A stereopticon is a slide projector or relatively powerful "magic lantern", which has two lenses, usually one above the other, and has mainly been used to project photographic images. These devices date back to the mid 19th century,[1] and were a popular form of entertainment and education before the advent of moving pictures.
Illustration of a stereopticon
Magic lanterns originally used rather weak light sources, like candles or oil lamps, that produced projections that were just large and strong enough to entertain small groups of people. During the 19th century stronger light sources, like limelight, became available.
For the "dissolving views" lantern shows that were popularized by Henry Langdon Childe since the late 1830s, lanternists needed to be able to project two aligned pictures in the same spot on a screen, gradually dimming a first picture while revealing a second one. This could be done with two lanterns, but soon biunial lanterns (with two objectives placed one above the other) became common.
William and Frederick Langenheim from Philadelphia introduced a photographic glass slide technology at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London in 1851. For circa two centuries magic lanterns had been used to project painted images from glass slides, but the Langenheim brothers seem to have been the firsts to incorporate the relatively new medium of photography (introduced in 1839).[2] To enjoy the details of photographic slides optimally, the stronger lanterns were needed.
By 1860 Massachusetts chemist and businessman John Fallon improved a large biunial lantern, imported from England, and named it 'stereopticon'.[2]
For a usual fee of ten cents, people could view realistic images of nature, history, and science themes.[3] The two lenses are used to dissolve between images when projected. This "visual storytelling" with technology directly preceded the development of the first moving pictures.[4]
The term stereopticon has been widely misused to name a stereoscope. The stereopticon has not commonly been used for three-dimensional images.
stereopticon, stereopticon, slide, projector, relatively, powerful, magic, lantern, which, lenses, usually, above, other, mainly, been, used, project, photographic, images, these, devices, date, back, 19th, century, were, popular, form, entertainment, educatio. A stereopticon is a slide projector or relatively powerful magic lantern which has two lenses usually one above the other and has mainly been used to project photographic images These devices date back to the mid 19th century 1 and were a popular form of entertainment and education before the advent of moving pictures Illustration of a stereopticon Magic lanterns originally used rather weak light sources like candles or oil lamps that produced projections that were just large and strong enough to entertain small groups of people During the 19th century stronger light sources like limelight became available For the dissolving views lantern shows that were popularized by Henry Langdon Childe since the late 1830s lanternists needed to be able to project two aligned pictures in the same spot on a screen gradually dimming a first picture while revealing a second one This could be done with two lanterns but soon biunial lanterns with two objectives placed one above the other became common William and Frederick Langenheim from Philadelphia introduced a photographic glass slide technology at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London in 1851 For circa two centuries magic lanterns had been used to project painted images from glass slides but the Langenheim brothers seem to have been the firsts to incorporate the relatively new medium of photography introduced in 1839 2 To enjoy the details of photographic slides optimally the stronger lanterns were needed By 1860 Massachusetts chemist and businessman John Fallon improved a large biunial lantern imported from England and named it stereopticon 2 For a usual fee of ten cents people could view realistic images of nature history and science themes 3 The two lenses are used to dissolve between images when projected This visual storytelling with technology directly preceded the development of the first moving pictures 4 The term stereopticon has been widely misused to name a stereoscope The stereopticon has not commonly been used for three dimensional images References edit Robinson David 1996 From Peep Show to Palace The Birth of American Film Columbia University Press ISBN 0 231 10339 5 a b Treen Kristen Stereopticon via www academia edu a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Lantern Slides Magic Lantern Society www magiclanternsociety org Retrieved 2018 03 20 Clee Paul 2005 Before Hollywood From Shadow Play to the Silver Screen Clarion Books ISBN 0 618 44533 1 Further reading editLev Peter Charles Musser et al 2003 Transforming the Screen 1950 1959 University of California Press ISBN 0 520 08533 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stereopticon amp oldid 1197285230, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
