How
to Project Large Format Transparencies
Anyone
reading the FLAAR Web site quickly realizes that we search the world
for high quality photographic equipment. Rarely are we satisfied
until we have found what is needed to do the job properly.
Once
we moved past medium format into large format photography, we quickly
faced the problem of how to project 4x5 transparencies. We asked
lots of friends and were eventually told about the 4x5 format projector
made by Kamera Werke Noble, in Dresden. Since I live not far from
Dresden, and as the most famous Maya codex (an ancient native Maya
book from pre-Columbian Mexico) is in a Library in Dresden, I went
there one cold, snowy, wintery day.
Together
with Andrea David we visited the Noble factory. As you may have
noticed, FLAAR distinguishes its reviews, where geographically possible,
by actual visits to the home offices to meet the people that make
the products we review. Helfried Urban provided a complete tour
of the factory and a demonstrated the capabilities of the 4x5 projector.
Despite its format it is portable.
The
Noble family and their camera company played a major role in the
history of reflex camera development. Indeed their Praktika was
the origin of most reflex cameras today (remember, the Leica was
a view camera during most of its history). The company was gobbled
up by East Germany and only liberated after the Wall came tumbling
down.
I
have been told that the company has gone through restructuring so
the precise name and phone number(s) given to the right may need
to be revised.
Their
Noblex wide angle and panorama cameras are known worldwide, and
sold in most good camera stores. Many of the larger mail-order camera
stores sell them as well. I find one aspect of the Noblex appealing,
their price. Also, it is rare that a full 360 degree panorama is
needed in traditional photographic recording. 120 to 135 degrees
is usually more than enough. This is precisely the range of a Noblex
unit. It has mainly been the Web and its appetite for virtual reality
which has fueled the demand for full 360 degree panoramas.
The
Noblux 4x5 large format projector is one of the few production models
of this size still available. As soon as we get one in our office
we will give further reports. In the meantime we are quite content
with our fancy Hasselblad projector for 2 1/4 inch medium format
slides. We also have a Rollei projector for the same medium format.
This format provides a slide show which is far superior to anything
produced by even the best 35mm systems.
Our
annual Maya Archaeology
symposium features Hasselblad projection, making this BCC+FLAAR
archaeology conference the only one in the world to use this quality
format consistently. We have always wanted to move up to full 4x5
format projection.
The
home office is:
Kamera
Werke Noble GmbH, Bismarckstrasse 56, 01257 Dresden, Germany.
The
telephone I have for them is seven years old, 49 (Germany) 351 (Dresden)
280 60, fax is 280 6329. I believe the employees bought the company
from the Noble family a few years ago and it may have a slightly
different name now (April 2000)
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