Okay, so it turns out people still use slide projectors (no, really, look). Yep, those machines that beam film images onto walls. And the Diapod is arguably the sleekest of them all.
It doesn’t look like a slide projector at all. In fact, you’d probably sooner guess that it’s a webcam or a miniature spotlight than a thing that enlarges 35mm film for your viewing pleasure. Which, I guess, makes it sort of special, since all the slide projectors I find these days look like they were designed 20 years ago (and they probably were, too).
The Diapod is tube-shaped projector (with optical zoom 50mm midrange) made from machined aluminum that looks like a fancy lens for your expensive SLR. It comes with a LED spotlight that screws on in the back (it provides the lighting) and a tripod, so you can prop it up on a tabletop. Only one slide at a time can fit into the body, though, so you’ll have to keep changing slides if you’re putting on a show. I know, it’s a lot of trouble, but you deserve it — who the heck uses 35mm slides these days?
The included LED spot only consumes 3W, which makes it a sensible gadget you can use to hold a light display at home (if you’re so inclined). We guess it makes sense for store and booth displays, too, if you’ve got ambient lighting in your favor. Oh yeah, you can also forego the bundled lighting and use other light fixtures at home, provided they’ll fit (like the bedside lamp, if you want a slide displayed on the ceiling or something like that).
If you like your photography with an old school feel, then making and watching slides should fit right in with your retro predilections. The Diapod is available now, priced at €76.