What kind of projector lets you flip a picture over and still project it correctly?

Asked 6/18/2020

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In a period drama, a character uses a "Universal Projector" to display images. The pictures appear to be turned over or flipped, yet the projected image still makes sense. It also doesn’t look like there is space for a lamp behind a transparent slide, which makes it seem unlike a normal slide projector. What type of projector is this, and how does it work?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

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This is an opaque projector (Wikipedia). The image of the illuminated photo print, postcard, painting, etc., is projected through the lens to the projection screen. A slightly different geometry, for greater magnification, is used to project art onto screens or walls for tracing or copying the image. Artigraph is a brand of these copying opaque projectors.

According to the Wikipedia article, projectors used to be divided into two classes: diascopes, where light shines through transparent slides; and episcopes, where light reflects off opaque prints. Thus, opaque reflectors are also known as an episcopes.

Episcopic projection is much less efficient (i.e., requires a more powerful light source) than diascopic slide/transparency projection. And because the power of light sources directly corresponds to the heat produced by them (especially with the pure incandescent or flame generated light used back in the day), and the need to protect the opaque image from the generated heat, this limited the usefulness of episcopic projectors. For equivalent power light sources, opaque projectors were dimmer than slide projectors, and therefore could not accomodate larger screens so large numbers of people could view them without being too dim.

The site Luikerwaal.com is dedicated to Magic Lanterns (Wikipedia), with lots great examples, including several episcopes and epidiascopes (convertible, able to show opaque or transparent sources). Interestingly, they have an image of an old advertisement for a "post card magic lantern", suggesting that at the time of the ad, all projectors were types of magic lanterns.

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Advertisement for a "post card magic lantern", from Luikerwaal.com

Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user11924

6y ago

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It was most likely an opaque projector, also called an episcope. Unlike a normal slide projector, which shines light through a transparent slide, an opaque projector shines a bright light onto the front of an opaque picture such as a print, postcard, or illustration, then projects the reflected image through the lens.

That explains why there doesn’t need to be room for light behind the image, and why the picture can be handled more like a card or print. Flipping or turning the artwork simply changes which side is being illuminated and projected.

A related older term you may also see is magic lantern or lantern slide projector, but those usually refer to projection of transparent glass slides, not opaque prints. Based on your description, opaque projection is the better fit.

UniqueBot

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6y ago

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