The ZUH6000 from Fujifilm is unlike other ultra-short-throw projectors. It features a funky rotating lens for maximum installation flexibility, and while Fujifilm has launched similar models before it, this is the first to put out 4K visuals.
Fujifilm first introduced this strange form factor in 2018, which was subsequently launched as the Full HD Z5000 the following year – along with the Z8000. Those numbers after the Z-series lettering indicate the lumen output.
Like other ultra-short-throw projectors, these models could snuggle up fairly close to a display surface such as a wall or screen and throw visuals at up to 100 diagonal inches. But it's the odd-looking lens module to the front that makes them stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The Fujinon glass is mounted to a projection arm that can rotate from flat in the body to stand 90 degrees proud, and then its head can swivel around by 360 degrees. This allows business venues, art galleries, museums and so on to change the direction of thrown imagery without necessarily needing to reposition and reconfigure the projector itself.
The Z6000 model joined the family in 2022. This laser projector had a WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) resolution and was priced at a whopping US$14,000. Now the Z series has gone 4K with the launch of the ZUH6000.
It comes in a little larger than its cousin, at 486 x 496 x 175 mm (19 x 19.5 x 6.8 in) and tips the scales at 17.5 kg (38.5 lb). The unit benefits from lens-shift functionality over vertical (82%) and horizontal (35%) axes, allowing "the position of the projected image to be moved over a wide area without changing the position of the projector itself or the direction of the lens."
As the name suggests, the laser light source is capable of putting out 6,000 lumens, and the new model reportedly offers a 1.5 times improvement on color reproduction compared to current models, which is boosted to 2x for red colors. Optical zoom mechanism caters for image size adjustment, and the design allows for the main housing to be concealed with only the "large-diameter aspherical lens" exposed – to create a more immersive space.
The ZUH6000 will be available in black or white around June, but pricing has not been revealed at this time – though given its business focus, it's going to be well outside most consumer budgets. Fujifilm will give attendees at this week's Integrated Systems Europe event in Barcelona a sneak peek.
Source: Fujifilm
