Panasonic announced several new projectors lines this month. The new announcements include the PT-LRZ35 Series, the PT-FRZ60 Series, the PT-RQ35K, and the PT-RZ990 Series. Ranging from 3,500 lumens up to 30,000 lumens, these new Panasonic projectors address the needs of classrooms, corporate meeting spaces and boardrooms, as well as large-venue entertainment spaces.

The PT-LRZ35 series of 1-Chip DLP® RGB LED projectors offer whisper-quiet operation (as low as 24dB) without sacrificing image quality. Panasonic touts these as the smallest and lightest R/G/B LED DLP projectors in the 3,500 lumen class. The PT-LRZ35 Series are Panasonic’s first portable projectors to use discrete R/G/B LED light source for superior color reproduction and enhanced picture quality. The PT-LRZ35 Series are also 3D-ready with DLP® Link™ technology (requires compatible glasses). The filter-less design in a sealed optical unit and dust-resistant cabinet ensures reliable 24/7, maintenance-free operation for up to 20,000 hours. The PT-LRZ35U WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200) and PT-LRW35U WXGA resolution (1280 x 800) LED projectors will be available August 2020.

The PT-FRZ60 Series 1-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE laser projectors are designed for the information-sharing environments such as classrooms and corporate boardrooms and provide clear, bright images in well-lit rooms with minimal noise. The projectors are compact, lightweight and feature a 2.0x optical zoom to increase throw-distance range for easy, flexible 360° installation. To assist collaborative and group work conditions, the PT-FRZ60 projectors support a 4K signal input via DIGITIAL LINK and HDMI® terminals with CEC compatibility. The PT-FRZ60 projectors provide a filter-less cooling system, sealed optics along with a dust-resistant laser drive for virtually 20,000 hours of 24/7 maintenance-free operation. Offered in black or white cabinets, the PT-FRZ60 projectors range between 5,000 to 6,000 lumens. All models provide WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200) and will be available November 2020.

The PT-RZ990 Series 1-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE laser projectors are geared towards entertainment, exhibition, museum and House of Worship applications. The bright, vivid colors and white-balance accuracy from the PT-RZ990 Series laser projectors provide realistic, clear, crisp and high-quality color-rich image reproduction. In many cases, installation is challenging because of hard to reach locations typical to these large-venues. Panasonic’s Smart Projector Control feature allows users to leverage the on/off function and make adjustments to the lens via a smartphone. The PT-RZ990 Series projectors also offer maintenance-free 24/7 operation for up to 20,000 hours with air-tight, dust-resistant optical units and a new filter-free cooling system. The PT-RZ990 Series projectors are compatible with a wide range of Panasonic’s 1-Chip DLP lens options. The PT-RZ990 Series has models available from 6,000 to 9,400 lumens. All models deliver WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution and are available in black or white cabinets. Availability will be October 2020.

Finally, the PT-RQ35K Series 3-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE laser projectors are designed for immersive experiences and incorporate features for simplified setup and remote functionality. The PT-RQ35K was designed to with blue and red laser technology, 30,000 lumens of high brightness and 4K resolution quality – all within the smallest and lightest form factor in its class. The PT-RQ35K Series significantly reduces logistics and installation issues with several new features and workflow improvements, including the ‘Smart Projector Control’ application and Near Field Communication function. These features make it easy to read and change basic setups just by holding a mobile device against the projector’s touchpoint. Since events can happen across many environments, both indoor and outdoor, and at any time of day, the new Remote Preview function makes it possible for users to check the content signal remotely via multi-media control software or a web browser. The PT-RQ35K 4K (3840 x 2400) resolution with Quad Pixel Drive On and PT-RZ34K WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution will be available December 2020.

Analyst firm PMA Research follows the projector market. PMA’s Projector Census and Forecast family of publications provides detailed worldwide quarterly updates (historical data and forecasts) on the projector market, with commentary on key industry developments.