ANSI Lumens vs Lumens : What’s the Difference?

When it comes to choosing a projector, one of the most important factors you’ll need to consider is the brightness level. This is measured in lumens, and there’s a big difference between ANSI lumens vs lumens.

What is a Lumen?

A lumen is a unit of measurement that is used to show how strong or intense a light source is. It measures the total quantity of visible light emitted from a source in a particular beam or angle.

Why Are Lumens Important?

Lumens are important because they directly affect the brightness of your projector. If you need a bright projector, then you’ll need one with a high lumen rating.

In terms of projection, a lumen is a unit of measurement that represents the amount of light output by a projector. The higher the lumen rating, the brighter the projector will be.

What is ANSI Lumens?

ANSI lumens are a measure of the brightness level of a projector as measured by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

This is the standard that most manufacturers use to measure brightness, and it’s generally considered to be the most accurate way to compare different projector models.

This measurement is taken by averaging the brightness of a white screen at different points.

ANSI Brightness

ANSI brightness is the gold standard for measuring projector brightness. This is because it’s the most accurate way to compare different models. If you’re looking for the brightest projector possible, then you’ll want to look for one with a high ANSI lumen rating.

What is the Difference Between ANSI Lumens vs Lumens?

The main difference between ANSI lumens and regular lumens is the way they’re measured. ANSI lumens are measured using a more sophisticated method that takes into account the human eye’s response to light. This means that ANSI lumens are brighter than regular lumens.

Why are ANSI Lumens Brighter than Regular Lumens?

The unit of the ANSI lumen measures the overall light output from a projector, whereas the unit of a regular lumen only measures the light output in a particular beam or angle. This means that ANSI lumens are brighter because they take into account the total amount of visible light emitted from a projector.

Convertion to ANSI Lumen from LED Lumen

LED lumen and light source lumen levels mean the same.

The equation for the difference between ANSI lumens and Lumens: LED Lumens value / 2.4=ANSI lumens.

This equation states that the ANSI lumens value for a certain LED light is equal to two-and-a-quarter times the Lumens value.

For example,

• 1 ANSI lumens = 2.4 Lumens (Standard SI metric).
• 3,000 lumens to ansi lumens is 1250
• 200 ansi lumens = 480 lumens

Lumens vs ANSI Lumens Conversion Table

ANSI Brightness vs LED Brightness vs Light Source Brightness

ANSI brightness is a brightness measurement that is defined by the American National Standards Institute. This involves taking several readings of a projected white screen at different points and averaging them together.

LED brightness is a measurement of how bright colors look to the human eye. This brightness is measured by how saturated the colors are.

Light source brightness of a projector is measured directly from the LED light source before any of the effects of the imaging components and consequent light losses are measured.

How Many Lumens/ANSI Lumens Are Needed?

How many lumens is good for a projector looks at the number of lumens or ANSI lumens you’ll need for the specific project you’re working on.

In summary here 4 determining factors:

1. Where it will be used, indoors or outdoors
2. What will the general ambient light level be when it’s usually used.
3. The size of the screen being projected on.
4. The distance of the projector from the screen.

For example, if you’re doing a presentation in a dimly lit room, then you won’t need as many lumens as you would if you were doing a presentation in a bright room.

Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right projector for your needs:

Location

Think about where you want to use your projector. Outdoor projectors often have less brightness than home projectors. That’s because they need to be able to produce more light, and that takes extra heat. So they’re not as portable.

Surrounding Ambient Light

One of the most important things to consider when purchasing a projector is the amount of natural light in the room where it will be used. This is called ambient light level.

The more light in the room, the brighter the projector needs to be for a clear and defined image. At night time, light can be managed well but if the projector is used in the day then consider the following guide:

• Dark Rooms : 300 to 600 ANSI lumens, the lowest end of the scale so any projector will work.
• Some Natural Light in the Room: 600 to 2000 ANSI lumens.
• Daylight in the Room: At least 2000 ANSI lumens
• Outdoors: At least 3000-4000 ANSI lumens

Size of the Screen

The brighter the projector is, the larger the screen size you can use. If you want a really large screen then you will need a projector with a high ANSI lumen specification.

Projection Distance

The further the distance the projector is from the screen the more lumens and brightness is needed. If you’re projecting on a very large screen or from a long distance, then you’ll need a brighter projector.

For more display brightness comparisons, understand the differences between Lumens vs Nits

Andrew Orange, the owner of Orange Lighting qualified and worked as an interior designer in 1993 before specialising in lighting working on high profile projects based in London. Since starting Orange Lighting Ltd in 2003 he has been sharing his knowledge and unique teaching style mostly to his designer clients, offering practical real life advice born from running a busy consultancy and lighting supply business. Launching in 2020, his blog has evolved into Quick & Easy Lighting, curating some 25 years design experience into making the lighting choice and design process achievable and easy to understand for all.