“The right tool makes the job easier. The wrong tool makes you wish you’d never taken the job in the first place.”
That quote hit me the other day while I was on the phone with a small theater in Atlanta. They were trying to rear-project a backdrop behind dancers—with only six feet between the wall and the screen. Not a lot of room. Definitely not a job for a basic projector and certainly not the time to cut corners on lens selection.
At Atlanta Pro AV, this kind of challenge is pretty normal. But picking the right projector? That’s where experience really matters.
Start with the space
When you’re thinking about projector rentals, forget brands for a minute. Think space first.
Is this for a ballroom? A breakout room? A theater with no wing space? Each situation demands something different.
In corporate event settings—what we call “corporate theater”—space is tight. You might not be able to rig anything from the ceiling. That’s when ultra short throw lenses come into play. These lenses are designed to sit incredibly close to the screen, often using a mirror to bounce the image up and over the projector body. They’re wild-looking, but incredibly useful.
We keep a good number of these in our inventory. Why? Because we’ve been burned before. You don’t want to walk into a ballroom and realize the rigging is $3,500 just to hang one projector.
Instead, we’ll build a ground-supported truss in the back of the room, black it out with spandex to keep it clean and sleek, and mount the projector there. This saves on rigging fees and gives our techs quick access during the show.
So… what type of projector should I rent?
That really depends on your space, your budget, and what kind of impact you’re trying to make. The right setup makes all the difference. Let’s break down a few common options.
Specialty lenses: ultra short vs. ultra-ultra short
That small theater? They asked for a projector that could live in a 6-foot deep space and still produce a clean rear-projected image. Rear projection avoids shadows—critical when you’ve got dancers or presenters moving in front of the screen.
I recommended one of our specialized ultra short throw lenses that features a 0.35:1 throw ratio. This lens uses a mirror and allows the projector to sit just inches from the screen, pointed backwards. It’s an amazing tool—but it comes with trade-offs.
Most notably? Diminished brightness. These 0.35:1 lenses can reduce light output by up to 50%. That’s a huge hit. If your projector is rated for 20,000 lumens, you’re really getting closer to 10,000.
On the other hand, more conventional ultra short throw lenses like a 0.64:1 or 0.76:1 also reduce brightness, but not as severely. They’re more manageable for most applications.
The upside? That 0.35 lens doesn’t produce the dreaded flashlight effect you sometimes see with rear projection—where the center of the screen is hot and the edges fade out.
Smaller budget? No problem
When that lens turned out to be too pricey (the lens alone rents for $800, and that’s without the projector), we found a compromise. We offered the client a compact 3,500-lumen laser projector with a fisheye-style lens. The space was dark, the screen was just 10 feet wide, and the budget was tight.
Price? $250.
Not ideal, but it worked. Sometimes “good enough” is the right call.
Why rear projection sometimes backfires
Everyone loves a clean stage. No visible gear, no wires across the floor. Rear projection gives you that, but at a cost.
Even with powerful projectors, rear projection can cause that flashlight effect I mentioned earlier. It’s especially noticeable on bigger screens. Unless you go with a specialty lens like the 0.35:1 we talked about—which avoids this issue—you’ll have to fight for even brightness across the whole screen.
Front projection: the reliable workhorse
When rear projection won’t work—or when you need max brightness—we go front.
In hotel ballrooms, we often build ground-supported truss towers at the back, hide them with black spandex, and place the projectors up high. This gives us a clean look, direct sightlines, and avoids the high cost of in-house rigging.
Plus, running cabling is easier. Tech tables are already back there. Shorter cable runs mean stronger signals.
Another big win? You get a brighter, more uniform image. No flashlight effect, no weird shadowing. The image just looks clean.
Only catch: if you’re running haze in the room (for effects like a ballyhoo moment at an awards show), you might see a light cone shoot through the air. Some clients love it. Others don’t.
| Situation | Projector Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small breakout room | 4,500 lm laser projector | Simple, affordable, set on a stand |
| Ballroom, front projection | 8K–20K lm long throw | Ground-supported truss with clean look |
| Rear projection, very tight space | 0.35:1 ultra short throw | Requires high output, no flashlight effect |
| Rear projection, moderate space | 0.64:1 or 0.76:1 | Less brightness loss, still compact |
| Small budget, dark room | 3.5K–5K lm projector | Good for short distances and low light |
| High-end, no compromise | LED wall | Brightest option, higher cost |
Bottom line
Projection is never one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re trying to save space, save money, or wow an audience, there’s a projector and lens combo that fits.
And when you’re staring at your event layout asking “What type of projector should I rent?”—just give us a call. We’ll help you figure it out.
We’ve done this for years, from galas to conferences to theater shows with dancers leaping in front of the screen.
Let’s get the right tool for the job.
– James
Managing Partner, Atlanta Pro AV
www.atlantaproav.com | West Midtown, ATL