Panasonic PT-AX200U Projector Brightness
The PT-AX200U is simply the brightest 720p projector on the market, except for some $8000
to $40,000 3 chip DLP projectors. Since even the least exepensive, the InFocus SP777 - a
huge 3 chip DLP, is only slightly brighter, and more than six times the price... let's just say
that the PT-AX200U is the brightest projector around.
How really bright is the Panasonic PT-AX200U?
With all those Preset modes, there is a wide range of brightness measurements to report.
Because of the 2:1 zoom ratio, and the nature of optics, the Panasonic (or any other
projector), will be significantly brighter when the lens is in its widest angle mode (largest
image from a given distance). The difference between full wide angle and full telephoto, is
roughly twice as bright. In positioning the projector in my testing room, it was set up, with the
lens just slightly on the telephoto side of middle. As a result an extra 30+ percent more
lumens should be available in full wide angle, and about 30% less in full telephoto. As a side
note, the fact that this projector was set a little more telephoto than the PT-AX100U when it
was tested last year, probably explains why many of the measurements came in around 10%
less. Theoretically, both should have the same brightness.
The PT-AX200U's Cinema 1 mode we used for most all movie viewing, with the lamp at
full power, managed 672 lumens, before adjustment. In Eco-mode, that drops to 592 lumens,
a drop of only about 12%. That 12% should be similar in any mode.
After we did our adjustments to Cinema 1 for better grayscale balance, the PT-AX200U's
output drops to 536 lumens, still brighter than just about anything else out there at 720p
resolution.
Cinema 2 mode, which I really didn't work with, produced a native 498 lumens.
Natural (a dark room mode primarily for TV/HDTV), manages 671 lumens.
What the PT-AX200U is about, or rather, what separates it from the competition, is how it
performs in rooms that are not fully darkened. It is the best projector in its class for dealing
with ambient light.
For movie watching when it's not dark, Panasonic provides the Vivid Cinema mode. Not as
film-like, nor as perfect overall as Cinema 1, but it still does a nice job on movies. The Vivid
