A projector including an illumination system that illuminates a modulation device modulating light according to image information. The illumination system includes a light source that emits a light beam along a light source optical axis, a first lens array having a plurality of small lenses which divide the light beam emitted from the light source into a plurality of partial light beams, a superimposing lens that superimposes the plurality of partial light beams emitted from the first lens array on the modulation device, and an entrance angle reducing system disposed between the superimposing lens and the modulation device. The entrance angle reducing system reduces an entrance angle of light rays, which are emitted from the superimposing lens and enter the modulation device, compared with an illumination system without the entrance angle reducing system.

A projector including an illumination system that illuminates a modulation device modulating light according to image information. The illumination system includes a light source that emits a light beam along a light source optical axis, a first lens array having a plurality of small lenses which divide the light beam emitted from the light source into a plurality of partial light beams, a superimposing lens that superimposes the plurality of partial light beams emitted from the first lens array on the modulation device, and an entrance angle reducing system disposed between the superimposing lens and the modulation device. The entrance angle reducing system reduces an entrance angle of light rays, which are emitted from the superimposing lens and enter the modulation device, compared with an illumination system without the entrance angle reducing system.

A lighting optical unit having an optical system for irradiating light from a light-source lamp on a predetermined object in a uniform and/or convergent manner includes a reflector for reflecting light from the light-source lamp to provide converged light and an optical assembly for collimating this converged light to provide a bundle of approximately parallel rays, wherein the bundle of approximately parallel rays is made to enter the optical systeml. Thus, in a liquid-crystal projector using a transmission type liquid-crystal panel with micro-lens, while a demand for increasing a quantity of light incident on an effective area of pixel of a liquid-crystal panel is being satisfied, the lighting optical unit can be made compact in size.

In a light irradiating apparatus, a first fly-eye lens and a second fly-eye lens are disposed in succession from a light source side. A first lens having negative refractive power is disposed more adjacent to the light source side than the first fly-eye lens. A second lens having positive refractive power is disposed more adjacent to the light source side than the second fly-eye lens. The specification also discloses an image projecting apparatus for illuminating an image display element by the light emerging from the light irradiating apparatus, and projecting an image displayed on the image display element.

A color management system for use with projection displays includes, for example, two or more analyzers positioned to receive light beams as they are emitted from the panels of a color management system. The analyzers are positioned to receive the light beams directly from the image assimilators before the light has passed through another optical element such as a light combiner. The analyzers are configured for producing filtered light outputs with improved contrast relative to the incoming light beams. By positioning the analyzers to receive the light beams directly from the image assimilators, i.e., prior to passage through other optical elements, the analyzers are able to remove substantially all of the noise before it has become indistinguishable, on the basis of polarization, from the light that comprises the desirable image. Accordingly, this embodiment produces images having dramatically improved levels of contrast relative to prior art systems.