How Does a Magic Lantern Projector Work

The magic lantern used a concave mirror behind a light source to direct the light through a small rectangular sheet of glass—a “lantern slide” that bore the image—and onward into a lens at the front of the apparatus. … Stereopticons added more powerful light sources to optimize the projection of photographic slides.

How do you use a magic lantern projector?

To use the projector, you simply put it on top of a light source—traditionally an oil lamp—and insert painted glass slides into the slot upside down. The light would shine through the slide, be flipped and focused by the lens, and wind up projecting an image onto the wall.

What were magic lantern slides used for?

Lantern slides were used for home entertainment and public lectures, and they were displayed in photographic exhibitions.