With so many different models of projectors on the market, it can be a daunting task trying to find the right projector for your specific needs. Most people will quickly look for specifications such as ansi lumens, what resolution the projector is capable of, the contrast ratio and of course what the price is. What is by far the most overlooked factor when deciding on what projector to buy is the cost of the projector’s consumable part aka the projector lamp. The cost can be anywhere between a couple of hundred dollars right through to well over a thousand. The most important thing to note is that you have the greatest ability to affect the price of your replacement lamp when you buy your projector. That means checking the cost before you buy so a couple of years down the track you know what to expect and won’t suffer a back injury from falling off your chair!

This brings us to by far the most common question there is when it comes to projector lamps. Why do projector lamps cost so much?

1. Projector lamps aren’t exactly the same type of lamp lighting in your room right now. The bulb inside the projector lamp module involves an intricate mix of chemicals, including mercury, and precision electronics packaged in a sealed glass bulb pressured to over 200 atmospheres (just to compare, a car tyre pressure is less than 4 atmospheres). The unit is expected to operate at above 8000k ” that’s hotter than the sun! ” but it also has to be handled as a spare part that members of the public can replace themselves. Not to mention, original lamps undergo rigorous testing throughout the manufacturing process to ensure they meet performance and quality standards.

2. Economies of Scale. This may not necessarily apply in every situation but as a rule of thumb, popular projectors generally have cheaper lamps. Other than production efficiencies etc, popular projectors have a more predictable lamp replacement forecast thus enabling manufacturers to produce the amount of lamps the market will require in the future. For un-popular models, manufacturers tend to lean towards the side of caution and produce fewer lamps than what the market will need in the future and of course as Economics 101 teaches us, this leads to higher prices.

3. Supply Chain. Major projector manufacturers don’t generally own their own lamp factory. This ultimately results in what can be a long supply chain. And of course every step in a supply chain then adds to the cost.

4. Profiteering. Most projector manufacturers try to price their lamps at a reasonably fair level. Unfortunately there are then some manufacturers that price their lamps so high they are either a) encouraging people to buy a new projector altogether or b) Trying to make increase their profits through spare parts sales.

As I’ve already stated, there is any easy way to avoid replacement lamp pain and that is to check the cost of a replacement lamp before you commit to any projector purchase. For projectors costing less than $5000 NZD then the lamp should be no more than $600 ex GST. If it is then ask your dealer to show you something else.