Church Projectors Buyers Guide

With more than 20 years of experience in the audiovisual industry, Projector People has worked extensively with religious, non-denominational and non-profit organizations, providing technical expertise and presentation solutions to meet your needs.

Projector People represents the broadest selection of projector brands and equipment. Because of our relationships with key manufacturers, we can offer you the best pricing for religious institutions in the market today.

Call a Projector Expert today at 1-888-248-0675 to find the best projector for your church, or check out our handy guide below.

The Most Important Things to Know Before Selecting a Projector

Before we worry about what type of projector is needed for your sanctuary, there are a few CRITICAL things to know at the start.

  • The exact distance from projector lens to screen. (or within 12" or so). If you're buying a new projector and you're not sure where to place it, pick up the phone and give us a call. We can give you some solid advice based on the numerous setups we've helped with over the years.
  • The WIDTH of the projector screen.
  • What type / # of inputs are required. If your church has a video switcher or scaler already in place, this may not be as important.
  • If you're adding a ceiling mounted projector, the distance from your video input devices to the projector (for cable length).

Church Projector Lumens : How Bright Does the Projector Need to Be?

church presentation shown on a big screen projector

Projector People recently sponsored the Projecting Hope faith-based film festival.

Projector brightness is measured in ANSI lumens.

For most sanctuaries, 5,000 lumen is the new standard for brightness. These bright church projectors can easily provide big, crystal-clear images to crowds of 100 - 150 with no concern over ambient lighting. For sanctuaries that sit 250 or more, Projector People recommends 6,000-lumen projectors.

For meetings, missionary work and travelling presenters, a lower-lumen church projector may do the trick. Ultra-portable projectors (between 2-7 pounds) range from around 2000-4000 lumens in brightness. These can be used in normal conference room settings. For best results, the lighting in the room should be dimmed.

We've also supplied low-lumen pocket projectors to churches, in certain circumstances. At less than 300 lumens, these battery-powered projectors won't be bright enough to captivate your congregation, but they can provide great handheld entertainment to smaller groups in dark settings. They're perfect for the back of a bus seat during a youth trip or on the side of a tent during mission work in Africa. These small projectors are great for the gadget-inclined youth (and adults!) in your ministry.

Church Projector Lumen Recommendations

  • 6,000 lumens for congregations of 250 or more in bright rooms
  • 4,000 lumens for congregations of 100 - 150 in bright rooms
  • 2,000 - 3,000 lumens for portable projection needs. The room lighting may need to be dimmed
  • 100 - 300 lumens for groups of 5 or less in a dark room

Still unsure how many lumens you need? Check out our handy lumen guide for projectors.

Choosing a House of Worship or Church Projector Resolution

For house of worship and church projectors, we typically recommend projectors with an XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. This is the most mainstream resolution option, and it's great for displaying large text such as bible verses or song lyrics. You'll have no problem finding a projector, as well as a wide selection of screens and accessories, that meets your needs.

However, if you're using a new widescreen computer, a projector with WXGA (1280x 800) resolution may be your best bet. If your place of worship is on the cutting edge, and wants to present HD quality content, it's important to realize that the standard 4:3 screen is probably not the best solution for you. In these situations, you'll want to go with a 16:9 screen format, such as those offered by Screen Innovations motorized screens.

If you have any hesitations or questions about resolution, call a Projector Expert at 1-888-248-0675.

Quick Tip:
Search for widescreen and XGA projectors, or sort by feature and price, using our handy projector finder »



Do I Need a Portable Church Projector?

Large venues typically opt for installation projectors. These 15 - 20-pound projectors usually have lens options that allow for more placement flexibility.

But installed projectors are well, installed. You can't use them in a conference room during a meeting. For smaller groups that want their projector to do double or triple duty, opt for a lighter projector that can be moved around for services, meetings and movie nights.

Quick tips for Buying a Church Projector

Projector People recommends that you order and set up your projector before purchasing your screen and additional accessories. This way, you can make sure the image size fits your needs and space before you spend time (and money!) setting up a screen that will have to ultimately be moved.

Optoma Optoma TX765W TX765W XGA (1024 x 768) 4000 lumens  Call for price.  Details »
Hitachi Hitachi CP-X5021N CP-X5021N XGA (1024 x 768) 5000 lumens  $2,795.00  Details »
NEC NEC NP4100 NP4100 XGA (1024 x 768) 6200 lumens  $4,799.00  Details »

Extras: Free House of Worship Presentation Templates

Visit our site exclusively designed for church projector buyers, www.projectorsforworship.com. Here, you can learn more about church projectors and download our free presentation templates, designed by our graphic designers for house of worship presenters.