Panasonic Connect Europe announced the PT-CMZ50 LCD projector, an ultra-short with 5200 lumens. The CMZ50 projector delivers 80-inch images from approximately 1cm, allowing presenters to “work confidently without worrying about shadows on the screen or being dazzled by light from the lens and providing on-site and remote participants a clear view of detailed content.” To cut through bright lighting, the CMZ50’s laser light source delivers 5,200lm with 3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast, while smooth WUXGA resolution makes the fine text easy to read. With widescreen content becoming more common, the projector supports 2560×1080 (21:9) and 3240×1080 (27:9) input signals as well as 4K input signals, making it ideal for videoconferencing rooms using solutions such as Microsoft Teams Rooms.

Presenters can begin without waiting for the projector to warm up. Images appear around a second after power on, while CEC command-compatible HDMI turns the unit on and displays automatically when content is played from a device. An HDMITM output is included for connection to a second projector. For wireless projection, it works with Panasonic’s Wireless Presentation System PressIT or AJ-WM50 Series Wireless Module.

For sustainability and reliable use, the CMZ50’s new high-efficiency optical engine improves watts-per-lumen efficiency by about 25% over comparable lamp-based short-throw models, and the light source and filter need no maintenance for 20,000 hours, reducing cost, waste, and labour.

The Panasonic CMZ50 is scheduled for release in Q2 of 2023 and all the specs are here: https://eu.connect.panasonic.com/gb/en/pt-cmz50