I need opinions on these two light options. The lighting forum never gets visited.

Status
Not open for further replies.
I have a working projector with an old M59 ballast and 400w GE bulb I found at a thriftstore for 10 bucks. Im preparing to replace the light on my 15" projector. Cost doesn't really matter.

I was wondering which would be a better option (as far as color and brightness balance out):

Using a the S400DD 5200k 33,000 lumens bulb that the LumenLab setup uses

OR

An EYE Clear Arc 6,500k 29,000 lumens bulb.


The mean lumens on the EYE bulb is 22,000 and its life is around 15,000 hours. I don't know the mean lumens for the Ushio S400DD. It seems that HPS bulbs Ushio bulbs don't have mean lumens listed.

Which do you think would be more pleasing to the eyes? In other words, which would be more impacting: the color difference or the brightness difference?

They are both T15 bulbs.

Your input will be appreaciated 😎
 
mean lumens

I don't think mean lumens matters that much for projection. Since these lamps are not all that expensive (ie. $38 US for the Ushio), you could just replace it after 10000 hours.

Mean lumens would be more important for people who use lots of them for parking lots or store windows. They need to know how bright they will be over their entire rated lifetime, and the cost per hour per lumen is important.
 
color vrs brightness

I understand that you get used to almost anything within a few minutes. Lots of people use 4200 K MH lamps and are perfectly happy.

My only experience is with a 5200 K Ushio lamp, and it looks great to me. I think you would have to project a 5200 K image right next to a 6500 K image, to even tell which was which. If you are going for perfection, then I think a 6500 may be a bit too blue. You will be using an IR filter with a 400 Watt lamp (or you will fry your LCD). They typically also cut out some red, so they push the color temp up another 300 K. I have read a few places that 5500 K is ideal, and that is what you end up with.

So I would go for the brighter 5200 K lamp.

Don't forget that is a retrofit lamp, so you need a High Pressure Sodium ballast, capacitor, and ignitor. NOT a Metal Halide ballast.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.