The Twenty Smallest Portable SVGA Projectors
Sanyo SU07N (also Proxima LS1 and Eiki LC-NB1UW)
The Sanyo SU07N is another of the twenty projectors that will encounter some competition from the Sony VPL-CS1. Though it has an MSRP of $5,995 at the moment, it is currently selling on the street for about $3,000. So the question is what does the SU07N have that the CS1 does not for the additional $300 selling price?
The advantages of the SU07N over the CS1 are the following. First, it has a slight edge in brightness, being rated at 700 ANSI lumens to the CS1's 600 lumens. Second, it has a 1.6:1 zoom lens compared to the CS1's 1.3:1. This gives the user more flexibility in resizing the projected image and placing the projector at a greater range of distances from the screen. Third, it has power zoom and focus, which some people feel is a benefit and others think is a nuisance. And finally, though the LCD display is 4:3, it will also throw a 16:9 image.
On the other hand, the three notable disadvantages of the SUO7N as compared to the CS1 are that it almost double the size (453 cubic inches vs. the CS1's 255), it is 2.2 pounds heavier, and it has more noticeable fan noise.
Therefore, for mobile presenters that care more about reducing weight and bulk, the Sony CS1 will be the preferred solution. For those that feel the additional flexibility of the 1.6:1 zoom lens is worth the extra weight and size, the Sanyo will win. In addition, for people who intend to have their projector double as a home theater unit, the 16:9 image from the Sanyo may be a factor to consider. However, you will want to audition the video performance for yourself to see if the SU07N produces an adequate video image for your home theater needs.
For buyers who prefer the features of the SU07N, the current $3,000 street price is a good value in today's market. One additional practical advantage of the SU07N is that it is sold under two other labels, Proxima and Eiki. This gives the informed buyer many different sources for acquiring this projector. If you solicit price quotes on each of these models, you will gain some leverage in buying power and be able to negotiate the best possible price/service/support solution.
Proxima UltraLight LS1
The Sanyo SU07N is private labeled by Proxima and marketed as the UltraLight LS1. The current MSRP is $3,670, which is much lower than the Sanyo's $5,995. However, the LS1's street prices are just a few hundred dollars off list, so it is in fact selling for about $300 more than the Sanyo version at the moment. Proxima offers only a 2-year warranty as compared to the Sanyo 3-year.
Eiki LC-NB1UW
The SU07N is also sold by Eiki International as the LC-NB1UW. Currently it is listed at $3,995, and street pricing is not available.Follow this link for merchants for the products mentioned above:
Proxima UltraLight LS1 (Merchants on ProjectorCentral)
EIKI LC-NB1UW (Merchants on ProjectorCentral)
