Best video projector.

[literiter]

A local artist group has asked me to come up with ideas for a video projector. I'm really out of the loop on this one I'm afraid.

Any ideas, suggestions, comments.

Thank you
Regards
Vincent

 

[MartinP]

Going by the ones at work, the normal video projector "beamer" is at 1024x768, which is roughly the same as laptop screens about 5 or 6 years ago. If there are any HD video projectors then you will be looking at much higher than average pricing I suppose. It may well be one of those cases where a cheap model is a false economy, with poorer reliability and a worse warranty to say the least :-/

 

[Pablito]

For instance: is there a video projector that can closely emulate (or better) a film projector.

NOT EVEN CLOSE. This is an incredibly tough choice. There are ones that do color ok, but then the black and white looks too contrasty. Or if the black & white looks ok, the color is too punchy. You name it. And as the lamp ages, there is color shift. The lamp can cost 2/3 the price of the projector. There are also different technologies; DLP, LCD. These projectors, even the best of them don't retain good detail in the shadows (or dark parts of the image). One advantage is that they all have correction for keystoning so you can get a perfectly parallel/perpendicular image even if the projector is pointed up. Be aware that the cheaper models have pretty short lenses so the projector needs to be fairly close to the screen.

 

[literiter]

NOT EVEN CLOSE. This is an incredibly tough choice. There are ones that do color ok, but then the black and white looks too contrasty. Or if the black & white looks ok, the color is too punchy. You name it. And as the lamp ages, there is color shift. The lamp can cost 2/3 the price of the projector. There are also different technologies; DLP, LCD. These projectors, even the best of them don't retain good detail in the shadows (or dark parts of the image). One advantage is that they all have correction for keystoning so you can get a perfectly parallel/perpendicular image even if the projector is pointed up. Be aware that the cheaper models have pretty short lenses so the projector needs to be fairly close to the screen.

This has, unfortunately, been my experience. The units we have seen, rented, borrowed don't have the same rendering to the image as does slides projected even on ratty old Ektagraphics. But video projectors are so darned easy to use and so reliable that the slide projectors are looking less and less desireable.

But, this is for sure; I've not seen all of the video projectors out there.

 

[robattman]

Vincent,

I have never posted before...but I do know something about video projectors.
Really, the answer is no....as Pablito says.
If you want a pleasant projected image OF FILM....use a slide projector.
Video projectors are easy (when they are new)...but the resolution and black level are just not there. Projectors will display 1024x768 on the low side...and 2048x1080 on the high res side...that is only 2.2 megapixles. If you are into film detail at all, this just won't work for you. Also...because video projectors constantly produce light in the form of a raster, a true black can never be achieved....unlike slides.

Sincerely,
Eric

 

[Rob-F]

Anything new since 2008?