Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography  (Read 5553 times)

Dan Wells

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1044
Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« on: September 28, 2017, 11:33:33 am »

I need to buy a projector, purely for traveling photo presentations... WUXGA projectors have gotten reasonably priced lately (a few years ago, it was only $5000+ Canon REALIS units and a few other models in the same price range). B+H and other vendors now show two different Optoma models (DU380 and WU416), a BenQ and at least two different Epson lines (with a confusing array of models in both lines - there's the Powerlite 1284/1286/EX9200/EX9220 complex, which are all very similar, and then there's the Powerlite 2245/2250/2255/2265 complex that are significantly more expensive) well under $1500 with WUXGA resolution, with some models down to $600-$800. All are also under 10 lbs, with a few down to 5, and they either come with cases or a case is an inexpensive accessory.

I care about WUXGA (as opposed to 1080p), because my Fuji camera has a 3:2 aspect ratio (as do most standard cameras), although some are even squarer than that at 4:3 (Micro43) or 4:5 (some medium format backs). Since my camera is less wide than the projector, the extra vertical pixels translate directly to extra image detail.

I've looked at 4K, which would be wonderful - but 4K projectors right now are either absolutely beautiful but VERY expensive (~$10000+) and very heavy (over 30 lbs, really made for installation), or cheaper (there are a couple down to $2000), but still heavy and notably dim because they are made for dark home theaters, not portable use in whatever room I have to present in.

Does anyone have an opinion on the reasonably priced WUXGA models? Anybody used one (or ideally several) in a photographic setting?

Dan
Logged

digitaldog

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 20614
  • Andrew Rodney
    • http://www.digitaldog.net/
Re: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2017, 12:07:56 pm »

Whatever you buy, make sure it isn't using DLP technology which is quite suboptimal for color images!


http://www.colorlightoutput.com
Logged
http://www.digitaldog.net/
Author "Color Management for Photographers".

Dan Wells

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1044
Re: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2017, 12:19:54 am »

While I'm leaning towards an Epson, in large part because of the color brightness (many DLP projectors use a white segment in their color wheel, which washes out colors, while Epson's 3 LCD technology inherently preserves them), the site you reference is, in fact, an Epson ad (it says right on the front page "this site is managed and operated by Seiko Epson Corporation"). Is there an unbiased explanation of this somewhere?
Logged

digitaldog

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 20614
  • Andrew Rodney
    • http://www.digitaldog.net/
Re: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2017, 09:50:04 am »

While I'm leaning towards an Epson, in large part because of the color brightness (many DLP projectors use a white segment in their color wheel, which washes out colors, while Epson's 3 LCD technology inherently preserves them), the site you reference is, in fact, an Epson ad (it says right on the front page "this site is managed and operated by Seiko Epson Corporation"). Is there an unbiased explanation of this somewhere?
Yes it is an Epson site and yes it's technically correct and yes you don't want a DLP with a white filter!
Logged
http://www.digitaldog.net/
Author "Color Management for Photographers".

Joe Towner

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1365
Re: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2017, 04:23:06 pm »

I've used https://www.projectorpeople.com/ a number of times, good service, great selection.  Lots of random knowledge, might be worth chatting with them.  Their search tool allows for non-DLP to come to the top, and there are a lot of options.
Logged
t: @PNWMF

BobDavid

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3307
Re: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2017, 01:13:56 am »

Is TI still making DPL chips?
Logged

digitaldog

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 20614
  • Andrew Rodney
    • http://www.digitaldog.net/
Re: Portable projector (WUXGA) for photography
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2017, 11:21:47 am »

Is TI still making DPL chips?
Massive amounts for others yes. The colorlightoutput database site below is being updated all the time.
Logged
http://www.digitaldog.net/
Author "Color Management for Photographers".
Pages: [1]   Go Up