400w metal halide bright enough to watch w/ lights on (and shoot a tolerable image)?

[Yahmoncool]

I am debating between a 400w metal halide and a 575w bulb. I do a lot of watching with the lights on.... is 400w enough to shoot a tolerable image with the lights on? Or is 575 a requirement?

 

[cbm5]

Mine's OK at 160" with some indirect light and one lamp on in the room, still with no reflector in the projector. Of course it's vastly better with the lights off and the window blocked.

 

[scanboy]

Mine's OK at 160" with some indirect light and one lamp on in the room, still with no reflector in the projector. Of course it's vastly better with the lights off and the window blocked.

Hey cbm5, can you post a shoot with the condition you described. I've been trying to get ppl to post their projected image shot during the daytime, coz I want to see how good of an image I could get after mine is done. I plan to use my pj during the day time too.

 

[Yahmoncool]

I don't plan on an image nearly that large. So maybe it will be better? Any other experiences?

 

[Video Freak]

Shade open on a window...........Nope will be washed out..........anything but shade fully closed will look junky. I have used a 250 HQI and a 575w HMI and the difference at the screen is nothing to write home about. Can't comment on YWH's new bulbs IM thinking they should be much better then the latter 2 mentioned above. So In short if your gonna have the shades pulled all the way yes they would work if you dont want to pull them then they wont work

 

[Yahmoncool]

well i ordered the 400w lamp.. we'll see.