The Panasonic PT-LRZ35U was originally designed to be used for presentations in educational and business contexts. The same features that make it great in this context are also appealing for home theater users, though, and it’s just as popular for home use as it is for commercial applications. In this Panasonic PT-LRZ35U review, we’ll assess its suitability for home theater use. With its bright lamp and compact, low-maintenance design, it definitely has a lot of strengths—but it’s not perfect for everyone, as you’ll see from its features. Let’s dig into the details so you can determine if it’s a good choice for you. (>>> Check current price on Amazon)
Panasonic PT-LRZ35U Review of Main Specs:
| Panasonic PT-LRZ35U | |
|---|---|
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| Resolution | 1920x1200 |
| Brightness (Lumens) | 3,500 ANSI |
| Contrast Ratio | 30,000:1 |
| Zoom | 1.3x manual |
| Throw Distance | 4.8' - 27.2' |
| Screen size | 40" - 300" |
| Speakers | 10.0 Watts Mono |
| Price | Check on Amazon |
Installation
Projectors with an LED lamp tend to have a fairly long throw distance, and that is, unfortunately, the case with the Panasonic PT-LRZ35U. You’ll need between 9 and 11 feet for a 100” picture, which may be a problem in smaller spaces.
This limitation aside, the Panasonic PT-LRZ35U is relatively flexible in terms of placement. It has a 1.3x manual zoom, vertical keystone correction, and vertical lens shift up to 52%, so as long as you have the space for it you’ll find it’s relatively easy to align the image to your screen.
Picture Quality
The Panasonic PT-LRZ35U offers full HD resolution for all content, including 3D movies. Combined with the high contrast ratio, this means a sharp picture with good detail. The only caveat here is that it doesn’t support 4K content, not even downscaled to lower resolutions. This isn’t a huge issue yet but will become more of one as this resolution becomes the standard.
Pros
- Detailed, crisp image with brilliant colors
- No color wheel means no rainbow artifacts
- Zoom and lens shift make image alignment easier
- Plays 3D content in full HD
- LED lamp is bright with long lifespan
- Rugged, low-maintenance design
- Covered by a 3-year limited warranty
Cons
- Relatively long throw distance
- Limited color and picture settings
- No support for 4K content
The color on the Panasonic PT-LRZ35U is produced with discrete RGB LEDs and a 1-chip DLP system. This keeps hues vivid and accurate without causing annoying picture artifacts like the rainbow effect. It’s nice and bright, too, putting out a powerful 3,500 lumens that will stay vivid in any light conditions.
If you’re the type who likes to adjust the picture settings, you might be disappointed by the Panasonic PT-LRZ35U. It doesn’t have much in the way of adjustments for the color, contrast, and other settings. More casual users won’t be bothered by this, especially since the picture is crisp and vibrant right out of the box.
Reliability
The Panasonic PT-LRZ35U was built to be used in corporate settings, and the high build quality reflects this. It’s both rugged and compact, perfect for taking with you to the office or for presentations. For a home theater context, this makes it a great choice for indoor/outdoor use or taking on the road when you’re traveling.
The filter-less design of the LED lamp provides stable performance with almost no maintenance requirements. The lamp is rated to last up to 20,000 hours before replacement, which for most users will mean you never need to replace the lamp for the entire life of the projector. That makes it a convenient and user-friendly option, especially in ceiling-mounted applications where cleaning the air filter is especially tricky.
Panasonic PT-LRZ35U Review: What’s the Bottom Line?
Whether you’ll love the Panasonic PT-LRZ35U really depends on what you’re looking for in a projector. It’s a great choice if you want a projector you don’t have to think about once you have it set up. The picture quality is more than enough for casual users, and the bright lamp means you won’t need to worry much about light control, either.
Serious home theater buffs may find some features lacking on the Panasonic PT-LRZ35U, notably the lack of picture adjustment options and the lack of support for 4K content. On the whole, though, it’s a strong performer at the price point, and a great value for both commercial and home use. (>>> Check current price on Amazon)