since no one, I mean no one has a (working) slide projector anymore... I was searching for a way to view slides at work/home, especially to share them with others just for fun. I found that people still sell slide viewers on eBay, those are what we used to use to view slides when loading a carousel, or when checking them before prints, and there are even some that are self illuminating, so no need to aim at the ceiling light to use it.... I picked up this Argus SlideViewer III because I liked the vintage style of it, it is 2xAA battery powered, and since it didn’t light up, it was very very inexpensive. All that was wrong with it, was that a battery had corroded inside. Once I cleaned up the contacts with some CLR and put some rechargeable in it, it worked great. Just wanted to share my find, now I can finally enjoy looking at RR slides
Those are really handy. I have my Dad's, a Sawyer's Pana-Vue. It's lighted and accepts a stack of slides for easy viewing. I will buy a slide scanner someday. You get what you pay for with them, with some models producing muddy scans lacking in sharpness and contrast distinction. I've bought and returned two models over the years. Epson has two models which appear to be very good and that's where I'll head next.
I not only have a working slide projector and screen..... I can also view slides using my Panaview Bi-Lens. Have had this latter item for well over fifty years now! Works on two "C" cell batteries. I also have an AC adaptor, but the viewer end plug is unreliable due to age.
And that's if you can find a bulb. Mine is burn out and would love to get it fixed but seriously having trouble finding the right bulb.
I have a spare.... There are specialty battery and lamp retailers out there today. I wonder what they stock???
I still have one that works, and yes, the bulbs are seriously expensive. Also have the Penna-View viewer. Well, heck, I have two big boxes full of slides, though most are family, before I became a railfan.
Never go to a camera shop. They are usually the most expensive place to shop for a bulb. My Kodak Carousel slide projector uses the "FHS" 300W bulb. Perhaps not exactly cheap, but always in stock at my local bulb supplier, (not a photo/camera shop), for $17.99. To me, considering the hobby and what it allows me to do, that is simply NOT expensive! We drop one heck of a lot more on models.
Just for curiosity's sake, I located my Sawyers Pana-Vue slide viewer, inserted a pack of slides and took a handheld shot of one through the viewer's 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" screen. For a casual test, I'm surprised at the quality! [Rio Puerco, NM 06-08-1997]