If you’re looking for a projector, one of the things you’ll want to pay attention to is the lumens. But what exactly are lumens? And how many do you need for your particular situation?
- What is Lumens in Projector specs
- How many Lumens is Good for a Projector
- White Brightness vs Color Brightness
- Lumens vs ANSI Lumens
- Other Factors that Affect Image Quality
- The System Foot-Lamberts (ftL)
- Ambient Light Sources
What is Lumens in Projector
Lumens measure the amount of light that a projector is able to produce. The more lumens, the brighter the projector will be.
The following are approximate lumen counts of common light sources:
- Candle light – 15 lumens;
- Sunset – 500 lumens;
- Fluorescent lighting – 600 lumens;
- 100-watt bulb – 1700 lumens;
- Bright sunny day – ~ 100,000 lumens.
LED, laser, and lamp are the three key light sources in projector technology.
A few important things to note:
1. Usually, lamp projectors need at least 2000 lumens to run properly, while laser projectors can provide more than 3500 lumens with optional equipment.
2. Even though LED projectors typically only emit 2000 lumens, they deliver a higher-quality image than lamp projectors.
This is because LEDs have improved color saturation and luminous efficiency, appearing to be brighter than their ANSI lumen measurement suggests.
So, how many lumens do you need?
It depends on a few factors, such as the ambient light in the room and what type of content you’ll be projecting. If you’re going to be projecting in a dark room, you won’t need as many lumens as if you’re trying to project in a brightly lit room.
In general, though, most people agree that a projector needs at least 2000 lumens to be effective.
If you’re projecting in a very bright room or you want to be able to see your projection even if there’s some ambient light, you’ll need more like 3000-4000 lumens.
Of course, the final decision is up to you. But now that you know what lumens are and how many you need, you can make an informed decision about which projector is right for your needs.
If you’re looking for a high-quality projector with a bright output, check out the Optoma HZ39HDR. It has 4000 lumens, making it a great choice for bright rooms or daylight projection. It also has excellent image quality, making it a great option for presentations or movies.
Color Brightness vs White Brightness
Projectors are available in a wide range of brightness, which is measured in lumens. The projector’s lumen rating will be higher if it is brighter, and usually also means that the projector will cost more.
When you’re out shopping for a projector, always be on the lookout for two lumen specifications: one for color brightness and another for white brightness.
Different projectors and brands can hugely vary in their output, so make sure to measure and list colors separately to give yourself an accurate idea of what you’re working with.
The lumen rating mostly refers to the projector’s white brightness. The actual color brightness is often only a third of the lumens indicated 🙁
The brightness of your projector is determined by the lumens. The more lumens, the brighter your projector will be.
If you plan to use your home theater projector in a dim room, look for one that emits at least 1000-1500 lumens. If the environment will be brighter, like in a classroom or conference room with windows, 2000-2500 lumens is what you’ll need. Consequently, if you need the projector for a large space like an auditorium or lecture hall, it’s best to get one with 3000-4000 lumens (or even more).
Lumens vs ANSI Lumens
Though a projector’s lumen rating speaks to the brightness of its light source, that number only tells half the story.
In reality, by the time the light reaches your screen, its intensity has diminished significantly.
On average, just 30% of a lamp’s output is projected onto your screen.
Some companies advertise their projector’s lumen output as being higher than it actually is to mislead customers into thinking their product is brighter than it really is.
For example, they may say a budget projector has 2500 lumens when the truth is that the device only emits 750 lumens of light.
That’s where ANSI lumens unit come in.
ANSI Lumens
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defines a unit of measurement, ANSI lumens, to gauge the total amount of light emitted by a projector. This metric is more comprehensive than simply measuring the light output of the projector lamp.
ANSI lumens measure the projector’s brightest white output. It is done by taking readings of a projected 100% white image using a light meter that has 2° or less coverage.
The area being projected is then divided into 9 zones for averaging measurements together. ANSI lumens tell you the maximum brightness produced on a screen in ideal conditions.
ANSI lumens provide an accurate way for manufacturers to measure the true brightness of their projector, which in turn allows consumers to make more informed decisions.
Other factors that affect image quality
The specifications of a projector are not only limited to the lumens. In fact, ANSI lumens should not be the primary focus when choosing a projector.
This is because other factors such as screen materials and ambient light can affect the final image quality, even more so than the lumen count.
Some other aspects you may want to take into account include:
- Contrast Ratio: To achieve a strikingly more vivid image, look for a projector with a high contrast ratio. CR measures the difference between pure white and extreme black. Your projector’s contrast ratio will contribute to how vivid the final projected image is. ANSI contrast ratios provide a more accurate measurement due to standardized test criteria. So when shopping for your home theater projector, aim for an ANSI minimum of 1000:1;
- Resolution: The standard resolution is conveyed through pixel measurements. Pixels indicate the maximum sharpness, or image quality, of your projector. For most people, a 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) is ideal for home theater projectors. However, those looking for an Ultra High Definition (UHD) should seek out a 4K resolution with 3840 x 2160 pixels;
- Zoom & Throw Ratios: The zoom ratio will let you know the assortment of screen sizes that’ll work with your chosen projector. The throw ratio will reveal to you how close or far away your campaigner needs to be from the screen for the image quality to be excellent. These two measurements are entirely dependent on what size screen you have and what projection room you choose.
Although this may not be an exhaustive list, these are definitely the primary factors that affect picture quality.
How many lumens does a projector need to function?
You may think that only knowing the lumens of a projector would suffice, but the truth is that the projector screen surface can play just as important of a role.
To get optimal brightness, pay attention to both your projector and projection screen details.
System Foot-Lamberts is what tells you how bright your image will be.
The System Foot-Lamberts calculation takes into account both the projector and screen being used and can determine whether or not your final image will be bright enough.
ftL (or Foot-Lamberts) is the unit of measure used by film industry professionals to specify the ideal amount of light that should be reflected off a movie screen in order to create an optimal 1-foot x 1-foot image.
How does the projector system Foot-Lamberts affect the light output?
Foot-Lamberts are impacted by three main things in a projection system: Screen size and screen gain + Projector brightness.
The projector’s brightness determines the light in the system. TheFoot-Lamberts is affected by screen size because a larger image will spread out the light more. Screen gain is the 3rd factor.
What is screen gain?
In short, it measures the reflective properties of a cinema screen. The higher the number, the brighter images appear on the surface.
Foot-Lamberts take into account all three factors above to determine outcome.
Ambient light sources
Another element to contemplate is the amount of light in your space. Too much light will result in a fuzzy image on your screen because it will diminish the projector’s light, making your projection appear faded.
If your room gets a lot of natural light or if you need overhead lights on during projection, you’ll want to get a brighter projector.
The other option is an ambient light rejecting screen for your projector.
Ambient light rejecting projection screens, as the name suggests, reflects light from your projector back to viewers while rejecting other sources of light.
Some of these screens use angular reflectivity to achieve this, while others have tiny angled rows that absorb ambient light and only reflect projector light.
The main purpose you would use a projector
The usage purpose is another factor that affects how bright of a projector you’ll need.
For example, if you only plan to watch movies in the dark with a home theater projector, you won’t need as bright of one.
However, if your intention is to use it for work presentations where people will be taking notes, you want to make sure the picture is still visible with the lights on.
Projector Lumens: Final words
When it comes to choosing a projector, there are many things to keep in mind. But if you focus on these four key factors – lumens, resolution, zoom & throw ratios, and usage purpose – you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect one for your needs.
Remember that 2000-4000 lumens is a good range of brightness to look for when choosing a new projector.
Happy shopping and may the force be with you!
