The advent of digital photography has greatly streamlined our lives. Everyone loves to store digital photographs these days, but what about those old slices? Many individuals still own old slides which have not been transformed into digital format. For that, slide viewers are suitable products. You can use a slide viewer if you want to view your old slides with vivid lights and without distortion.
Even if you have thousands of memento slides in your attic then no need to worry. Simply use a slide viewer to transform them into a digital format. Specifically, they are designed to prevent the permanent loss of photographs captured. Whether you want to simply view your old slides or convert them into digital photos, slide viewers can be used. Go through the below article to pick the best slide viewer in 2023.
List of The Best Slide Viewer
Check out the thorough reviews of the best slide viewer in 2023 below.
1. KODAK Slide N SCAN Film and Slide Scanner
Cherish your old memories in a digital format with this best slide viewer from Kodak. It is a digital film scanner allowing you to view, edit and transform your black & white and color negatives into digital files. Typically, this slide scanner is great for sharing digital files among friends and family. Alternatively, you can use it as a magnificent digital frame in a home or office.
The user interface is intuitive with the 5-inch LCD screen. This crystal-clear screen with a large surface supports a wide viewing angle. Therefore, you can instantly preview and edit photos anytime.
For compatibility with Mac, the scanner records images over removable media such as a camera. Alternatively, it directly records to the PC through included USB cable. Subsequently, you can transfer through USB or by discarding the media.
Accessories in the pack are adapter for 135 mm, 110 mm, and 126 films, a 50 mm slide holder, USB and HDMI cables, and a cleaning brush.
Key Features
- It can accept black & white and color negatives with sizes like 135 mm, 110 mm, and 126 mm.
- It accepts black & white and color slides having 50 mm size.
- After conversion, you can save those digital photos into an SD card. The converted digital photographs will have a resolution of up to 22 MP.
- The maximums size of the SD or SDHC card it supports is 32 GB.
- Loading film insert is easy with the quick-feeding tray technology. This technology facilitates continuous loading. So, scanning is fast and easy.
- From the display screen, you can choose film type, assign date/time, and adjust brightness/color.
Pros And Cons
2. Medalight 35mm Desk Top Portable LED Negative and Slide Viewer
When the matter comes to brightly illuminating the images with great clarity, you can consider this Medalight slide viewer. It is a 4-inch class slide and filmstrip viewer. Built-in 4 LEDs present vivid, uniform illumination of filmstrips or slides. These LEDs present outstanding color renditions to the old incandescent bulb.
The included glass lens offers 3X magnification of the image. The quick eject button enables the slides to load up in the collection tray. If you don’t want to power the slider with batteries, you can use an external DC 6V adapter. In the pack, you get 4-pack AA batteries from Kodak and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Key Features
- 3X magnification factor conveys vivid and uniform lighting.
- The glass lens can accommodate 2×2 mounted slides, and 35 mm negatives and film strips.
- For easily accessing the slides, it comes with a collection tray and eject button.
Pros And Cons
3. Rybozen LED Illuminated 35mm Slide Viewer
Rybozen presents this best slide viewer capable to transform slides as old as those prevalent during the 1950s. Generally, it is suitable for 35 mm slides. Different parts of the slide viewer are a slide entrance, a lamp, 2 AA battery compartment, and a battery compartment cover.
Key Features
- All images are presented clearly with the premium quality glass lens.
- 2x magnification makes sure every detail of films and slides is shown clearly. No distortion and no blurriness.
- Being portable and lightweight, it can be carried in a pocket.
- Its operation is user-friendly; simply install the included 2 AA batteries. Next, press the slide to trigger this slide viewer.
Pros And Cons
4. Porta Slide PS-3 Slide Viewer
PS-3 slide viewer is a portable slide viewer capable to magnify and illuminate old 35 mm slides. It can accept negatives and film strips.
The slide and film input slot enable you to quickly load and view images. You can follow the included instruction that makes sure your mounted slides don’t get trapped. For the operation, you would need external 4 AA batteries. Alternatively, you can power it with an included AC/DC adapter. A microfiber cleaning cloth is included to let you clean the glass lens.
Key Features
- Negatives and film strips need to be mounted on its 4-inch display screen. By doing this, you can view those pictures with people around.
- Within the screen, an ultra-bright LED light is present. It brightly illuminates your images with utmost clarity.
- 3X magnification enlarge images without loss of detail, blurriness, and distortion.
Pros And Cons
5. Medalight LP-100N 5 x 4 Inches Ultra-Thin LED Slide Viewer
Not all slide viewers are durably built but this LP-100N from Medalight is an exception. It comes in durable construction yet offers great portability. The incorporated light panel is glare-free. It showcases objects realistically.
Not just for converting old slides but this device is also useful for inspection. You can use it to precisely analyze artwork, lettering, calligraphy, etc. A 0.5-inch frame is included. Acrylic plate protects the browser from scratches.
Key Features
- 5 inches x 4 inches LED light panel brightly illuminates images.
- The ideal color temperature is 5,000 K+/-200 K.
- The color restoration is up to 98% of the original slides. So, the converted digital files resemble the original photos.
- Slides and negatives appear clear with double-layered illuminated surface and white fluorescent light.
- Scanning of photo slides is accomplished with the SlideScan app.
- FilmBox app scans film negatives and saves photos on your phone.
- You can power this slide viewer with either 9V/1A AC adapter or 6 AA batteries.
- The lifespan of the bulb is 10,000 hours.
Pros And Cons
6. KODAK 35mm Slide and Film Viewer
Are you pondering about gifting something unique to your parents or grandparents? If yes then this Kodak product can be the best slide viewer. It serves as a nostalgic gift for those who have tons of old films and to be converted to digital photos. For a clear viewing experience, it enlarges and illuminates 35 mm slides and film negatives. The screen size is large enough so that everyone around can enjoy the viewing experience.
Obtain hours of enjoyment by simply loading 4 AA batteries. It is easy to load the batteries, so you can view your old slides anywhere.
Key Features
- Built-in magnifier lens enlarges images by 3X. No loss of detail, blurriness or distortion.
- Illumination is always proper since there are 4 natural white daylight LED bulbs located behind the glass viewing area.
- These bulbs precisely illuminate images for utmost clarity and contrast.
- The backlit screen is placed at an upward angle. Thus, it is comfortable to view images; no neck strain issues.
- Powerful illumination renders images with great detail, clarity, and brightness.
- No discoloration or wash-out issues in the images being displayed.
- Color temperature is 6,000 K.
- Separate slide slots and film input let you load and view images quickly.
- Removal of slides is easy with the quick-eject button.
Pros And Cons
7. Pana-Vue 2 Illuminated Slide Viewer
Along with tech specifications, the ease of setup also matters when buying a slide viewer. The Pana-Vue 2 slide viewer can be handheld or mounted on a tabletop. Viewing old slides is now comfortable with this compact gadget. Though your slides are extremely old, this gadget adequately brightens them from behind.
Bright light in the background shows images with utmost clarity. Primarily, it is designed for 35 mm slides. You can power this slide viewer with 2 external AA batteries or connect it to a power supply with an optional Pana-Vue transformer. Simply place the slide in and then push the button. This viewer is for mounted slides only.
Key Features
- The viewing screen area is 2 inches x 2 inches.
- 2X magnification enlarges images with great detail and clarity.
- An incandescent lamp is included for illumination.
- The folding stand of the screen lets you make adjustments as required for a comfortable viewing experience.
Pros And Cons
How To Pick The Best Slide Viewer?
Buying the wrong slide viewer will result in a waste of your time and money. To get the best slide viewer according to your needs, you can bear in mind the following factors.
1. Magnification power
Based on how you wish to view your slides, it is essential to consider the magnification power of the slide viewer. In some of the efficient slide viewers, you may find 4X magnification whereas some other models offer 2X magnifications. If the magnification power is higher, the images will appear much more clear and with enough lighting. Generally, 2x magnification makes sure the slides and films are free from blurriness and distortion. 3x magnification will show bright images and with uniform lighting.
2. Optical resolution
Measured in DPI, optical resolution is one of the vital aspects to be considered. This is because it affects the overall quality of the images obtained. It indicates the number of dots that the equipment can scan across a 1-inch area.
If you decide to buy a professional slide viewer, focus on the one that comes with a minimum optical scanning resolution of 3000 DPI. In some of the best slide viewers, you may find an optical resolution of 5000 DPI. Some of the rare slide viewers provide up to 7200 DPI. If you intend to use a slide viewer for home use then a resolution of 1800 DPI will be fine.
3. Mode of operation
How the slide viewer is powered is one of the vital aspects to consider. A lot of slide viewers that operate with a back light need battery power. On the other hand, some slide viewers operate on the USB adapter that is included in the pack. Such slide viewers need to be connected to an electric outlet for the operation.
If you want to use a slide viewer at various places then insist to choose the one that supports both the powering methods discussed above.
4. Type – handheld or projector
Slide viewers prominently differ from one another based on types i.e. projector or handheld. Handheld slide viewers usually accommodate one slide at once. They are more suitable for individual review. You can use these types of slide viewers when you want to look at your slides anywhere. Their structure shows a square shape with LCD or amplifying glass at the front. A spot for the slide is available in the back. With the light input, you can see all the slides.
Projector slide viewers can hold multiple slides at once. They are available in both small and large sizes. Moreover, they are infrequently used.
5. Loading mechanism
To save time and effort, it is important to focus on this parameter. Some slide viewers are equipped with a quick-feeding tray technology. It enables continuous loading action that makes scanning easy and quick. Some other slide viewers contain dedicated slide slots and film input allowing you to load and look at the slides instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions When Picking The Best Slide Viewer
1. How a slide viewer proves to be helpful?
Slide viewers use bright lights and eliminate issues like distortion. They are quite helpful to scan old slides into digital formats.
2. How to choose the best Slide Viewer that is practical and comfortable to use?
Make sure your slide viewer can accommodate the formats of your slides or negatives. You need to focus on different options available to make sure you use them comfortably with every scan operation.
3. What is the slide size in typical slide viewers?
The majority of the slides come as 35 mm positive film set in a cardboard casing. In most of the standard viewers, you will find slides of this size. If there is a non-standard slide size like 2 inches or 0.125 inch then make sure your slide viewer can accommodate the particular size.
4. How a large screen size helps?
For a clear and comfortable viewing experience, make sure your selected slide viewer comes with decent screen size. Those slide viewers with big and bright screens offer you great convenience for viewing your slides. Also, they offer enhanced clarity.
5. How a portable slide viewer helps?
A portable slide viewer is easier to keep and use. It lets you view slides anywhere.
6. Which are the common accessories many slide viewers come with?
You may find many slide viewers coming along with an AV cable, a USB cable, a DC/AC adapter, and a cleaning cloth.
Final Thoughts
For hassle-free conversion of old slices into digital format, the above selection helps you to pick the best slide viewer in 2023. These devices provide exceptional image clarity with adequate brightness. Most of them are lightweight and portable so that you can effortlessly view your slides anywhere. Loading the slides and viewing the images is quick.
Enjoyed this slide viewer review? Then be sure to check out our other guide of the best label maker.
