You may have heard the term “lumens” when shopping for projectors, but what does it mean? In this article, we’ll explain what lumens are and how they relate to the brightness of your projector. We’ll also discuss common misconceptions about lumens and show you how to choose the right projector for your needs.
What do lumens mean on a projector, and what does it measure?
What are lumens?
Lumens are a measurement of light output. They measure how much light a projector can produce, and they’re measured in candela, the SI unit for luminous intensity.
what does it measure?
When you hear someone say, “I have an 800-lumen projector”, this means that the projector has enough brightness to cover about 80 square feet (7 square meters) at an average viewing distance of six feet (1.8 meters). That may not sound like much, but remember: we humans don’t need much light to see healthily—it’s more than enough to watch movies or play games comfortably at home!
How do you calculate the lumens of a projector？
So, now that you know what a lumen is, how do you calculate the lumens of a projector? Let’s look at some examples:
- Calculating the lumens of a typical projector
This refers to projectors that use traditional bulbs. To calculate them, multiply wattage by area and divide by 1,000. For example, let’s say we have a 100-watt bulb in an 8-inch tall case with an area of 3 square feet. The calculation would be as follows: 100 watts times 3 square feet divided by 1,000 = 33 lumens per watt per area (lpw/area).
- Calculating the lumens of a UHP lamp with dimming lens holder (DLH) technology
To calculate these types of lamps, use their wattage rating as their output rating instead of dividing it by 1000 like other types of lamps. So let’s say we have 4 DLH lamps in an 18×18 inch case with an effective surface area (ESA) rating of 70 per cent: each lamp has 40 watts, so our total power draw would be 160 watts divided by 1000 equals 0.16 lpw/area which means this type could potentially produce 189 lm per unit!
What are some factors that can affect the lumens of a projector？
The lumen is a measure of light output, which can help you determine how bright your projector will be. However, lumens are not a measure of brightness and cannot tell you how visible the image will be to viewers. For example, two projectors might have identical lumens, but if one has a higher contrast ratio (more details about this later), its image will appear brighter than the others.
Lumens don’t tell you anything about the quality of your projected image; they’re merely a number that indicates how much light is being emitted from your projector. Without knowing more about the type of bulb inside each projector or other factors like contrast ratio and brightness rating (how often images appear white), there’s no way to compare these two projectors’ images side by side using their lumen ratings alone.
How do you choose the right projector for your needs？
Now that you know what the lumens mean, how do you choose the right projector?
- Projector brightness is one of the most critical factors in deciding which projector to buy. A bright projector can project a clear and crisp image even in daylight, whereas a low-brightness projector may struggle to display an image under these conditions.
- Projector size is another crucial factor as it determines how big or small your projected image will be on any given surface area (e.g., wall or ceiling). The larger the screen, the clearer and crisper your picture will appear with higher contrast ratio compared to smaller screens (e.g., phones). Some projectors also come equipped with a zoom lens that allows users to adjust either distance or focal length for greater flexibility when projecting images onto different surfaces at different sizes.The brightness of a projector also matters because it determines how well you can project images in indoor and outdoor environments. A brighter projector is more suitable for use outdoors, whereas a dimmer one is better suited for indoor applications.
What are some common misconceptions about lumens？
- Lumens are not a measure of brightness.
- Lumens are not a measure of light quality.
- Lumens are not a measure of colour.
- Lumens are not a measure of contrast.
Conclusion
Lumens are a unit of luminous flux, which measures how much light is emitted from a source. They often describe the brightness in a room or space that a projector can produce. However, many other factors affect how much light your projector emits, and these should be considered when choosing the suitable model for your needs.
