Leica Brightens Its Portable 4K Projector With 4,200 Lumens
Leica has updated its compact 4K projector with a brighter light engine, claiming a picture that holds up in rooms that are not fully dark, and pricing it at S$4,400 including GST.
The Cine Play 1 Plus, from Leica Smart Projection, reaches up to 4,200 ANSI lumens in its Ultra mode and carries a contrast ratio of 2,000 to 1, a combination the company says gives detail in dark scenes without the blacked out room that portable projectors usually need.
And the optics are the argument for the price. A Leica Summicron zoom lens sits in front of a triple RGB laser light source and the company's own Leica Image Optimization processing, with newly developed laser diodes responsible for the extra output, and the projector throws an image up to 300 inches across.
Setup is meant to be the easy part. Automatic image alignment and focus adjustment handle the positioning that usually eats the first ten minutes of a film night, and the optional Leica Floor Stand 1 removes the need to find a shelf at the right height.
The smart layer runs VIDAA 9.6 with more than 400 apps pre installed, including Netflix and Disney+, and connections cover Wi Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, HDMI, USB and LAN, with Dolby Digital and DTS Virtual for sound.
But brightness is the claim that decides whether this kind of product is worth owning, because a portable projector that only works at night is a novelty, and the case for a premium one rests on whether the extra light is enough to use it with the curtains open.
The body is a single piece of aluminium with a glass front and an aluminium rear panel, which the company says helps with heat and stability, and the design language is the clean modernist look Leica has settled on across its consumer range.
Availability is Europe and selected markets in Asia Pacific including Australia, through Leica Stores and authorised television, audio and home cinema retailers, and the release does not say when or whether it reaches Singapore despite being issued from there.
So the upgrade is a light engine and a contrast figure rather than a new idea, which is how most projector updates arrive, and the buyers who will care are the ones who have already decided a fixed screen in a dedicated room is not what they want.
The Leica Cine Play 1 Plus reaches up to 4,200 ANSI lumens in Ultra mode
Contrast is quoted at 2,000 to 1 with a Summicron zoom lens and triple RGB laser light
It projects up to 300 inches and runs VIDAA 9.6 with more than 400 apps
Automatic alignment and focus handle setup, with an optional floor stand
It costs S$4,400 including GST and is sold in Europe and selected Asia Pacific markets including Australia
Source: Leica
