Leica who are well known for their top end cameras has jumped into the short throw 4K projector market.

Their first ultra-short-throw (UST) projector called the Cine 1 can beam an 80- or 100-inch image while just six inches from a wall, the problem is that this projector is set to retail for over A$9,000 if it is released in Australia and it’s entering a competitive market.

Ultra-Short Throw projectors require precise optics to create a square image while beaming straight up — and that’s right up Leica’s alley as they are one of the world’s leading camera Companies.

At the heart of this projector is a Summicron lens tech with aspherical elements that are manufactured to Leica standards.

It also uses a triple-RGB laser with a 25,000-hour service life and a Texas Instruments DLP chip.

Leica has two versions of the Cine 1 designed for 80-inch and 100-inch screens, one has to be positioned six inches from the wall and the other 12 inches away to get the larger image.

Leica recommends setting them at exactly those positions and using the suggested screen sizes, as the optics were designed for that. To that end, it’s also selling 80- and 100-inch ambient light-rejecting (ALR) screens. They output 2,100 and 2,500 lumens for the 80- and 100-inch models, respectively.

The projector comes with built-in Dolby Atmos-powered speakers for surround sound as well as a TV tuner, the downside is that they are using the Chinese Hisense OS called VIDAA which is surprising for such a premium brand, also missing is HDR support.

Hisense are also manufacturing the UST for Leica.

Users can install external storage, a Blu-ray players or console via a HDMI or USB input.

Leica Australia have not said whether they are launching the projector in Australia.