Projector: Calculating the correct distance

Before you can calculate the distance, however, you must first ask yourself which projector suits you. This decision is largely influenced by the intended purpose and the given room size. For example, do you need a mobile projector to be able to present presentations flexibly in different rooms? Or do you have the problem that your conference room is difficult to darken? Then a laser projector is probably the right choice. Depending on the projector you choose, this will also determine the ideal distance, as most manufacturers specify the ideal distance between the projector and the screen.

Basically, however, there is a rule of thumb that you can use as a guide for the size of the screen and the distance of the projector from it. According to this, the screen should be half as wide as the distance between the projector and it. So if the projector is 4 m away from the screen, it should be 2 m wide.

The further you move the projector away from the screen, the larger but also less clear the image will be. However, the projector must not be too close to the screen, as otherwise the image would not cover the entire screen. For this reason, most projectors also have a minimum and maximum distance in addition to the ideal distance.

When choosing your projector and screen, you also need to be aware of the obstacles you may encounter during installation. These include, above all, the literal obstacles, such as ceiling lamps or other furniture. If you want to mount your projector on the ceiling, make sure that there are no lamps or other obstacles in the way. This often gradually restricts your options for selecting the distance between the projector and screen. The angle of the installation is also relevant, as the projector will probably not be positioned horizontally to the screen, but on a smaller table in front of it or on the ceiling.

With high-quality modern projectors, however, this is usually a major problem, as many lenses have a lens shift function that allows you to shift the image horizontally or vertically. Many lenses also have very flexible zoom functions, which allow you a wide range of settings. There is now the right projector for every requirement: for example, there are ultra-short throw projectors for mounting directly in front of the screen, or projectors with different lenses that you can change as required.