Talk:Carousel slide projector

Most common?
The article states: "The Kodak Carousel/Ektagraphic family of projectors, which have a horizontally mounted tray, are probably the most familiar and common carousel projectors." This may well be true but should be supported by a reliable source. In continental Europe, e.g., my impression is that linear-tray projectors were and are more popular. jan JanBarkmann (talk) 23:13, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

I have also heard (but cannot verify) that the European Straight Tray was the most popular tray in Europe, and that, with Europe having greater population than the USA and a larger portion of its residents using slides after about 1980 (when the use of slide film in the US started dropping dramatically), that the Euro Straight had become the most popular slide tray in the world. The Euro Straight was never very popular in the USA. A few Pradovit and Rollei projectors made it to the US, but the trays were only available at larger camera stores and at a higher cost than Carousel and Rototray types.

Other straight trays were popular in the US. The Airequipt Magazine was the first to become popular. The TDC or "universal" tray became popular soon afterward (they were easier to load, but had to be carried upright as there was no mechanism to stop the slides from spilling). After the introduction of the Carousel (1961) and Rototray (1963), round trays dominated the US market. Several manufacturers launched their own tray designs, round, straight, or even the Slide Cube that merely held the slides, in the 1960s, but none of them were anywhere near as popular as the Carousel or the Rototray.

Even the Carousel's dominance in the US could be questioned. The sum of all the brands using the Rototray may have (at one time) exceeded the Carousel (Strictly a Kodak product at the home market with all other makes being for use in business, education and government). I have not found any source of statistics on the sales of slide projectors and trays (or, for that matter, the film) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 313 TUxedo (talk • 313 TUxedo (talk) 18:11, 12 April 2014 (UTC)


 * The statement only applies to Carousel projectors, so doesn't include straight trays. Technically, since Carousel is a Kodak trademark, Rototrays aren't Carousels, so the statement is true by definition. As well as I know, Carousels are pretty much universal in US industry and academia, though many different designs are usual for home use. Gah4 (talk) 05:30, 26 January 2020 (UTC)