickly, and must be rinsed off as soon as applied.
Negatives which are too large for contact-printing are made into lantern slides by the process known as reduction, directions for which will be given again if requested.
The making of lantern slides is one of the most fascinating branches of photography, and the work is specially appropriate for winter, both in making the slides and showing them with the lantern.
FIRST PRIZE, JUNIOR COMPETITION, LANDSCAPES.
By Anton H. Schefer, New York, N. Y.
SECOND PRIZE, JUNIOR COMPETITION, LANDSCAPES.
By Lesley Ashburner, Media, Pennsylvania.
THIRD PRIZE, JUNIOR COMPETITION, LANDSCAPES.
By Howard Cox, Helena, Montana.
S. F. Macquaide, 46 Mechlin St., Germantown, Pa., says that she has a number of 4-by-5 views which she would like to sell. If any of the Camera Club wish to purchase, a letter sent to address given will bring list of subjects and price of same. Our correspondent also wishes to buy a second-hand No. 2 Bull's-Eye camera.
B. Cover, 713 Avenue W, Ashland, Wis., has a 5-by-8 Anthony view camera, with three double plate-holders, which he will sell cheap, or exchange for a 4-by-5 camera.
William O. Wickman, Great Barrington, Mass., wishes to purchase a picture of the White House, Washington, D.C. Would like either 4 by 5 or 5 by 8.
John G. Volkes, 324½ Eighth St., New York city, would like to correspond with members of the Camera Club on photographic subjects.
Claude A. Wolfe, 1701 Diamond St., Philadelphia, would like to exchange a print of the State Capitol building of Tennessee for one of the Capitol buildings of New York, Massachusetts, and Maine; he also asks if any member has a good view camera which he wishes to sell, or exchange for a bicycle and a 5-by-7 Premo camera with five plate-holders.
B. A. Porter, 212 Tulip Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., has views of Strong, Me., and of Brooklyn and New York, which he would like to exchange for views of other localities. Our correspondent asks those members sending prints to use an extra fixing-bath in toning the prints, as he is making a collection, and many of the prints fade after a while. For those who do not care to exchange, and who would like good views of the places named, he will sell unmounted views for 10c. each.
Dudley Gregg, Hogsett Military Academy, Danville, Ky., asks if any member of the Camera Club has a pocket-kodak which he would like to sell.
William S. Johnson asks what is sel d'or; a good formula for mounting-paste; a formula for metol developer; if hydrochloric and muriatic acids are the same; and where rubber finger-tips may be purchased. Sel d'or is a salt of perchloride of gold and hyposulphite of soda. Starch paste made by mixing with cold water and then boiling until of the proper consistency makes an excellent paste for mounting photographs. It will not keep, but must be made fresh when wanted. A good formula for metol developer is: Metol, 30 grs.; sodium sulphite crystals, 180 grs.; carbonate of potassium, 90 grs.; and water, 4 oz. Hydrochloric and muriatic acid are the same. Dealers in photographic supplies sell rubber finger-tips. Three finger-tips cost 15c.
R. B. T. asks if there is any remedy for a negative which is under-developed after it is fixed. It can be intensified—in other words, redeveloped. See directions for intensifying in No. 824, August 13, 1895. If you have not this number, it will be mailed you from this office on receipt of 5c.
Frederick S. Collins asks if solio toning solution can be used for toning albumen and aristo prints; and what makes a thin negative. The solio toning-bath can be used for aristo, but is not suitable for albumen paper. A thin negative may be the result of over-exposure, under-exposure, or under-development. Over-exposure makes the negative a uniform color and lacking in contrast. Under-exposure gives strong high lights and no detail in the shadows. Under-development gives good detail, but the negative is too weak to make a good print. Such a negative can be redeveloped or intensified. See answer given to R. B. T.
L. K. asks where to get the magazine American Amateur Photographer. The address of the publishers is 239-241 Fifth Avenue, New York city. The price of the magazine is $1 per year.
Henry Read wishes a remedy for keeping the film from looking as if it were crackled; also how to make dry-plates. The tray should be rocked during the development of the film. The crackled appearance will then be avoided. Do not try to make dry-plates. The operation is too long, and the plates can be bought much cheaper than they can be made at home, besides being always reliable.
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