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Typically expressed in lumens or ANSI lumens, brightness specification is an important reference when selecting a projector. However, the practical meaning of projector brightness and how to choose a projector for your specific installation needs can be confusing. The following information will help you understand the relationship between brightness and projection effect, as well as application.
To illustrate the complicated idea clearly, let’s compare projection brightness to the lumen ratings of automobile headlights and consider the viewing effect in different ambient lighting situations. When a car is in the dark, you can observe the luminous intensity immediately when you turn on the headlights. On the other hand, when it is midday with strong sunlight, it’s very hard to perceive the brightness even when high beams with the highest lumen output are used. The same relationship exists between projector brightness and lumens of ambient lighting. If you need ambient lighting when using the projector, then a model with higher lumens will produce better results.
If you’d like to watch movies using a projector on a 100”~120” screen without ambient lighting, around 2,000 lumens of projection brightness is ideal. If you need to turn on ambient lighting or if there are bright light sources in the room, a projector with 3,000 lumens or more will display clear images.
Based on the information above, you may wonder if a model with higher brightness can be applied to various projection sizes and ambient lighting requirements while guaranteeing clear images with excellent color. Not necessarily. For home theater systems, we recommend that consumers choose the projector with appropriate brightness to show the clearest images with the best color performance and contrast effect.
"The light processing components of a projector consist of the projection lamp, which determines the highest brightness output, and color wheel, which controls color performance. Theoretically, a higher wattage lamp can produce a brighter image while the color wheel’s RGB purity must be controlled in order to reproduce colors accurately. Light transmission, and therefore brightness, will be compromised when it is necessary to meet pure color requirements. So instead of pursuing high lumens, projection brightness must be controlled within an appropriate range to increase color accuracy.
Please refer to CinematicColor™ for Colors as Directors Envisionedfor detailed information on the projector’s color performance.
When selecting a projector, there are many specifications to consider. Among them, one of the most critical specifications is brightness. Only with appropriate lumens for the throw distance and ambient lighting can the projector produce spectacularly clear images with true colors. This is particularly crucial for consumers choosing home theater systems. Before selecting the projector, you first need to determine the distance between the projector and screen, the expected picture size, and whether you’ll need lights turned on when watching movies. These criteria are very helpful when choosing projectors, so you can ensure the most enjoyable viewing experience for your family with the ideal home theater system.
