We have tested the Canon LX-MU800Z laser projector!

We have tested the Canon LX-MU800Z laser projector!

The main advantages of laser projectors are minimal maintenance and a cost-effective laser light source.

LX-MU800Z model

Canon’s Traditional-Looking Projector, Powered by Modern Laser Technology

Though traditional in appearance, the black Canon projector incorporates the latest laser light source technology, offering an impressive lifespan of up to 20,000 hours. At an average usage of 15 hours per week, this translates to approximately 25 years of consistent performance—ideal for long-term installations in home theaters, classrooms, or conference rooms.

The projector operates by emitting a blue laser beam through a rotating phosphor wheel, which generates yellow light composed of red and green components. This multi-color light is then reflected off the projector’s Digital Light Processing (DLP) imaging chip and projected onto the screen through its output lens, delivering sharp, vibrant visuals with high efficiency and minimal maintenance.

The projector delivers a native resolution of 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA), ensuring crystal-clear visuals with a balanced color palette and well-calibrated lighting. With a contrast ratio of 10,500:1 and a brightness output of 8,000 lumens, it excels in environments with varying ambient light conditions, maintaining vibrant and sharp image quality.

Due to its high brightness and performance capabilities, the projector is best suited for medium to large-sized rooms. However, it’s also worth noting that this model is relatively heavy and bulky, placing it among the larger projectors in its category—something to consider when planning installation or mounting.

Flexible Installation and Long-Term Efficiency

The Canon LX-MU800Z offers exceptional installation flexibility. It can operate on either 110 or 220 volts, and can be mounted at any angle, whether vertically or horizontally, making it ideal for a wide range of applications. To avoid overheating, it’s essential to maintain proper clearance from surrounding walls. The projector is equipped with four adjustable legs for stable placement and can also be securely ceiling-mounted using a six-point attachment system.

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Effortless Setup and Low Maintenance

Thanks to its laser light source, the LX-MU800Z requires no filters or replacement lamps, making it virtually maintenance-free and cost-effective over time. A standout feature is its high-precision lens shift mechanism, which allows you to position the image without physically moving the projector. The image can be shifted up or down by 50% and left or right by 10%, offering unmatched flexibility in image placement.

Additionally, the projector supports vertical keystone correction of ±40 to ±60 degrees, ensuring the projected image remains square and distortion-free, even when the projector isn’t positioned at the standard angle. This allows for a clear, sharp image in virtually any setup scenario.

Interchangeable lenses

Versatility with Interchangeable Lenses

One of the most impressive features of the Canon LX-MU800Z is its compatibility with eight interchangeable lenses, making it adaptable to virtually any projection environment. Whether you require short-throw projection, ultra-wide-angle zoom, or ultra-long-zoom capabilities for unique setups, this projector can accommodate your needs.

Switching lenses is both safe and user-friendly, thanks to the projector’s built-in software that supports eight preset lens memory settings. Additionally, the light source automatically powers down during lens changes to ensure safe handling and protect the internal components.

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User-Friendly Controls and Menu System

The menu system is designed to be logical and ergonomic, offering four primary projection modes:

• Presentation
• Normal
• Video
• sRGB

It also allows users to save and recall custom settings, providing further control over image quality. While the projector lacks a dedicated video processor or a video card slot, it compensates with reliable core functionality and straightforward usability.

The unit features separate buttons for 110V and 220V power modes, along with a clearly designed power cord system, reflecting thoughtful engineering for a wide range of installation and usage scenarios.

For optimal image quality, the projector has 10 test patterns, and there are buttons for calling up the menu, navigating and selecting the input source, and changing the aspect ratio. You can zoom in, focus, and slide the lens away from the control panel, but you can also do it with the backlit remote control.

It also has HDMI and DVI-D ports, but lacks the DisplayPort input. It has VGA input and output and coaxial inputs, and an RS232 port for upgrades and control, as well as 3D sync ports. The disadvantage of the projector is that there is no cable cover where the wires can be hidden. It has an HDBaseT video connection (for uncompressed video transmission over Ethernet), but it does not offer Wifi. Works with AMX, Extron, and Crestron controls. The projector can be operated independently without an audio system or speakers. There are also 15-pin D-Sub connectors and 5 BNC component inputs on the device.

About laser projectors

In our previous projector tests, we have already written an article about the main differences between laser projectors and projectors made with traditional technology.

Laser projectors have a longer lifespan, require minimal maintenance, and are more cost-effective to use, although the purchase price of projectors is generally higher than that of projectors with traditional optics. However, with laser projectors, the image quality cannot match the resolution and clarity produced by traditional glass lens projectors. So this is a compromise everyone shall think of: as a matter of fact it has to be decided what is more important, to be able to use the projector for many years, let’s say up to 25 years without servicing the device and replace the lens, or to be prepared to undertake a fairly expensive lens replacement in some years, and in return get a real 3D cinema like experience.

Canon LX-MU800Z – The Test

The Canon LX-MU800Z projector can be set up very quickly. In Presentation mode, a slight greenish-blue colour and a dirty yellow were observed after switching to Normal and Video modes, respectively, and the output power dropped to 6140 and 5125 lumens, but the colour balance improved significantly, mostly in skin tones. Clearly, the Video mode proved to be the most ideal, with the right amount of warmth, bright yellow and green. It produced excellent focus and brightness, the fan was a bit loud though. We recommend this projector for medium and larger rooms.

When we tested the projector, we got fantastic, balanced, natural and realistic colours, although the image quality was a bit lower compared to projectors with the traditional glass lens we tested earlier. The contrast ratio, the native black levels were also great, and the skin tones close to the real colours.

In summary

Due to its rather high price, not everyone can afford this projector. We were happy with it, although among similar premium projectors, we would probably prefer the JVC DLA RS3000 projector with a traditional glass lens.

When building home theatre systems, also pay attention to the acoustics of the room, because whatever expensive and excellent audio and hi-fi equipment your cinema room will be equipped with, without proper acoustics, the sound will not be ideal. Choose products specially developed for the treatment of acoustic flows of walls, ceiling, windows or floor surfaces!