Professional projectors must be able to display clearly even in bright rooms
When you think about projectors, you might envision a small, dark classroom or office. That’s not always the case. Professional projectors are often used in meeting halls and conference rooms. However, not all projectors are well-designed for this purpose. When it comes to larger conference halls and meeting rooms, brighter is often better. Here’s what makes high lumen projectors ideal for certain environments — and how to pick the right one for your workplace.
Want to know more about finding the right projector for your needs? Check out our guide, How Do Projectors Work? Everything You Need to Know.
What are high lumen projectors?
There are a number of important features to consider when purchasing professional projectors, but lumen count should be at the top of the list. Lumens measure the brightness of any light source; the higher the lumen count, the brighter the light.
To put that into context, a candle is about 14 lumens, while a sunny day might be 100,000 lumens. How many lumens is good for a projector? That depends entirely on its intended use. For personal use, projectors that turn blank walls into home theaters could be around 1,500 lumens. A professional projector designed for small conference rooms, classrooms, and similar spaces requires more brightness — think about 4,000 lumens. Then there are high lumen projectors, which can more than double the lumen count. For example, Ricoh’s line of high lumen projectors ranges from 7,200 to 9,600 lumens.
Did You Know?:Ricoh’s patented projection lens unit technology is used in almost 20% of the projectors on the market today. Click here to learn more about our projector line.
Benefits of high lumen projectors
Think about the space where you’ll use your projector. Is it a standard meeting room in the office or a large conference hall at a convention center? Can you predict or control how much ambient light is in the space? Are the lights off or on? These are the key factors that will determine whether or not you need a high lumen projector. Higher lumen counts better enable projectors to deliver crisp, bright images in larger spaces, even if there’s a lot of ambient light.
While a lower-lumen projector technically could function in these spaces, it’s not ideal. You’re likely to lose a lot of the clarity and accuracy in your presentations this way, making it hard for the audience to see what’s on the screen. On the other hand, high lumen projectors preserve those important details, resulting in vivid imagery, sharp contrast, and stunning color accuracy. In other words, considering projector lumens for bright rooms doesn’t mean simply measuring brightness — it’s about elevating the overall quality and impact of the images being projected.
Other features to consider
Once you’ve evaluated your needs and decided on a high lumen projector, you’ll be able to better hone your search. But a projector’s quality isn’t only determined by its brightness; there are a number of additional features to evaluate. When comparing different models and weighing the cost of investment, here’s what you should consider:
- Display size: If you’re looking for a high lumen projector, it’s a safe bet that you want to be able to project onto a large area. Look for models with the upper end of the display range at 100” or more. The bigger your audience, the bigger the display size should be — that way everyone in the room can see clearly, not just those in the front.
- Image resolution: Brightness is one factor that determines display quality; resolution is another. Look for high-definition projectors (1920x1080 or higher) to ensure that your presentations look their best.
- Multi-projection capabilities: Multi-projection allows users to create even larger screens by using multiple projectors at once. If you find this feature beneficial, choose a model that not only allows for multi-projection but also makes the image overlap virtually invisible. After all, if the screens aren’t blended properly, it can be distracting and difficult to understand the information being presented.
- Contrast ratio: The higher the contrast ratio, the more vividly the colors are displayed. The higher the ratio, the more you’ll notice the contrast between the lights and darks in an image. You’ll also get clearer details that would normally be washed out with lower contrast ratios.
- Lens shift range: Shift range refers to how far you can move the projected image. Be sure to compare both horizontal and vertical shift ranges — the wider the range, the more flexibility you’ll have when the projector is in use.
- Ease of use: Having a gaggle of quality-enhancing features is great; spending precious time manually calibrating your projector is not. Projectors with motorized lens shift, zoom, and focus help you get the most out of these features without having to spend a lot of time doing tech support.
- Installation options: Consider the room where the high lumen projector is likely to be installed. Where will the projector actually go? The ceiling? A wall? On a dedicated surface? Make sure the model you choose supports your desired installation mode; if you’re not sure, look for a versatile model that can be installed in any of these situations.
Did You Know?:The RICOH PJ 6600 Series’ multi-projection feature allows the creation of a larger display area by using multiple projectors — all while making overlapping areas virtually invisible. Click here to find out more.
Our recommendation: RICOH PJ 6600 Series Projectors
When it’s time to purchase a professional-quality high lumen projector, the RICOH PJ 6600 Series is among the best on the market. Its models range from 7,200 to 9,600 lumens, meaning they can project the clearest, most vivid picture in just about any size room, no matter the ambient light. The ability to project up to 300” means you won’t be limited in screen size, and the stunning color clarity and accuracy will help take your presentations to the next level. Click here to learn more or shop the rest of the RICOH projector line.
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