Leica Pradovit P300IR or Kindermann Magic 2500AFS-IR?

[sergey_zak]

<p>Hello dear slide projection connoisseurs!<br>

I am thrilled to enter this "lost era", and seek your advice.<br>

I am at the verge of buying a slide projector for home use, and I don't want to miss a bit of quality, at the budget that I have (L400). I have read elsewhere that Leica Pradovit P-series are very good for home use, and that Colorplan lenses are the way to go.<br>

But, unfortunately, there are no Leicas for sale in my region (Moscow).<br>

Instead, I found Kindermann Magic 2500 AFS-IR apparatus and seriously thinking to buy it. It just does not come with a Colorplan and I plan to buy a better lens afterwards.<br>

Is there are folks among you who, having used both projectors, can compare them.<br>

The most important question here is whether Leica Colorplan P or P2 can fit into Kindermann.<br>

And, of course, the build quality, jamming, condenser quality and any other comparisons you can draw,<br>

please...<br>

Thank you!<br>

Sergey </p>

[bernard_korites]

<p>Hello Sergey-<br>

I have a Kindermann Magic 1500 AFS-IR. I had, at one time, a Leica P150 which I think is similar to the Leica P300 except for the bulb wattage. I also have a Braun projector with a slide viewer.<br>

In my experience, all projectors in this price range are similar, mostly plastic, mostly fragile with low quality lenses. There seem to be so many similarities between them I wouldn't be surprised if they were all made by the same manufacturer. Normally, the use of plastic in a machine doesn't bother me but there are some disadvantages to it in these slide projectors. For example, the plastic slide holder on my Leica P150 broke rendering it useless. On my Kindermann, the plastic manual focus wheel has loosened up to the point where there is considerable backlash. It still works, but it's aggravating. They do all project an image, however.<br>

Regarding lenses, I replaced the original lens on my Kindermann with a Colorplan lens having a curved field. The image from the Colorplan was much brighter and sharper than the original Kindermann lens but it was so sharp in the center that out of focus regions along the edges became very noticeable. So I returned it and bought a Colorplan 90mm P with a flat field. That has been much better but there still are some focussing issues, although they are not as bad as with the curved field lens. The Colorplan does fit in the Kindermann but it is a tight fit. I does not fit in the Braun. The Colorplan lens, while bright and sharp, seems to be very unforgiving. I have heard the solution to the focussing problems is to use a lens having a larger depth of field, but I have never tried it.<br>

A lot of focusing problems are caused by the slide mount. I tried remounting my slides in Gepe glass mounts but they developed mould spores under the glass after about a year. Also, Newton rings were very noticeable, especially in areas of flat color, like skies. I tried anti-Newton glass mounts but they seem to reduce the clarity, brightness and sharpness of the image. So I remounted all my slides in Gepe metal rim glassless mounts. While not perfect, they seem to give the best overall results as far as focusing, color and brightness goes.<br>

I hate to admit it but I think the ultimate image would be obtained with a digital camera file projected through a high quality digital projector. It would eliminate the focusing and dust problems that plague analog slide projection. An expensive solution but probably the best. But then, if we didn't have all these problems to fuss over what else would we do with our time....?</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>"I had, at one time, a Leica P150 which I think is similar to the Leica P300 except for the bulb wattage."</p>

<p>Bernard, there was a review some years ago in a French test magazine that demonstrated that the light condensers of the P-300 yielded one of the most even and bright overall light distributions of all the several projectors tested (including the P-150 and others). The measured differences between projectors were important, although light distribution evenness is only one important parameter.</p>

<p>Your remarks are clearly very helpfull. I have not the same depth of experience as you and Sergey probably have, but I have always found that the quality of the slide was as or even more important than the means of projection (to a certain point of projector quality, of course). I was quite happy with my modest 1980s Rollei 35mm projector (metal construction) from their Singapore plant and its regular, but not highest quality, lens. From that standpoint, I presume the Kindermann will give just as fine service. Unless you plan to use glass mount slides, the better lens may not be all that different than the normal one (the differences will probably show mainly in the image corners, as is typical of most wide aperture lenses. </p>

[sergey_zak]

<p>Thank you Bernard,<br>

really, the quality of comment here is growing on me...<br>

I have plain plastic Gepe mounts, and some archive slides are cardboard and signed by my [belated] father, so I do not foresee re-mounting them despite their small quantity.<br>

It's quite encouraging that Colorplan fits into Kindermann, just what do you mean by "snug fit"? Is it of a slightly different diameter, or the curvature of the driving groove is not the same? Does this involve more effort for AF mechanism?<br>

While I have read high praises to Leica P300 compared with P150, I could not find comparisons of Kindermann Diafocus 1500 to Magic 2500. If the difference between Kindermanns is not as big, I'm better off for Leica. I did read somewhere on this site, however, that "there was a review and some Kindermann with Colorplan won over Leica P150 due to condenser quality". Erh, hard to compare without being able to put them side to side...</p>

[bernard_korites]

<p>The diameter of the Colorplan is slightly larger than the receiver of the Kindermann. However, the receiver is plastic and somewhat flexible so it is possible to push/screw the Colorplan into it. The autofocus seems to work fine. I think, but I'm not positive, that the autofocus works by moving the slide carrier back and forth, not the lens.</p>

[torben_daltoft]

<p>Bernhard has it right<br>

Sergei, I have a Hektor-P2 85 mm for free</p>

<p>e mail <a href="mailto:torben@daltoft.dk">torben@daltoft.dk</a></p>

 

[torben_daltoft]

<p>read: Bernard</p>

[torben_daltoft]

<p>read: Sergey</p>