Suggestions for how best to view all your slides and negatives.

 

FLAAR slide archive

If you cannot simultaneously view hundreds of slides in one place, comfortably, then you need to design or obtain a better system. You can either buy a new system or build your own.

Logan makes a handy slide viewing system which I have used satisfactorily for many years. This is the Logan Slide Sorter and Viewer (model IL 624-503). Logan Electric Specialty Manufacturing Company, 1431 West Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60622.

You can buy or order these from any large camera store in any large city. Just be sure not to use a light bulb that is hotter than the allowed rating (this is true of any such lighted viewing system).

FLAAR slide archive

Being at a college or large museum it might be easier to build your own viewing system. We adapted a system developed by Professor Lin Osborne.

Test out a small section first, since if the rails are too close together, it is awkward to get the slides in and out. Same with the height of the rail. It is very easy to build a system that is more trouble than it was worth.

Naturally ready-made systems have other advantages, namely that you can more or less know what to expect in advance.  Although we store thousands upon thousands of slides in Logan metal boxes, we still find it convenient to keep slides in original Kodak boxes. Be sure, however, to throw away those dreadful Kodak boxes with transparent tops or any plastic box that lets light through.

The light will destroy the color on your slides.

If you have larger slides (medium format 6x6 cm) we have other suggestions.

New page format posted July 10, 2009
posted May 16, 1998, updated Feb. 27, 1999 by Nicholas Hellmuth