Projectors come with a wide range of brightness levels, and these levels are rated in lumens. The brighter the projector the higher the lumen rating will be, and if all other things are set equally, the more the projector is going to cost.
When you’re shopping for a projector, make sure to look for 2 lumen ratings: the one for white brightness and the one for color brightness. There can be large differences between different brands and projectors, so one should measure color and this measurement should be listed separately so that information is accurately provided. If the information seen only has a single brightness rating, it’s usually only going to refer to the white brightness. The brightness of the colors projected can actually be as small as a third of the lumens stated if only one brightness rating is listed.
The brightness one needs is actually decided by the room the projector is going to be used in. If you’re using a projector for a home theater, one will need at least 1500 lumens, mainly because ambient lighting is usually kept to a minimum in these areas. For places like conference and classrooms, 2500 lumens is considered the best number. For larger areas such as lecture halls or auditoriums, you’ll need significantly more lumens because of both screen size and the potential for more ambient light to seep in.
Yes, higher lumens will likely be better for projectors but it isn’t always necessary. If you’re using a projector in an area that you know won’t have much ambient light, it isn’t necessary to have a lumen count of 3000 and up and you’ll be using unnecessary energy and will have to replace bulbs for no reason.
When you’re shopping for a projector it’s important to get one that fits your needs. The two factors that one must take into account are:
- Screen Size: The larger the screen, the higher the brightness of the projector is going to have to be to deliver quality images.
- Ambient Light: Ambient light is important to know because when it isn’t controlled it can ruin an image. Ambient light is the light that is already present in a room before additional light is added. An example of ambient light is the natural light that comes in through a window. Spaces with high levels of ambient light require the projector to have a higher brightness so the image is quality. A good lumen range for multi-purpose projectors or spaces is 2000 to 4000 lumens.
Suggested Lumen Counts
Suggested lumen count for large areas: First, we’ll discuss projectors with over 5000 ANSI lumen ratings. This lumen rating will work well on projector screens of over 100 inches, which makes it work great for areas that are larger such as large conference room, auditoriums, exhibition halls, etc. These projectors will work well even in places with high ambient lighting.
Suggested lumen count for medium-sized areas: For medium sized areas, you’ll want to purchase a projector that’s around 4000-4999 ANSI lumens. This will deliver a solid image on projector screens of 80 plus inches and the higher brightness rating means that the owner won’t have to worry as much about ambient lighting.
Suggested lumen count for small areas: For smaller settings like classrooms or meeting rooms, 3000 – 3999 ANSI lumens will work fine. Having this setting will easily allow one to project onto an 80 plus inch screen, at a good value. This lumen level is great when there is minimal ambient light.