Projector Buyers Guide for Photographers

By Jennifer Andrews
August 2007

Photographers are a growing segment of projector buyers, and we know that photography has some special requirements when choosing a projector. So we have put together this buyer's guide specifically for artists who want their projected images to match their creative vision.

What a Photographer Should Know Before Buying a Digital Projector

• Projector Basics: Brightness, contrast, resolution.
• On the Road: How portable are today's projectors, and how easy are they to set up?
• Keys to Projector Color: Which projectors have the best color display?
• Making the Connection: Which connectivity is best in photography applications?
• Setting Your Budget: Get the most bang for the buck.
• Why Add Sound? Benefits of a sound system with your projector.
• Case Study: Brian Adams PhotoGraphics
• A Projector Pays for Itself: Sell more than ever before.

Projector Basics

Brightness, contrast, and resolution, oh my! Basic projector specifications aren't complicated, but you do need to know a little about them before you start shopping for one. Here's a brief rundown of the basic specs you need to understand.

Projector Brightness

Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens. Simply put, more lumens equal more brightness. The amount of brightness you need will depends on a couple things.

• Size of your audience.
  • Larger audiences require larger images, which in turn require brighter projectors. It's hard to go wrong with more lumens, but more lumens will cost you more. So finding the balance is key.
• Amount of ambient light in the room you are projecting in.
  • If you travel with your projector to client meetings you might want assume the worst case scenario for ambient light. But if your projector will stay put in a controlled environment, just about any brightness will do.

Projector Brightness Chart for Photographers

Ambient Light	Audience Size	Lumens Suggested
Low	2 - 10 people	1700 - 2200 lumens
Some	10 - 100 people	2200 - 3500 lumens
High	101 - 500 people	3500 or more lumens

Contrast Ratio in Projectors

Have you ever heard the saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well that concept applies to our discussion on contrast ratio. In the home theater world, there are two distinct camps. You have your DLP®people and your LCD®people. They are Digital Light Processing (DLP) and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), in case you aren't familiar with them.

Historically DLP® projectors have had higher contrast ratios than LCD® projectors, but some of the shades of gray suffered to achieve these levels. LCD® projectors, however, have had a reputation for having more accurate color. In reality though, both LCD®and DLP®have narrowed the gap on these issues. LCD®projectors now have higher contrast ratios (over 6000:1) and with new BrilliantColor™ technology, DLP®projectors are showing better, more accurate color than ever.

There are still some differences between the two, but as my father would say about men and women, they have a lot more in common than they do in difference. We will talk more about that later, and for now just discuss contrast in its purest form.

Contrast literally means the difference between the blackest black and the whitest white in an image. But what are equally important in an image are the shades of gray in between the black and the white. So when you find a projector with a ratio of 1,000,000:1 it doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of the mid ranges, only the difference between the two extremes. If the display can't display those shades of gray, portions of the image will "blow-out" and can look pixilated when displayed on the big screen.

So how can you tell which projectors handle those mid ranges the best? Well if you leave all the settings alone and use the projector with "out of the box" settings, you could just depend on the word of one of our Projector Experts. But you can also look for projectors with more control settings. sRGB modes, multi-color processing like BrilliantColor™, and other settings will allow users to really tweak their images to reach their vision or to reach accurate color.

Quick Tip: In reality it's not likely you would notice a significant difference between a 1,000,000:1 and a 500,000:1 contrast ratio projector unless you were comparing them in a cave at the center of the earth (or somewhere that no ambient light reached). In real life situations, with ambient light, even the difference between a 2000:1 and 10,000:1 can be inconsequential. LCD monitors typically have contrast ratios from 400:1 - 1000:1, as a reference.

Realistically, a projector used to display professional photographs should have a contrast ratio of at least 400:1 (which is good because nearly all of them do). Remember that some manufacturers are more conservative when publishing their specifications, so a lower contrast projector actually produce better contrast than specified.

And remember you can always contact a Projector Expert for the inside scoop on what the images look like in real life. They see most of the projectors we sell in person and in multiple applications.

Quick Tip: There are two methods of calculating contrast ratio used by projector manufacturers. Full On/Off contrast measures the ratio of the light output from an entirely white image (full on) versus the light output from an entirely black image (full off). ANSI contrast is measured with a pattern of 16 alternating black and white rectangles. The average light output from the white rectangles is divided by the average light output of the black rectangles to determine the ANSI contrast ratio.

Quick Tip: Some projectors, including several from Panasonic, offer light sensitive contrast adjustments that can make the image look punchier in brighter light without altering the appearance of the colors.

The Right Resolution

Resolution is essentially the number of pixels that make up the image, but you already knew that. You may have heard that the easiest rule to follow is to match the computer and projectors resolution. But computers have out paced projectors in developing higher resolution output. So to start, just make sure that your projector can scale to that resolution of your computer, or vice versa.

Also related to resolution is aspect ratio. The majority of the projectors sold around the world are either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios. Laptops with widescreen resolutions are increasingly more common, and may be a good choice for some photographers.

Projector Resolutions for Photographers - the Pros and Cons

SVGA (800 x 600 pixels) - 4:3 aspect ratio

• Pro - Lowest price.
• Con - Some photography presentation software programs may not be compatible.
• Con - More visible pixels when displaying large images.

XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) - 4:3 aspect ratio

• Pro - Best value per pixel.
• Pro - Many can display HD video.
• Pro - Matches most of the presentation and sales software on the market (such as ProSelect by TimeExposure).
• Con - Not widescreen native. (But can scale to widescreen with visible "black bars.")

SXGA+ (1400 x 1050 pixels) - 4:3 aspect ratio

• Pro - High resolution display for very sharp, clear images.
• Con - More costly than lower resolution displays.
• Con - Fewer model options available.

WXGA-H (1280 x 720) - 16:9 aspect ratio

• Pro - Very popular for those who want widescreen native display.
• Pro - Likely to have higher contrast ratios because they are designed for home theater.
• Con - "Black bars" along the sides of the image when displaying 4:3.

HD (1920 x 1080) - 16:9 aspect ratio

• Pro - The best looking picture on the market under $3,000.
• Pro - Future proof HD resolution.
• Con - "Black bars" along the sides of the image when displaying 4:3.
• Con - You must have an HD source to produce an HD picture.

Quick Tip: Video projectors also have 'lines' of resolution, which is usually just the number of vertical pixels. You will see video resolution referenced as 480p, 720p, or 1080p (the 'p' is for progressive scan). These video resolutions are also typically widescreen format.

Projectors also have a lower resolution (or fewer pixels) than digital cameras. Projectors maximum resolutions (for consumer use) top out at SXGA+ (4:3 format) and HD 1920 x 1080 (16:9 format). There are higher resolution displays available, but the costs are prohibitively expensive for most buyers (exceeding $10,000). Here is a quick chart with mega-pixels broken down for you into horizontal and vertical pixels.

Common Digital Camera Resolutions

Mega-Pixels	Horizontal Pixels	Vertical Pixels	Aspect Ratio	Total Pixels
0.3	640	480	4:3	307,200
0.5	800	600	4:3	480,000
1	1,280	960	4:3	1,228,800
2	1,600	1,200	4:3	1,920,000
3	2,048	1,536	4:3	3,145,728
4	2,272	1,704	4:3	3,871,488
4.1 (Canon 1D)	2,464	1,648	3:2	4,060,672
5	2,560	1,920	4:3	4,915,200
6	3000	2000	3:2	6,000,000

[ source: Wikipedia ]

On the Road - Traveling with a Projector

Portable projectors used to be just a few specialized products. But with the average weight of projectors dropping, more projectors can claim to be portable. Depending on the traveling and presenting schedule you maintain, projectors as heavy as 10 pounds can be ported from client to client. For trips by air, projectors with smaller footprints (dimensions of the projector) are also something you will want to consider.

Advantages of a slightly larger projector (5-9 lbs.)

Projectors with slightly larger chassis may have several advantages over sub-five pound projectors. In general, if you can manage to carry a larger model, you will have a brighter image and a more comprehensive feature set. The projector will also usually be a bit quieter because the fan won't have to work as hard to keep the machine cool, as the electronics are not set as close to the very hot lamp.

Advantages of a smaller projector (under 5 lbs.)

Smaller units, under five pounds, are usually built to travel. They will often have smaller footprints and they often ship with a carry case included. Many new portable projectors also include a quick start / shut down feature which is very popular, and has been a long time coming.

Fan Noise

Portable projectors now have dramatically less fan noise than projectors of just a few years ago. This is because cooling systems have greatly improved their efficiency. In most cases you shouldn't have an issue with fan noise, but you can shoot for a rating of under 35dB as a safe target. Small, bright portable projectors will have louder fans than larger portables or installation projectors.

• Greater than 35 dB = not for small spaces
• Less than 35 dB = ok for small spaces

Keys to Projector Color

To start, we want to mention sRGB color space is an important tool for matching the color on your computer screen to the color of a print (or digital image on an LCD monitor). While the sRGB color space is in some ways more limiting in its color space when compared to the number of colors projector can produce today, sRGB is still a feature worth looking for. Another great feature to have is the ability to adjust color on multiple color points CMYK and RGB. Many projectors offer this micro adjust feature, including Mitsubishi and Panasonic. Beyond the color tweaking capabilities, the technology behind the lens of a projector will also affect the projected image. Today's most popular projector technologies are LCD™ and DLP.

DLP™ vs. LCD™ : Considerations for the Photographer

In years past, the hands down favorite for accurate color representation has been LCD. However, DLP™ technology has improved significantly over the past two years, and is on the verge of another color breakthrough (called Brilliant Color™) with a new color wheel that includes CMY colors along with RGB.

Still, LCD™ technology is generally considered to display the most accurate colors. DLP™ projectors will create slightly softer images, with richer color, and deeper blacks. LCD™ color will appear more true to life, with natural skin tones, and more correct greens, blues, and particularly yellows.

DLP™ offers better contrast ratios and less space between pixels (screen door effect). Some individuals report seeing something called the "rainbow effect", which can be very distracting. Most people do not notice this color artifacting. Now let's break it down with a handy chart.

DLP™ vs. LCD™ Projectors Compared

Technology	DLP®	3LCD®	Advantage?
Color accuracy	Some issues producing accurate yellow (shows green), red, and skin tones. Colors are more dramatic.	Known for accurate color and flexibility in color correction.	3LCD® technology offers more true to life color than DLP® color, particularly in flesh tones, pastels, and yellow and green segments. However, some new DLP® projectors to be released in 2007 will include Brilliant Color™ technology for a significant improvement to color accuracy. Some home theater buyers prefer the richness of DLP® to the true color of LCD.
Contrast ratio	Higher contrast ratios than LCD™ typically. Deeper blacks, rich and vibrant looking colors. Very popular in home theater applications because of the richness of the blacks.	Good contrast ratios, but blacks are not as black as DLP™ typically. Colors are more lifelike. Good at showing details in black and grey spaces.	Both 3LCD® and DLP® projectors offer adequate contrast ratios, but DLP® projectors produce deeper black segments and will spec higher contrast ratios.
Image Artifacts	Some experience what is called the "rainbow effect" which is visible rainbows in moving scenes or when turning away from the screen quickly.	The "screen door effect" is visible space between pixels on the projected image. This typically happens when a large image is viewed from a short distance. If you are projecting smaller images, and sitting a foot or two from the screen, this will most likely be unnoticeable. Also, many LCD™ projectors include a filter that minimizes this effect. Some artifacts may be visible during motion video on some projectors, particularly on projectors not designed for home theater use.	If you don't see the rainbow effect (and most people can't) then DLP® projectors will have fewer visible artifacts than 3LCD®, however, there have been numerous improvements to minimize the 'screen door' effect. At the recommended distance from the screen, both LCD® and DLP® projectors produce great looking images.

Making the Connection

Are projectors plug and play? Pretty much. Connectivity options are very similar from projector to projector, but there are a couple of 'must haves' depending on how you want to use the projector.

Many photographers will opt to use a laptop computer to connect to the projector. PCs and laptops usually have an RGB 15 pin (VGA) output. DVI is also a common connectivity. DVI is digital as opposed to the VGA analog signal, which may be preferable. DVI cables cannot carry a signal as far, but are much more common than they were just two years ago. Ideally you can look for a projector that gives you both options, but if in doubt, DVI or HDMI are the wave of the future.

Digital Projector Connections: HDMI and DVI

In the home theater arena, HDMI is king. In fact there are not many home theater projectors that still include a DVI input. Those that do include DVI will probably also have an HDMI input. Computers are less likely to have an HDMI output, so DVI will likely be the best digital connectivity option for photographers. HDMI may become a more common connectivity on computers in the near future however, since it is smaller and also carries sound. Don't shy away from a projector if HDMI is the only digital input option; HDMI to DVI adapters are readily available and inexpensive.

You can learn more about DVI connections right here. Or browse prices and selection of all cables here »

Analog Connections: VGA, S-video, Composite and Component

VGA is a common computer output, and is a must-have if you use a laptop to present with. Even if your current laptop has a DVI connection, VGA is a highly desirable back-up connection for the unforeseen. If you think you may use your projector for video gaming or watching movies then you will also want to have a composite, s-video, or component video (HDTV analog), connection.

Composite and s-video are still very common connections and having them may come in handy, but the signal quality is much lower than VGA, DVI, HDMI and Component video. Component video can carry a high definition signal, and it is becoming a much more common connectivity option. Nearly a must have for home theater.

Projector Connectivity Guide for Photographers

Connectivity	Must Have? Yea	Must Have? Nay
HDMI (digital, can carry HD)	For HD video from an HD DVD player or computer with HDMI port this is a must have. For future-proofing, this would be very good to have.	Not an absolute must if you don't care about HD video content on your projector. But very good to have.
DVI (digital, can carry HD)	For computers with DVI, this is a must. Also important for future-proofing should you upgrade your source.	Less common than HDMI for HD video, but more common on newer laptops. Get it unless you aren't worried about future proofing, and don't have DVI on your current source (computer, DVD player, etc.)
VGA (analog, can carry HD)	Very common on laptop computers. Can also do HD video and operate as a component video connection in some instances.	Becoming less common on new products, but most common on legacy computers. Not a digital connection.
Component (analog, HD)	Not necessary for computer presentations, but a nice option for connecting to DVD players and cable boxes.	Carries HD signal in analog. Becoming a common connectivity type for consumer electronic HD sources.
S-Video (analog)	Adds flexibility to your projection options. Most sources including laptop computers will have an S-video output.	Not the best quality image available today. Only purchase if you want flexibility and legacy compliance.
Composite (analog)	Your old VCR and just about every consumer electronics device will have a composite output. Good to have for worst case applications.	Composite is the lowest quality image on the market. Only purchase if you want flexibility and legacy compliance.

Quick Tip: Apple uses a mini-VGA or DVI connection output which may require an adaptor. Some computers (like an iBook or PowerBook) can output composite video from an s-video or mini-jack port with an adaptor.

Setting the Budget for your Projector

We have heard time and time again from our photographically inclined customers that the projector will pay for itself very quickly. But that doesn't mean you have to spend a ton of money to get a projector that's right for you. So, how much for how much?

The selling price of the average projector has dropped significantly, even in the past year. So you may find that you can afford more than you thought you could. Staying with a higher resolution is generally more important than going with a brighter projector, particularly when it is used as a sales tool for small audiences. A good way to approach your budget would be to start from the least expensive projector in the resolution you require, and work up from features and brightness. Calling a Projector Expert would also be a quick way to find your best deal. Whatever you choose, most of our customers report that they have made more than enough in increased sales to justify the purchase of a projector.

Popular Projector Features for Photographers

Lens shift and keystone correction are two features that help with the projector set up.

Keystone correction allows users to keep their image square when the placement of the projector is not square to the screen. This is a digital process, so there may be some image distortion when using this function. Keystone correction is less than ideal, and is designed for use when presenting in multiple locations. It should not be used in permanent installations.

Lens shift allows users to physically move the lens within the projector housing. This allows the image to display higher, lower, left, or right of the projector placement. Spurred on by the influx of home theater DIY projector buyers, lens shift makes installing a projector in a fixed location easier. It can also be a handy feature for those who travel with their projector when the projector cannot be placed directly in front of the screen, or to improve the line of sight to your image.

More Popular Features for Photographers
• Instant on and off (less time setting up and taking down your projector)
• Economy modes (save lamp life when you have controlled lighting)
• Wireless connection (display jpeg images without video wires)
• USB card slots (present jpeg slide shows without your computer)
• sRGB compatibility (a quick way to match color output from computer to projector)

What Features Would You Like to See?

Are you a photographer who has used digital projectors? If so, are there features that you would like to see added to projectors? Are there resolutions that you would like to see compatible? Share your thoughts with us at webmaster@projectorpeople.com and we will pass along your ideas to the manufacturers that we see on a regular basis.

Why Add Sound to Your Presentation?

For greater emotional impact during your presentations, adding sound is that magic touch. The good news is just about any music will add to dramatically to your slide show, but picking the right music for each client may be tricky. Some photographers use the same music for each presentation. Or in the case of wedding photography, they may choose the songs chosen by the bride and groom. This is not rocket science, but the importance of sound and music in a sales presentation should not be undervalued. And getting a good sound system rather than a cheap set of speakers can also make a big difference. See sound systems available through ProjectorPeople.com here »

Case Study: Brian Adams PhotoGraphics

Projector People sent award winning professional photographer Brian Adams of Brian Adams PhotoGraphics home with a Panasonic PT-AE1000U video projector to use during his work week.

As far as features and functionality, I just want my images to look how I originally intended for them to look.

So, great resolution, accurate color representation, and adequate brightness are definitely important. Honestly, the 16:9 aspect ratio is not a very important feature for me, especially since the native size from my camera is 2:3.

The biggest thing with projecting is the emotional impact it creates with my clients. I especially like to use projectors in my clients' home, because then they get the opportunity to see really large images in their own space, which helps them to better visualize what large canvases or framed art prints will look like in their home. There is absolutely NO comparison with my Dell (duh!).

I am SUPER impressed with the high quality resolution on these puppies! I also love all of the electronic adjustments for zoom, focus, brightness, color, etc. The projector and the remote control were VERY easy to use and I figured them out in no time without reading the manual.

Would this projector pay for itself eventually? Yes! Probably in the first month!

How does a projector pay for itself?

We are not photographers, but some of our best clients are. And from customer reports, projectors can help increase business significantly in a very short time. Why? Because big images combined with the right presentation create that emotional reaction that makes people want to buy. A presentation is also a good way to visually demonstrate package options and upgrades. Adding music to the presentation is also beneficial to creating a sentimental journey for your customer. So here is a quick look at how projectors are a sales worth their weight in gold (too bad they weigh under 10 pounds)

Advantages of a Video Projector over a Slide Projector
• They don't make slide projectors anymore, do they? If you find one you should purchase bulbs too, as they will soon become obsolete. Kodak stopped making slide projectors in October of 2004.
• Special motion effects can be added. Ken Burns effect, for example. Adding drama and directing the eye to points of interest in a photo. On a projector the image is large and some details can be seen that might be missed in a smaller print.
• Digital adjustments can be made to color, sharpness, and contrast at the last minute.

Advantages of a Projector over Plasma or LCD™ Displays
• Projectors are portable, so you can bring the big images to client living spaces (so your client knows exactly how big that framed portrait will look over their fireplace)
• Projectors provide a "theater like experience." Watch your clients feel like movie stars.
• Projectors cost less than LCD™ or Plasma TVs by cost per viewing inch.

Advantages of a Projector Over Print Portfolios
• Paper prints are a more costly, and require more frequent overhead expense.
• Print samples may not be returned by clients, costing potential sales.
• Paper prints require more processing time and immediacy of digital can lead to more sales.