In article <523nvo$ikb@dallasI5.dallas.net>, bobjay@dallas.net says...
>kaiser@mercury.cis.yale.edu (Andras Kaiser) wrote:

>>>the subject line says most of it, but to be more specific, I would
>>>like to know what common features are really useful, and what are
>>>a matter of taste, or even unnecessary extras. Also, what focal
>>>length lenses are best?

>I'm in the same situation so I'd like to hear more opinions, too. From
>what I've experienced in the past, I'd prefer a lens somewhat shorter
>than usual, which seems to be in the 90mm range. I like *big* pictures
>so I have a large screen *but* a small room. Hence I can't distance
>the projector far enough from the sceen to get my big picture. I'd
>also look for a low voltage system. My old projector (a Leitz
>Pradovit) used a 500w lamp that, despite the "slide-warming feature"
>still caused a lot of "pops". Also, a remote control would be nice
>(wire or wireless) and definitely AF. NOw if I could fill all these
>features for under $300 in a well-built and relaible machine, well ...

I prefer shorter projector lenses, also, and the 60mm f2.8 PC (!)
Schneider is very nice, and allows me to be near to both a large
screen and the projector. Unfortunately, as in condenser enlargers,
the light source optics should match the lens FL for best illumination
evenness, and it is not even with my Ektagraphic projector used with
the 60mm. One feature that is VERY important is remote manual focus -
as in AF cameras, AF in projectors does not work all that well for
the critically-inclined....;-). Slide pre-heating is also useful to
speed popping, as is the ability to use standard Kodak trays and a
stack loader. A quiet fan is nice, and so is a two-level lamp
brightness switch. It would be nice if someone made a high-quality
inexpensive projection lens of about 75mm with a curved field that
matched the curve of cardboard-mounted slide film (the most annoying
aspect of slide projection for me is not being able to focus all
of the slide sharply all at once - but I am not willing to use
glass mounts).
Hope This Helps