If you are planning on buying an outdoor projector, then there are a lot of things that you should never underestimate or ignore at all. Out of these things, lumens are also, or better to say it’s the most important element of a projector.
*Before we start, the general best answer to this question is that, for outdoor viewing it’s suggested that one purchases a projector with at least a 3,000 Lumen brightness rating. But, this answer changes as other variables change. Lumen rating dictates how large of a screen one can project their image on, and how sharp and in contrast the image will be. It will also help one get an understanding of whether they can start watching the content before it’s nighttime.
Firstly, the “Lumens” is an SI unit for measuring brightness in a specific medium or area. It is the intensity of light projected from a source when it comes to a projector. You can find lumens in any bright object, that could be your lamps, bulbs, lights, and the things like this.
For other things like lamps, and lights, the brightness is measured in Lumens, and this is also sometimes known as Candela. However, for projectors, we are supposed to measure the brightness in ANSI Lumens.
Now, ANSI lumens are not just limited to projector sort of stuff. Instead, everything that is digitally bright could be measured in ANSI Lumens. But this term is more oriented toward Home Projectors.
In order to calculate how many Lumens your projector needs to project a bright screen, we have created this guide. Now, we will be disclosing this thing mainly for outdoor projectors, along with other projectors as well.
Understanding Lumens for Projectors:
At the moment, there are a couple of projector manufacturers, who provide different levels of lumens as per their ease and use cases for sure. Now, if you take a closer look, you will get to know two types of lumens for projectors.
Out of these, one is known as White Lumen while the other one is known as Color lumens. Both of these lumens are pretty important for your projectors, as they have their own crucial part in the projection mechanism and quality as well.
In terms of projectors, the white lumen is known as white brightness, while the black one is known as Black brightness. They both make a perfect complexion along with the aspect ratio, and the contrast ratio of course.
Now, some brands omit White balance or brightness ratings as they are not very important, or useless at all. But, believe us, this brightness has the same importance as we have for color brightness.
The main purpose of this brightness is to balance the colors, at their best possible to project a better quality picture. If the white brightness is overrated, your picture is going to look blurred, and whitish.
On the other hand for color brightness, if your projector’s lamp owns an overrated color brightness, then it will make your color schemes very sharp, and you will never want to see that. Plus, it will also leave a bad impact on eyesight.
Just to give you a rough idea, as not every single brand uses the same standard at all, when selecting a projector, make sure that projector owns the same white brightness, as its color brightness.
Best lumens for outdoor projector
Whether you are planning to get the projector for content streaming, or for presentations, lumens are still a necessary element to keep in consideration. Nowadays, outdoor projectors are getting increasingly popular, and people in their backyards do not want to miss this opportunity for watching their favorite shows.
For instance, if you have found a decent home theater projector, and it has a lumens rating of 5000 Lumens for color brightness, and 5000 Lumens for its white brightness, then we are going to call that boy, a True and Bright projector.
These projectors are bright enough that you don’t have to make your room completely dark, or somewhat dark, just to use this.
Brands like ViewSonic, WiMiUS, QKK, WOWOTO, VANKYO, Optoma, YABER, BenQ, & Epson manufacture bright, and decent projectors out of the box. Sometimes, they provide a budget projector, but they are limited in balanced brightness.
What are the Best lumens for an outdoor projector?
To be honest, it is an individual case scenario for every streamer out there. If you are planning it for your outdoor party, it will differ. And, if it is for something else, then it is going to be very different there as well.
The main thing is your screen size, how big of a screen do you want for your outdoor projector. Though there is not a standard that would help you decide on the best lumens for an outdoor projector, we have researched it ourselves for you.
If you want a screen size of less than 100-inches, then ANSI lumens of 1200 to 1800 are capable enough to project a bright screen, but we would recommend getting started with at least 2000 ANSI Lumens.
For your screen of 100 inches to 150 inches, which is known as a medium screen, a projector with at least 2000 Lumens, and up to 2700 lumens are the best. And, to get a screen of at least 200 inches, you should opt for up to 4000 lumens.
As projectors are still offered in even bigger sizes, such as 300-inches, 400-inches, and even more. But, a projection size of up to 400 inches is considered for outdoor, and home theater projectors.
If you want to get a screen size of at least 300 inches, you should make sure that your potential projector is able to project at least 5000 Lumens of brightness. The higher it is, the better quality it would be.
Try to get a projector with 5500 to 6000 lumens for a 300 inches screen, and it will be much more engaging quality. And, for your projection size of up to 400 inches, a brightness range of at least 8,000 lumens should be the minimum requirement.
For more refer to this table:
| Screen Size | Minimum Lumen Needed | Ideal Lumens Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 9×5 foot | 1,500 | 2,300 |
| 12×7 foot | 2,300 | 3,000 |
| 16×9 foot | 3,000 | 4,500 |
| 20×11 foot | 4,500 | 7,500 |
| 25×14.5 foot | 5,000 | 10,000 |
| 40×22.5 foot | 5,500 | 12,000 |
If you would like to calculate Lumens for yourself, you could also use the foot-lamberts equation.
The equation goes like this:
Foot-Lamberts = Lumens / Screen Area (in square feet)
In other words, let’s say you have a screen that is 16 feet wide and 9 feet high. You would get your screen area first by multiplying the width by the height.
If you have a projector with a brightness rating of 3,000 lumens you would replace lumens in the equation with that number.
Which is
Foot-lamberts = 3000 / 144 which is 20.833
This number sits in the recommended range of 12 to 22 foot-lamberts which means this screen projector combination works.
Recommended & the Best lumens for outdoor events
Depending on your ideal case, figuring out your sole purpose is a good idea to make us a better recommendation for you. For your outdoor events, you first need an outdoor projector.
Again, purchasing just an outdoor projector is not a solution. Instead, you need to make sure of the time of the day, for which you are planning to hold your event. Whether your projector is for daytime use, or for night viewing, the best is to:
Get a projector with at least a brightness of 4000 Lumens that is a good starting point for both your outdoor events, your darkroom home theater, as well as a nighttime viewing experience.
These projectors are enough to project at least 100 inches of bright screens for outdoor events. We still recommend you set up your projection event at least an hour or two before the sun sets, just to get a clear, and bright screen.
Otherwise, if you want a projector for daytime usage, you would need a projector for at least 5000 lumens, and this can go up to 10,000 lumens as well, which is going to cost a hell. Under 5k lumens, you still have budget choices.
To get a screen size of at least 150 inches, and up to 200 inches, we highly recommend opting for projectors with at least a rating of 5500 to 6000 Lumens. And, for up to 300-inches pictures, a projector with 7500 lumens is a good choice.
The Bottom Line | Best lumens for outdoor projector
Lumens of a projector is basically a measurement system for projector bulbs, that tells us how strong this projector can make an impact in terms of brightness. Choosing the best lumens can even help you in the Best projector for outdoor daytime as well.
Without knowing the best lumens for the outdoor projector, you are lacking both in terms of performance, quality, and brightness. All these things ultimately result in quality projection.
For today’s context, we have talked about the Best lumens for an outdoor projector, so you can select one of the best outdoor projectors. So, we are assuming that you are now confident enough to choose the best lumens for an outdoor projector, after going through this short, yet effective guide.
outdoor projector Lumens: Related FAQs
Are higher lumens better for a projector?
Lumens measure the amount of light that is emitted from a projector. A higher lumen rating means that the projector is emitting more light. This is important to consider when choosing a projector for your needs because the more light emitted, the brighter the image will be.
Is 7000 lumens good for a projector?
Yes, 7000 lumens is plenty for a projector, and it will provide a bright, clear image even in an outdoor and bright room.
How many lumens do I need a projector outside at night?
You will need at least 2000 lumens for a projector to be used outside at night, and this will provide a clear, bright image even in darker conditions.
How many lumens do I need for the backyard?
The number of lumens you’ll need for your backyard projector will depend on a few factors, including the size of your screen, the ambient light conditions, and the distance from your projector to your screen.
You’ll want a projector with at least 2,500 lumens for a backyard movie night. You may need a projector with even more lumens if you are projecting in an area with lots of ambient light.