Leica, known for its incredibly expensive, premium-quality cameras, is looking to compete in the growing market for “home cinema in a box” projectors with the launch of the new Leica Cine Play 1 model.
The new model will compete with rival offerings such as the Xgimi Horizon Ultra, Hisense C1 and newly-announced BenQ GP520, but Leica has gone for a more stylish, aluminium and glass casing to try and differentiate its model.
The Leica Cine Play 1 is certainly one of the most visually appealing models in this growing category of portable-yet-powerful projectors. It comes with an equally stylish remote control, made from metal, and there’s the option to purchase a metal floor stand as well, complete with built-in cable management features.
Not everyone will want the floor stand, as the Leica Cine Play 1 can also be placed on a coffee table or even the floor, thanks to its integrated rotating stand.
In terms of the Leica Cine Play 1’s actual capabilities, there are built-in automatic picture calibration features that should ensure a high quality image no matter if you project onto a proper screen or some random wall.
Leica is known for its high-quality lenses and these are paired with what the company says is an “innovative triple RBG laser light system” that can deliver brightness of 3,000 lumens, making it twice as bright as the Hisense C1. It has a lifetime of up to 25,000 hours before degradation sets in, and it supports the full gamut of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, regular HDR and HLG.
The Leica lens in question is the Summicron zoom lens, which typically cost thousands of pounds and are used in state of the art cameras. Paired with the Leica Cine Play 1, it can support a 4K image that ranges from 65-inches to an incredible 300-inches, the company said. That’s pretty much cinema-screen size.
The onboard technology smarts include Leica’s proprietary image processing system that helps to enhance the pictures, and there’s a Leica Optimisation Engine or LIO that uses “special image optimisation algorithms” to deliver natural colour rendition, nuanced colour gradation and an “outstanding” contrast ratio, Leica said.
The sound system is a pair of integrated 10-watt speakers that have been fine-tuned to ensure crisp vocals and rich bass effects, and the DTS Virtual:X immersive surround sound format is supported.
Last but not least we have the connectivity options, which include HDMI, USB and LAN wired ports, plus wireless options such as Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Leica Cine Play 1 is powered by Hisense’s Vidaa operating system, which provides access to apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, so there’s no need for external media.
Leica said the Leica Cine Play 1 is available to buy from its website now, with a price tag of £2,950 in the U.K and $3,795 in the U.S. The optional floor stand can also be had directly from Leica’s site, priced at £335 or $495.
