Business & Home Theater Projector Primer: Brightness

Published January 29, 2016

Brightness, the amount of light a projector produces, is vital to image quality and viewing experience. Too much brightness in a dark room saturates the colors. Too little brightness in a well-lit room washes out the image.

A projector’s brightness is measured in lumens: ANSI lumens measure the overall output of light (both DLP and LCD) and color lumens measure the brightness of projected colors (for 3LCD projectors only).

To make sure you get the right amount of bright, consider these factors:

• Content to be projected, such as movies, 3D, games, presentations
• Image or screen size (large images require higher brightness)
• Audience size
• Light levels of the room where the projector will be used

The smallest and lowest priced projectors typically feature less than 2,000 lumens and are best used in low-light environments. Projectors in the 2,000- to 4,500-lumens range offer more features and flexibility, including larger audiences, bigger screens and higher ambient light. Portable and semi-portable projectors are rarely available above 4,000 lumens.

Use this guide to help you find the right brightness for your intended use:

• 500 or less: Great for buyers needing portable or mobile capabilities, and those presenting to small groups.

• 700 to 1,000: Perfect for the budget-minded buyer, or those presenting to groups of 5 to 10 people.

• 1,000 to 2,500: Ideal for home theater rooms, other low-light/controllable light environments, and small working groups. For especially dark rooms, 1,000 to 1,200 lumens is sufficient; look for up to 3,000 color lumens when evaluating 3LCD projectors for use in this setting.

• 2,500 to 4,000: Best for home theater/home entertainment, standard business use, and in conference rooms and classrooms. For the best image quality from 3LCD projectors in spaces with ambient light (from overhead or uncovered windows), look for a minimum of 3,000 color lumens.

• 4,000 or higher: Recommended for auditoriums, large conference rooms and other big venues. These ultra-bright units require additional cooling, more advanced optical systems and more expensive lamps, which drive up the price.

Contrast ratio is also related to brightness, and represents the variance between the brightest and darkest areas the projector produces. Typically, the higher the contrast ratio, the more vibrant the colors and sharper the details.

With this information in hand, you’re ready to purchase the business or home theater projector with the brightness you need.

Learn more in the Staples Business & Home Theater Projector Buyer’s Guide.