Projection mapping is a way of projecting images onto an object, such as a wall or ceiling. It can be used for many different purposes including entertainment, marketing, and education.
Projection mapping has been around for decades but with the advent of digital projection systems in the last decade, projection mapping has become more popular and accessible than ever before.
In this article, we want to share with you the 10 best projectors for projection mapping in 2024.
All these projectors are extremely popular among users and can make a fun and exciting way to create attractive and impressive light displays.
Best Projectors for Projection Mapping – Our Picks
Luckily, projection mapping can be done using any projector, however, for the best results, the projector needs a higher level of contrast ratio and brightness. That said, many different types of projectors can be used for projection mapping.
This includes the standard projector, laser projector, LED projector, and even a smartphone.
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BenQ HT3550i True
- TRUE 4K PROJECTOR: 8.3 million Pixels give incredible 3840x2160 UHD clarity and crisply defined details
- ENDLESS ENTERTAINMENT: Google-certified Android TV and Google Play store w/5,000+ latest Android apps, movies, shows, sports, games and music
- USER-FRIENDLY: Cast with airplay and Chromecast. No app needed. Remote controls both Android TV and projector
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With 4K and HDR content becoming more popular, the BenQ HT3550i is the perfect projector for anyone looking to get a smart home theater project. It comes with D.Cinema (Dark Cinema) mode for watching movies in dark settings and supports most 4K resolutions, so it will work great with any TV.
The D.Cinema mode disables the automatic image calibration, giving it more focus on black-and-white contrast ratio, color saturation, and detail when watching movies in dark conditions. With this projector, you will be able to enjoy vivid true-to-life images at an angle of 70° or less or 128 inches wide or less from anywhere in the room.
The HT3550i also comes with great color balance and tone mapping settings as well as HDR10 compatibility to ensure that movies look their best even when they are watched on this projector over standard definition.
The thing about the BenQ HT3550i DLP XRP 4K projector is that it is equipped with an RGBRGB color wheel. That means it gives better colors and performance for those movie buffs who are enjoying their 4K collections.
If you are looking for a projection mapping projector, this one will be perfect for anyone who has a large space or wants to project a bright image with insane colors on any object.
ViewSonic PX701HD
- SUPERSIZED MOVIES AND GAMES: Immersive theater-like colors in Full HD (1920x1080p) on a screen up to 300-inches
- BRIGHT IMAGES IN ANY ENVIRONMENT: 3500 lumens brightness for projection in both bright and dark environments
- CINEMATIC COLORS: Exclusive SuperColor technology offers a wide color gamut for beautiful image production in nearly any environment
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The ViewSonic PX701HD projector is one of the best models from this brand to come out, boasting a variety of features including a high resolution and wide crisp images.
The PX701HD delivers powerful performance with a 3500 lumens screen brightness and Full HD (1920 x 1080p) resolution for both bright and dark environments.
The unit’s vertical lens shift feature allows for easy positioning in large rooms with high ceilings or it can be used for projection mapping applications when combined with compatible software.
That said, the PX701HD projector is the perfect product for anyone with a large room or an outdoor venue. It has a high-contrast rating, so it can project clear images even when there is severe light reduction.
The color gamut is also wide and can display reds, greens, and blues with ease. This projector also offers projection mapping capabilities, so it can be used to drive video and images on any surface of the room or venue.
Optoma GT1080HDR Short Throw Projector
- HDR COMPATIBLE: HDR10 technology (with 4K input) enable brighter whites and deeper black levels; a 6-segment color wheel (RYGCWB) produces accurate color with sRGB & REC. 709 color profile
- Fast response time: enhanced gaming mode enables Lightning-fast response time of 8. 4ms with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Short throw lens: experience a large 120" Image projected from 4 feet away, allowing placement closer to the screen – ideal for smaller spaces and easier installation
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The Optoma GT1080HDR projector is an ideal choice for modern business. With a 3800 lumens brightness, 4K UHD support, 50, 000: 1 contrast ratio, and more, this projector is the star of presentations.
This short-throw projector is designed for people who want the best projection experience possible. The projector features HDR10 technology which produces vivid colors and bold details, as well as a 4K UHD resolution that supports HDR10 compatibility.
Its sophisticated design makes it easy to deploy quickly in many different spaces like classrooms, corporate environments, as well as your living room or family room.
However, the best use of the Optoma GT1080HDR is for high-quality business presentations. Its projection mapping capability makes it perfect for presentations. The projection mapping feature allows users to project interactive content onto different surfaces in real-time such as objects, walls, or floors.
It is a presentation method that uses screens to display information and images that can be viewed from all angles in a room, making it easier for everyone to follow along without having to carry around laptops or tablets.
Epson Home Cinema 2250 3LCD Projector
- Stunning picture quality — delivers an immersive viewing experience for TV shows, sporting events, gaming and movies for an amazing Full HD picture
- Smooth, crisp images — with Image Enhancement and Frame Interpolation
- Built-in Android TV (2) — latest Android TV interface with a simple-to-use remote – including voice search with built-in Google Assistant. Watch all your favorite streaming channels including Hulu, HBO, YouTube and more (3) without an external streaming media player
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The Epson Home Cinema 2250 3LCD Projector is a perfect combination of brilliant image quality and smart functionality for the modern home theater.
The contrast ratio is a key feature of any projector because it helps to recreate the natural look and feel of movie night in your bedroom, living room, or office. The Epson Home Cinema 2250 3LCD projector has a 70,000:1 contrast ratio that provides deeper blacks and brighter whites than other projectors in its class. This means that you will be able to see each pixel with greater clarity while watching movies or playing games on your TV, laptop, or tablet.
With a contrast ratio of 70,000:1 and a pixel count of 2,700 lumens, this model is an impressive device for any projection mapping event.
In a nutshell, the Epson Home Cinema 2250 delivers on all fronts – performance, quality, compatibility, value for money, and portability.
YABER Y30 LED projector
- [Innovative 4D Keystone Correction & Zoom Function] Our HD projector is the first projector with 50 ° 4D (vertical & horizontal) keystone correction function to ensure the projected image is always a standard rectangle. It’s very convenient to adjust the screen by using the remote control, especially for the projector suspended from ceiling. Reducing projection size by using the X/Y Zoom function, while others can only do that by changing the projection distance.
- [1080P Native Resolution (1920*1080), Support 4K Video] The projector with a real native resolution of 1920*1080, remarkable 15000L bright and high dynamic contrast ratio of 15000:1, provides sharp and detailed images from HD content without downscaling or compression, which is four times higher than 720p. Combining an innovative high-refraction 5 layers glassed lens, ensuring the best video experience.
- [Hifi Stereo Sound & Latest Advanced Cooling System] The Y30 LED projector has built-in 3W dual stereo speakers with SRS sound system provides a great auditory sense experience without external speakers. Updated an advanced and silent cooling system with 3 fans running simultaneously. Adopt the latest SmarEco technology to minimize lamp power consumption to extend the useful life of the lamp to a maximum of 100000 hours.
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The YABER Y30 was designed for shooting brilliant content in dark environments, with the added benefit of being a projector for smaller screens. But it is not only for smaller screens, this native 1080p projector has a dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and can project onto surfaces up to 300″.
The YABER Y30 has also a color-matching function. This function is designed to match the color of your projector screen and the colors in any given image, making it perfect for projection mapping as well as for gaming, education, or home theaters.
This mini projector comes with a motorized zoom facility and mirroring function. The motorized zoom facility allows the user to be seamlessly more flexible with the projection size and size of the screen so they can project on any surface.
And the mirroring function is a way to bring your smartphones or MacBooks into the big screen. It can help you make use of your working space more conveniently. This function is especially helpful for people who are tight on budget but still want to enjoy a professional presentation without breaking the bank.
Another great fact about a budget YABER Y30 projector is that the brightness is 50% brighter than other mini projectors, making it ideal for classrooms, conferences, or even boardrooms. It also supports HDMI input and allows users to switch between different inputs quickly.
LG HU810PW 4K Dual Laser Projector
- LG LASER Projector 300" 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) Smart Dual Laser CineBeam, 2700 Ansi Lumens, Dynamic Tone Mapping, HLG, DCI-P3 97% with Dual Laser, webOS 5.0, AirPlay, Miracast, Bluetooth - White.Wattage: 300 watts
- 97% dci-p3 with dual laser
- 2700 ansi lumens brightness and 2,000,000:1 contrast
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The LG HU810PW is a 4k projector that is powerful and includes many features for film and video quality. The projector has 2700 ANSI lumens of brightness, HDR10, dynamic tone mapping, brightness optimizer, adaptive contrast, and more. It’s the perfect choice for home entertainment centers.
Honestly, the brightness of 2700 ANSI lumens is more than enough to fill a large room with its 4K UHD images. With dynamic tone mapping and brightness optimizer, you will be able to watch content on this device at ease and enjoy scenes that are more intense than ever before.
The LG HU810PW projector has a jaw-dropping contrast ratio of 2,000,000: 1 and can project a projected image up to a 300-inch screen. This makes it an ideal device for presenting your work on any surface you choose.
LG HU810PW Projector is a great tool that can benefit both your work and your leisure time.
In addition, the innovation makes presentations look much better with its adaptive contrast technology that adjusts contrast levels in real-time by automatically changing the display brightness and color depending on what you are projecting–whether it is a movie or a presentation.
BenQ HT3550 4K Home Theater Projector
- TRUE 4K PROJECTOR: 3840 × 2160 or 8.3 million Individual Pixels give incredible clarity and crisply defined details. NOT double HD or 2K like other manufacturers
- CINEMATIC COLOR TECHNOLOGY: our out-of-the-box factory calibrated color accurate projector with dci-p3 color space is one of the latest forms of technology When it comes to colors available and gives you larger visible spectrum than you can get with Rec. 709
- HDR-PRO TONE MAPPING: Designed to provide greater contrast, which makes sure that your 4K content is professionally detailed to give you the cinema experience without actually having to go to the cinema to do it
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The BenQ HT3550 is a new type of projector that combines HDR10 technology with 4K resolution to provide superior image quality. It has also been designed to work in low-light conditions and has a dynamic range of up to 30,000:1 and comes with 2000 ANSI Lumens of brightness. This projector is ideal for both business and home use.
This device features Dynamic Iris with HDR10 for the brightest colors and fastest response time, tone mapping for dynamic contrast, all-glass lens for sharpness, clarity, and minimal glare.
While the tone mapping feature gives your content a vivid and realistic color scheme, with this projector, you will be able to watch your favorite movies or TV shows in unmatched picture quality at any time and any place.
That said, BenQ HT3550 is one of the best home theater projectors on the market today. It has all of the performance features that anyone would need in their cinema home theater setup.
ViewSonic PA503W
- VERSATILE PROJECTOR: High brighness 3800 Lumens WXGA projector with advanced visual features
- EASY SETUP: 1.1x optical zoom, 40 degree vertical keystone
- REDUCED INPUT LATENCY: A low 16ms input latency provides faster frame by frame action for smooth images without delay
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The ViewSonic PA503W is a great option for those looking for advanced audio-visual features but who don’t have the budget to purchase a premium product. This projector also has an affordable price tag, which makes it accessible to more people.
The PA503W is recognized as one of the best projectors on the market today, with 3800 lumens and high brightness, which you will not find in many other projectors.
In fact, it is a 1920×1080 display projector with an integrated speaker and audio-in port. It is designed to be used in small, medium, and large rooms. With a lifespan of around 15,000 hours, it can project photos, videos, and movies for hours on end without worry.
However, this projector is a beast when it comes to business presentations. As you know, brighter, more reliable images are essential to the success of any presentation. With a high contrast ratio of 3,800 lumens, it is easy to see dark text on bright backgrounds.
Due to its brightness and contrast ratio, the ViewSonic PA503W has been reviewed as a great choice for office use.
BenQ TK800M 4K UHD Home Theater Projector
- 4K PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY - 8.3 million distinct pixels deliver awe-inspiring 4K UHD image quality with stunning clarity and crisply defined details. NOT Double HD or 2K like other manufacturers
- DLP BETTER BY DESIGN - DLP Technology provides a better image resolution and quality without the "jaggier" and more pixelated compared to other technologies
- PLAY GAMES IN 4K.: Play your favorite console games in sharp 4K and picture quality. Lower input lag on this projector makes gaming fun on your PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and others.
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When you are looking to purchase a projector, there are many features to look out for. With the BenQ TK800M, you get 3000 lumens brightness (allowing for a brighter image), HDR10 and HLG content support, and Vivid color profiles. All of these features come at an affordable price point.
The BenQ TK800M has been designed with an eye toward aesthetics as well as durability and longevity since it is made with material that can withstand high temperatures such as hot air from the bulb. Its lamp is suitable for both commercial and residential use since it is energy-saving and has a lifetime warranty.
That said, the BenQ TK800M projector is a projector designed for providing the best viewing experience. It has a 4K HDR true color and reduced blur for improved clarity and sharpness.
This incredible projector not only allows you to show 4K HDR videos but also projects them onto any surface. It’s great for highlighting presentations as well as events – including gaming tournaments, sports events, and more.
What’s more, the BenQ TK800M can be used in two different modes – one with a white projection surface and another with an ambient light sensor. This allows users to choose how they want their content to be projected. The projectors also have built-in speakers that can add sound effects when needed such as explosions or gunshots.
YABER Y21 Projector
- ❤[1080P Native Resolution (1920*1080), Support 4K Video] The projector with a real native resolution of 1920*1080, remarkable 8500L bright and high dynamic contrast ratio of 8000:1, provides sharp and detailed images from HD content without downscaling or compression, which is four times higher than 720p. Combining an innovative high-refraction 6 layers glassed lens, ensuring the best video experience.
- ❤[Innovative ZOOM Function&High Quality Lens] Our HD projector can reducing projection size by using the X/Y Zoom function, while others can only do that by changing the projection distance, very convenient when suspended from ceiling. It adopts optical coating technology and uses the highest quality 6-layer glass lens for superior light penetration and no virtual focus. Patented low dispersion lens can minimize chromatic aberration so you can enjoy HD content with brilliant clarity.
- 💞{HIFI Stereo Sound & Latest Advanced Cooling System} The Y21 LED projector has built-in 5W dual stereo speakers with SRS sound system provides a great auditory sense experience without external speakers. Updated an advanced and silent cooling system with 3 fans running simultaneously. Adopt the latest SmarEco technology to minimize lamp power consumption to extend the useful life of the lamp to a maximum of 100000 hours.
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YABER, a China-based company, is attempting to revolutionize the market with its affordable and high-quality projection technology. They have released their new projector with an innovative design, a higher contrast ratio than other projectors on the market, and a tempting price.
The YABER Y21 projector is inexpensive and easy to set up. This makes it perfect for anyone who needs an easy-to-use, portable solution. The contrast ratio is high enough for the most pristine images in dark rooms but lower than those found on premium projectors. These features make it an ideal solution for people who need projection mapping applications, like corporations or events of all sizes.
That said, the YABER Y21 is bridging the gap between professional and home projectors. Its low price point, large lamp, high color gamut coverage, and powerful contrast ratio make it a perfect projector for offices or classrooms and good enough for domestic use.
Projectors for Projection Mapping – FAQs
Projectors for projection mapping provide a myriad of benefits. They allow the implementation of projection mapping in the most creative ways possible. Whether it’s for a customer or even for an event, these projectors are necessary to make all your visuals come alive.
In this section, we want to answer a few important questions about projection mapping.
What Exactly Is Projection Mapping
In short, projection mapping is a way of projecting images onto an object, such as a wall or ceiling.
It is a technique where projection is projected onto an object in the real world. It can be used for everything from small spurts of text that change at a certain interval to full-room projections where anything from images can be projected on multiple surfaces at once.
Projection mapping has been around for decades but with the advent of digital projection systems in the last decade, projection mapping has become more popular and accessible than ever before.
This technique can be used for many different purposes including entertainment, marketing, and education.
Things to Consider Before You Buy a Projector for Projection Mapping
Projectors are tools that project images onto a surface. Some projectors, such as the models shown in this article, can also be used for projection mapping. In this section, we will help you decide if a projector is right for your needs by considering the 5 things to think about before you buy one.
Brightness
When it comes to projection mapping, brightness is the most important feature of a projector. This is because you are projecting your presentations or videos to various surfaces like walls, screens, floors, ceilings, and windows. For modern projection mapping to be effective, it needs a brightness of at least 2000 lumens. The best projectors have a brightness of 2500 lumens and more.
High Contrast Ratio
Projection mapping is a technique that can be used to map 3D designs onto surfaces and it can also be combined with video projection to create a whole new form of multimedia storytelling.
To get the best possible viewers experience, high contrast ratio comes in handy. The high contrast ratio aids in aesthetic appeal and usability which makes this technique popular among architects and designers.
Poor projector screen contrast ratio can cause image quality problems like image pixelation or haloing. The poor contrast ratio should not be ignored as it has crucial implications for the viewers’ viewing experience.
On the other hand, the higher the contrast ratio of a projector, the better it is for projection mapping. High contrast ratio projectors are specifically designed to be used in projection mapping and create a more natural and true-to-life image with less distortion.
High Resolution
A projector’s resolution is essential for the clarity of its images. The higher the resolution, the more details can be seen on the screen.
That said, the resolution of a projector is an important factor to consider when buying it. It can help you get a clear image and reduce the blurriness of the images on the screen.
To make sure that you’re getting an optimal experience, it’s important to match your projector’s resolution with your screen size.
Adjustable Keystone Correction
Keystone correction is an option for those who want to adjust the image according to their choice. This feature allows you to zoom in and out on images without leaving any distortion or blurring of the original image.
Noise
Projectors are generally used in event halls and rooms to display a presentation or movie. Because projectors can run hot during long events, many advanced models are using a remote-controlled fan inside the projector to control the temperature of the device. This is very useful when it comes to overheating.
But along with the temperature control, these fans produce much noise that is irritating during the events. So, to get the best experience during projection mapping, go for a projector with a durable fan that produces less noise while working.
Is There Any Difference Between Regular Projects and Projection Mapping?
Projection mapping is a term that refers to a technique where digital information, typically on a physical surface, is enhanced with motion and animation. It can show you 2D and 3D animation and creates an idea of what is happening and provides a proper contrast of colors on the screen.
That said, the main difference between regular projects and projection mapping is the use of data visualization. Projection mapping helps people visualize the data they have, which makes it easier for them to make decisions and present their findings in a better way.
Can Any Projector Be Used for Projection Mapping?
The short answer to this question is no, not every projector can be used for projection mapping. There are several factors that affect the quality of projection mapping, including the brightness of the projector, the high contrast ratio, where it’s placed, and how much ambient light there is in the room.
However, for projection mapping, you don’t need a special projector. There are tons of projectors on the market that have incredible brightness, high contrast, and image clarity.
How Many Lumens Do You Need for Projection Mapping?
Let’s explain what the basic term lumens actually means. Lumens are the unit of light measurement. In order to project an image, you need a certain number of lumens.
A good quality projector will give you a better result with around 1000 lumens. If you are planning to install a projector in your home theater, then it is recommended that you should get one with at least 1500 lumens.
However, for projection mapping, brightness is the key feature. The brighter your projector is, the better results you will get. It is recommended to get a projector with at least 2000 lumens of brightness for good projection mapping.
