If you’re a Leica fan who also enjoys watching movies and TV shows with the best possible picture quality, you’ll love this.
Leica recently announced the Cine 1, an ultra-short throw projector made for home theater. Ultra-short throw projectors are designed with convenience in mind, allowing users to bypass the need for a ceiling mount or to free up space by allowing large images (80 or 100 inches in this case) to be projected upwards. from just a few inches away. It really makes sense to see an optical company produce such a projector. Since ultra-short throw projectors need to produce very large, sharp images from a fairly short distance, they require a great deal of understanding in optics, making a company like Leica a niche choice.
Although the official details are light at the moment, The Verge talked to Leica for a bit and confirmed there will be two models, both capable of 4K at 60 Hz, with one that projects a 100-inch image at 2,500 lumens from 12 inches away and costs $7,900, and the other model projects an 80-inch image at 2,100 lumens from 6 inches away and costs $6,900. Both projectors use a trio of RGB lasers, a Texas Instruments DLP chip, and offer 30 milliseconds latency.
In terms of connectivity, expect three HDMI ports (one HDMI 2.1 with eARC), one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0, plus an integrated tuner with a DVB-CI slot. You can also expect Dolby Atmos sound. Of course, what photography fans will be most interested in is the Summicron projection lens featuring aspherical lenses and respected Leica technical standards. Aside from the lens and laser technology, information about the projector’s picture, such as HDR support, is scarce, but hopefully, we’ll hear more soon.
Leica says the Cine 1 will be available in the second quarter of 2023.
