Leica Pradovit P150 slide projector

Sorry if is this the wrong subforum. I can't find one dedicated to slide projectors.

 

I have an old KIndermann 35 mm slide projector, which I bought used in Brazil (originally bought in Holland) near 25 years ago. For the last 10 years it was stored unused, as it became faulty. As soon I power on it starts to advance frantically, like to advance button were continuously depressed. Nice to mention that Kindermann has an auto-advance slide timer, which Leica doesn't.

 

Today I have bought, also in Brazil, also used, an old Leica Pradovit P150, with standard Hektor 85/f2.8 lens. It's very hard to find a good state used slide projector here. And this P150 was the only one Leica I found for sale. I choose it because I actually have a large bunch (10 or more) of LKM magazines, already filled with slides and organized.

 

But sadly the lens came with small to medium-sized fungus spots...

 

Question 01: can my old Kindermann lens (which is also plastic, cheap, but with no fungus) be used with Leica?

 

Question 02: can the AF feature from Leica be adjusted? No talking about fine adjustment on remote, which is similar to the Kindermann. But all images are been displayed very out-of-focus initially.

 

Question 03: Any source for P150 manual in PDF format?

 

Best regards,

Luis Santos

São Paulo, Brazil

If your lens fits and has the same threads it probably can be used. But the original Leitz Colorplan 90/2.5 can readily be disassembled for cleaning...the front unscrews and the elements and spacers readily come out. Perhaps yours was opened and improperly reassembled which is why it doesn't focus properly? I have a manual which I can photograph and send you a pdf. Contact me privately and I'll prepare it for you.

SCL, thanks for your reply! And thank you very much for the offer.

 

I have some updates...

 

Question 01: I have read on another forum that it can be used! I'll test this tonight and give feedback here.

 

Question 02: It was due the frantic of first use. On the first slide in a batch, you have to manually adjust the focus. I have performed this and AF worked nicely in the following slides!

 

Question 03: I found it! Due to this, I got the answer to Question 2. Here's the URL I found: http://www.pradoseum.eu/Literatur/BAL-Pradovit-150.pdf

 

About the lens: mine unfortunately is the plastic and cheap Hektor 85/f2.8, not the fine Colorplan 90/2.5. :-(

 

I don't know if such a procedure could be applied to Hektor. And I have zero experience in lens maintenance. To be frank zero experience in anything maintenance... :-)

Luis,

 

I believe the Leica P series are essentially rebranded Kindermanns. When I last looked I could not see much difference, except for the color scheme and the Leica/Leitz lens. If one day you want a real top quality projector you should look for the CA series, P2000, P2002, Color 2 or the older Color 250s. Altogether different (professional) design. The Kindermann and I think the Pradovit RC IMO are not so great. There's also a Super-Colorplan 90/2.5 if you are really obsessive...

Robin,

 

I got some info about this too. At least P150 (the simplest of the line) is Kindermann made. I bought it because is near impossible to find a working LKM cartridge projector here. Even a faulty one it's hard to find...

 

Yes, I would love to have a real Leica projector. But for now, I will try just upgrade the Hektor 85/f2.8 lens with a Colorplan, or another lens.

 

The Super-Colorplan 90/2.5 you mentioned is the Colorplan-P2 "CF" as mentioned in the projector box?

 

 

Dear Luis,

 

some extra information. The Leica P150 isn't Kindermann but Zeiss Ikon made. I've sold the Leica slide projectors (and many others brands) for more then 25 years.

My advise for you is to buy a Pradovit 600. This type is much more reliable then the CA series. And this slide projector is much easier to repair if there is any problem with it.

Buy a colorplan P2 2.5/90mm (not the CF) or buy the carl zeiss 2.5/90 P* (the best lens ever sold for slide projectors)

I agree the CF is not such a good lens. Well its good, but it is designed with a curved field to make it suitable to projecting unmounted Kodachromes (compensating for their natural curvature). In practice it is better to have a regular flat field (non-CF) lens. The Super-Colorplan is on a par with the Carl Zeiss P*. I have both a Corplan and Super Colorpan, and I have to say I cannot tell the difference in use. Personally, I don't particularly rate the Pradovit 600 nor any of the cheaper Leica projectors, but indeed the P600 might well be the easiest to repair. My own feeling is that the LKM magazines are generally a pain and it is better to use the regular 50 slide magazines instead.

There's a P150 for sale, still in progress as I write, with a Hektor P2 1:2.8/85 lens.

 

see Hektor P2 1:2.8/85 lens | eBay

 

for some listings of that lens (sometimes with projector). Prices look to be all over the place, but many under $200.

I currently have a Reflecta AF Diamator with two lenses. It's ok but was never really the best machine. It certainly needs a service now as it clunks and sometimes jams.

 

However, I am thinking of moving on and getting something better - something that takes CS magazines as about a quarter of my 6000 slides are in them.

 

I am looking at a Leica P600 with a colorplan lens probably, although they are not that easy to get in the UK - one has to be patient. Failing that, maybe a Zeiss - but I can't find much info on the difference between the Royal series and a Perkeo...is it about quality or date of manufacture? I know there are lots of similarities between some of the Zeiss projectors and the Leica ones.

 

There is an argument for getting a Braun too - simply on the grounds of them being a newer machine and so maybe having more durability.

 

I don't really know much about Kindermanns either - eg which are the newer and better ones.

Edited January 30, 2021 by davidseddon

I have a 250 Color with auto focusing, but use my always dependable Prado. The slide changing mechanism will never need repair. Visiting daughter, took along some taken almost 40 yrs ago, along with my tiny Padix. I lent my little Pradix to a friend, whose Kodak projector died. He couldn’t believe the results from such a tiny prohector. My 250 once jammed and ruined one of best slides I ever took.

The Prado are excellent quality the disadvantage is that they are relatively dim.

Dim? Inner heard that complaint before. The Prado was almost always the projector used in universities, schools, and for professional slide presentations all through the fifties and early sixties. Trio versions available: one with a 250 w bulb, and another, for auditorium use with 500 w bulb, I use it for 66 slides. Leitz made one for Linhof for 67.

Disadvantage/advantage is manual slide changer. The more iffy repair becomes, the better manual becomes.

.

SCL, thanks for your reply! And thank you very much for the offer.

 

 

(snip)

 

Question 02: It was due the frantic of first use. On the first slide in a batch, you have to manually adjust the focus. I have performed this and AF worked nicely in the following slides!

 

(snip)

 

Yes that is how autofocus projectors work.

 

Much older than autofocus cameras, it doesn't know the distance to screen, but does know where the slide surface is.

Mostly, as a slide warms it will pop, curve in a different way, and change focus distance.

AF watches for that and refocuses. It will also follow different slide position in the mount.

 

The restriction, though, is no mounts with glass in front of the slide.

 

It would be interesting to have a projector to detect actual focus on the screen, but

I have never known any to do that.

slide frames with glass work well on all the leitz autofocus projectors I have tried,. one caveat ad older less frequently used pradovit "Color", "2000CA" etc- projectors is that the drive belt which runs from the motor to the fan cooling the device tends to slacken, and the grease on the rapid -change mechanism rails can stiffen so much as to stop the enire machine frlom working..

 

The lens barrels of the later (leica - aquired ) "zett werke" 150, 600 etc projectors have another lenght than the barrels of the earlier "battleship" grade projectors.

 

p.

Slide mounts with glass, especially if it hold the film flat, will work, as long as you

don't mix them. Or, probably, mix different types of glass mounts.

The system focuses by reflection off the surface.