The Magic Lantern Image: An Art Form Ahead of Its Time

The magic lantern image, also known as a lantern slide, is a form of projection that predates modern cinema. It was a popular form of entertainment in the 18th and 19th centuries, and was often used for educational purposes as well. The magic lantern itself was a simple optical device. It consisted of a light source, typically an oil lamp or candle, and a lens to focus the light. The lantern had a slide holder, where glass slides with images painted or printed on them could be inserted. These images, known as lantern slides, were often hand-painted, creating beautifully detailed and vivid scenes.

These images, known as lantern slides, were often hand-painted, creating beautifully detailed and vivid scenes. To project an image, the lantern would be positioned in front of a screen or wall. When the light source was lit, the image on the slide would be projected through the lens and onto the screen, creating a larger-than-life image for the audience to see.

magic lantern for stills

I looked at the Magic Lantern web page. It seems to support true "raw histograms" and and automatic "ETTR". These are the only two things I am actually interested in. Overall , is this a good and useful addition for the Canon 5D-II and Canon 5D-III. Are there any concerns when using. It seems to run as a "cf-card add in at camera startup". I assume that simply doing a hard format (by Windows) on the card fully removes the magic lantern from the card.

Charles Darwin: "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."
tony
http://www.tphoto.ca

1. you will only be able to check the raw histogram the moment after you took the picture. If you try to check older pictures the histogram will just show a jpg histogram.
2. Don't just long exposure noise reduction because then you will get a raw histogram of the dark frame.

If you format your CF in the computer, the boot flag in camera will still be changed. Instead you should format in camera and press Q or something in the menu. It is written how to do.

My favorite feature is the intervalometer, but zebras and a few other features are great as well.

0 concerns about using it.

Canon EOS 6D Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EF 135mm F2L USM Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM +2 more

TyphoonTW wrote:

My favorite feature is the intervalometer, but zebras and a few other features are great as well.

Correct me if I'm wrong but this only works in Live View right?

Photography newbie who's having fun learning

TyphoonTW wrote:

My favorite feature is the intervalometer, but zebras and a few other features are great as well.

Correct me if I'm wrong but this only works in Live View right?

I HAD ML on my 6D, but didn't find the still image features useful enough (or I just didn't know how to properly use them), so I removed it recently. It seems to be more geared for video than still images.

Canon EOS R Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II Canon EF 50mm F1.8 STM Canon EOS 7D Mark II +3 more

TyphoonTW wrote:

My favorite feature is the intervalometer, but zebras and a few other features are great as well.

Correct me if I'm wrong but this only works in Live View right?

It seems to be more geared for video than still images.

ML is primarily intended for video shooters. There are "potentially relevant" features for still shooters, but I too lost interested after loading it on my 6D and eventually just removed it from my cards altogether.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM Canon EF 85mm F1.2L II USM Canon EF 135mm F2L USM Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM +10 more

1. you will only be able to check the raw histogram the moment after you took the picture. If you try to check older pictures the histogram will just show a jpg histogram.
2. Don't just long exposure noise reduction because then you will get a raw histogram of the dark frame.

Thanks for the information. Since the raw histogram is not visible on "previous images", I think I will avoid ML and stay with the concept of UniWB in spite of the green LCD display cast

Charles Darwin: "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."
tony
http://www.tphoto.ca

I have it on an SD card for my 5D3. Besides RAW video (which I haven't used as much as I thought I would), the zebras feature is pretty useful for Rokinon manual focus lenses, which do not have focus confirmation (like Zeiss lenses and TS-E lenses do).

You can not run it simply by powering on the camera without the ML card.

The only disadvantage is that setting the boot flag makes the camera power on a bit more slowly. AFAIK there is no way to unset the boot flag, so once you enable it it's there for life.

If it's a *Single* Lens Reflex, why do I need so many lenses?

Canon EOS 80D Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.5 1-5x Macro +12 more

I was able to remove the boot flag by re-installing the original firmware.

Big Chief "Run-a-muck"

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon EOS 7D Mark II Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM +8 more

Disclaimer, I'm a fanboy and therefore my opinions my be biased I initially installed ML on my 70D. Liked it so much that I bought my 6D only after confirming it would accept ML. The 6D had ML installed 30minutes after I got it home. Most of my photography is landscape and macro, never video. Favorite features are:

Manual exposure lock -- you set the exposure triangle(in manual) and the camera will adjust the shutter speed to follow the aperture you set.

Highlight clipping -- I use ETTR and it's great because it shows the highlights as they are about to get clipped. Actually, I don't like ML's "Auto-ETTR".

Dual ISO - It shoots the shadows at a higher ISO, this increases the DR -- there are some drawbacks to it, but still worth it.

RAW histogram -- Canon cameras are fairly well known to not being able to handle reds and oranges. I use the RAW histogram only when shooting those colors.

Timed bulb exposures -- set the camera in Bulb and you can set the shutter speeds for as long as you need, no need for a cable release.

The reason I might like ML so much is that 95% of my photography is in manual mode and I like ETTR.

The only issue that has come up a couple of times is that some the features are not available when turning the camera on, this gets fixed by shutting the camera off and back on. Some people find an issue with the fact you have to wait about 5-10 seconds after opening the memory card's door before removing the card.

Charles Darwin: "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."
tony
http://www.tphoto.ca

The image could be static, or multiple slides could be used to create a simple animation effect. Magic lantern shows were often used for entertainment purposes, with performers using slides to tell stories or showcase illusions. They were also used for educational purposes, with slides depicting scientific diagrams, famous landmarks, or historical events. The magic lantern played a significant role in early scientific and educational presentations, bringing visual aids to audiences who might not have otherwise been able to see them. As technology advanced, the magic lantern was eventually replaced by more sophisticated projection systems, such as the slide projector and later the film projector. However, the magic lantern image paved the way for these advancements and laid the foundation for the development of cinema. Today, magic lantern shows are a rare and nostalgic experience, but they still hold a certain charm and fascination. They offer a glimpse into a bygone era and remind us of the power of images to captivate and inspire audiences. The magic lantern image may have been a simple form of projection, but it left a lasting impact on the world of visual storytelling and paved the way for the modern art form we know today..

Reviews for "Discovering the Wonders of the Magic Lantern Image: An Introduction to Photographic Projection"

- John - 2 stars - I was really excited to watch "Magic lantern image" after hearing so many good things about it, but I have to say I was disappointed. The story felt disjointed and confusing, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The visuals were beautiful, but that wasn't enough to make up for the lack of substance in the plot. Overall, I found it to be a pretentious and overrated film.

- Sarah - 1 star - I don't understand the hype around "Magic lantern image." The pacing was incredibly slow and the film seemed to drag on forever. I kept waiting for something exciting or thought-provoking to happen, but it never did. The ending was unsatisfying and left me feeling like I wasted my time. I wouldn't recommend this film to anyone.

- David - 2 stars - While I appreciated the unique visual style of "Magic lantern image," I found the storytelling to be convoluted and confusing. The film jumped between different time periods and perspectives without providing enough context or explanation, making it difficult to follow. I also felt that the characters lacked depth and development, which made it hard for me to care about their fates. Overall, I found "Magic lantern image" to be a frustrating and underwhelming experience.

- Lisa - 3 stars - "Magic lantern image" had its moments, but overall, I found it to be a bit pretentious and self-indulgent. The artsy cinematography and unconventional narrative structure felt forced and at times, took away from the actual substance of the story. While I appreciated the film's attempts to be thought-provoking, I found myself feeling disconnected and unengaged throughout. It's not a terrible film, but it's definitely not one that I would recommend to everyone.

The Magic Lantern Image and the Birth of Projection Mapping