Why are projector lamps so expensive?

In order to produce a quality image, your projector must be able to use features like natural and long-term stable colour rendering, resolution, brightness and image contrast. These features require a strong and high quality light source.

Mercury lamps have proven to be the best option

Currently, mercury lamps are the lamps typically used in most projectors. Mercury lamps contain a gaseous mixture with an operating pressure of up to 250 atmospheres and have an internal operating temperature of about 1,300 degrees Celsius. With an average output ranging between 120-300 watts, these lamps ensure a relatively long life span as well as a quality picture.

In order to achieve the best parameters, such lamps are manufactured using several patented technologies and expensive manufacturing equipment, which, of course, is reflected in their price. If you are interested in lamp technology, you can read more about E-TORL technology here at Epson UHE.

Who manufactures projector lamps?

It should be noted that the projector manufacturers themselves do not usually make the lamps for their projectors and instead purchase them from sub-contracted companies. Currently, there are only a few manufacturers of original projector lamps: Iwasaki (HSCR), Osram (P-VIP), Matsushita/Panasonic (HS), Philips (UHP), Phoenix (SHP), Ushio (NSH) and Epson (UHE).

This set-up, however, means that delivering an original lamp with housing from the lamp manufacturer to the customer is more complicated and takes longer. As a result, the price of lamps is constantly on the rise. Therefore, in addition to the most expensive option (but also most reliable), original lamps with housing, we also offer other options, which can save you a considerable amount of money.

Beware of counterfeit lamps

Due to the high price of original lamps, there has recently been a surge in counterfeit (fake) lamps. These look like copies of original lamps with housing, when in fact they contain other bulbs of varying quality – from better quality bulbs used for the spare parts market (e.g., Philips) to the lowest quality, so-called “no name” bulbs. These are mounted in non-original housing and should be sold as either original bulb inside lamps provided they contain quality bulbs from any of the abovementioned manufacturers of original projector bulbs, or as generic lamps, provided they contain “no name” or other bulbs.

Unfortunately, these fakes are sold as originals and even come in seemingly original packaging in order to deceive customers. By doing so, manufacturers and sellers of counterfeit lamps break the law and thus damage the reputation of manufacturers of original lamps with housing and also harm customers, who in reality purchase a different product than they think and often pay more than they need to.

You will not find such lamps in our shop. We value our customers and their satisfaction is of the utmost importance. Nevertheless, such lamps can easily be found on the Internet and can be identified by their suspiciously low price, which does not correspond to the actual price of original lamps with housing.