Wedding Photography

Projector brightness, measured in lumens, is one of the key parameters that should dictate the purchase of a projector. Greater the brightness spec of a projector, the costlier it generally is though more brightness doesn�t necessarily mean a better projector. The amount of brightness that is required will vary based on the conditions; some thumb rules to consider when evaluating brightness are listed below:

• Number of people likely to be present - more the number of people, greater the brightness required as the size of the image will have to be increased thus reducing the apparent brightness
• Ambient light - darkened rooms require less brightness, while brighter rooms require projectors of high brightness. Buy a projector considering what kind of setting you are more likely to use the projector under.
• Type of projection screen: Projectors may project images on to a wall or on to projection screens (which is ideal). Generally, because of the surface of the projection screen and its ability to reflect light better, a projector with lower brightness will be fine when used along with a projection screen.
• Applications: If a projector is more likely to be used for video/ graphic presentations, lower brightness projectors should suffice. However, if the projector is going to be used for training and workshops where the attendees are likely to need more ambient light to take notes, a higher brightness projector will be required.

Projectors ranging from brightness levels of 1000 lumens to 12,000 lumens are already available in the market, though portable projectors usually come in the 1000 -2000 lumens range. The sub-1000 lumens projectors are more suitable for black & white presentations in dark settings. Presentations in regular conference rooms/ classrooms, where ensuring complete darkness may not be possible, can make do with projectors in the above-1000 to 2000 lumens range. In the portable / semi-portable range of projectors, brightness level of up to 3000 lumens is generally the highest. But these projectors are fairly powerful and offer considerable flexibility and good performance. Projectors beyond 3000 lumens brightness are the high-end projectors [and often fixed-installation projectors] that are usually used for large-venue projections.

Another factor to consider when buying a projector is the type of lamp used for the projector since it has a bearing on the maintenance cost since replacement lamps do cost a decent figure. Most lamps do have a predetermined usage life, which is specified along with the projector. Factor in the cost of replacement of the projector lamp when budgeting for a projector. Two other points: opt for projectors using lamps with lower wattage and those that offer a power-saving mode, as both of these can yield longer lifespan for the projector lamp and thus reduce the maintenance cost.