Having a Sony projector and setting up your home theater are two different ideas. For example, once you set up your home theater, you’ll have to figure out how to zoom in on your Sony Projector to fit your screen correctly.
Although zooming in and adjusting the picture is part of the installation process, sometimes you’ll need to adjust the focus.
However, if there’s ever a time when these settings go astray, you’ll need a handy guide for the future.
Zooming in to adjust your Sony projector is relatively straightforward. Depending on your model, you can use digital zoom or manual zoom. Using Digital Zoom requires the remote control, whereas Manual Zoom requires that you turn a wheel on the projector.
Don’t worry. We’re going to go over the differences in the following sections.
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How to Zoom in Sony Projectors?
The great thing about zooming with Sony projectors is that many models zoom in similarly.
In this section, we’re going to cover how you can do so if you’re using any of the following models:
- VPL-FHZ131L
- VPL-FHZ101L
- VPL-FHZ91L
- VPL-FHZ85
- VPL-FHZ80
- VPL-PHZ60
- VPL-PHZ50
- VPL-CWZ10
- VPL-ZTG380
- VPL-VTG280
- VPL-VW590ES (VPL-VW715ES)
- VPL-VW790ES (VPL-VW915ES)
- VPL-VW890ES (VPL-VW1025ES)
- VPL-VW5000 GTZ-380
- VPL-VW570ES (VPL-VW695ES)
- VPL-VW760ES (VPL-VW885ES)
- VPL-VW870ES (VPL-VW995ES)
Although this list is pretty extensive, the process is similar.
So let’s go ahead and tackle the different ways Sony projectors allow you to zoom in.
We understand this might be overwhelming, so here is a great video that walks you through the process.
Zooming in Using Digital Zoom
Many of the newest models use digital zoom.
Zooming helps enlarge the image to fit your screen. But it also helps if you simply need to make a part of the image bigger.
So, how do you zoom in digitally with your Sony projector? Let’s assume you have a Sony VPL-PHZ60 or VPL-PHZ50.
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- Connect to your PC so the zoom function will work. If it’s not connected, it might not function.
- To start the process, press the D Zoom + key. This will display a zoom icon on the screen, letting you know that you’ve started the process.
- Using the Up, Down, Right, or Left arrow keys on the control, adjust the image as you see fit.
- Next, press the D Zoom + key to zoom in.
- If need be, continue pressing the D Zoom + or – key to zoom in or out.
- You can zoom from 1x to 4x.
- Please note that selecting the lowest setting (1x) will not allow you to adjust the image position.
- Once you’re satisfied with your progress, press the Reset key to return to your screen.
Continue this process until you get the magnification you desire.
The process is easy but monotonous. Nevertheless, the digital zoom function makes it easy to adjust your image size.
Zooming in Using Manual Zoom
If you’re using older Sony models, like the VPL-CWZ10 and VPLCXZ10, and need to zoom in, you might have to toggle the manual zoom functionality.
To do this, locate the zoom wheel, usually located above or below the projector.
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Turn the wheel slightly until you find the correct size you need.
All Other Models on the List
For all other projectors on the list, you’ll use the control Zoom key or the Lens key on your machine, followed by the arrow keys to adjust the image appropriately.
Grab your control and locate your Zoom key. If your control does not have a zoom key, press the Pattern button to toggle between Focus, Zoom, and Shift (in that order.)
Press the Pattern button twice to use the Zoom functionality.
Press the arrow keys to adjust the zoom until you’re satisfied.
How to Adjust the Focus on Sony Projectors?
You finally got the right image size on your projector. Learning how to zoom in and out has paid off. But now you’ve noticed that the image is out of focus. How do you adjust it?
Let’s tackle that in this section.
Depending on which Sony model you have, there are two different ways you can focus your projector. However, both methods are very similar. The key difference here is your control.
Some Sony controls have a Focus button you can easily press to focus your image. Other controls do not have a Focus button. In this case, you’ll have to press the Pattern button to toggle between Focus, Zoom, and Shift (in that order).
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Now, let’s focus our projectors.
- First, turn on your projector.
- Next, project a desired image onto your screen.
- If you’ve zoomed in accordingly, skip this step. Otherwise, zoom in and adjust the image.
Here is where one scenario differs from the other.
Use the remote control, press the Focus key and use the arrow keys to adjust it until the image is sharp.
If your remote control does not have a Focus key, press the Pattern button once to select Focus.
Now use the arrow keys to adjust the picture as desired.
As a side note, it helps if you project an image made of sharp lines that allow you to see how crisp and dark the lines should be. Check out this video that explains the situation.
For Ultra Short Throw Sony Projectors
Perhaps you have an Ultra Short Throw Sony projector like the LSPX-P1. Adjusting the focus will differ from what we mentioned above. Nevertheless, we’ll explain how to do so below.
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First, we’ll need to ensure we have the Ultra Short Throw LSPX-P1 app on our phone. That’s because you’ll do everything on your smartphone.
Let’s get started.
- Launch the app on your smartphone.
- Head to the Settings button and tap on it.
- Navigate to the Focus settings
- Use the < or > to adjust the focus on your image.
If you’re not in the mood to adjust the settings manually, you can always tap on the Autofocus button, which will do it.
We should let you know that there are a couple of scenarios where the autofocus fails to work. If it fails, you’ll need to adjust the focus manually.
The autofocus attempts to measure the distance between your projector and your screen. However, the calculations get thrown off if you have anything in front of the projector.
If you place your projector on a stand, the autofocus will not calculate the autofocus correctly.
Remember that the AC adaptor sometimes blocks the range sensor that calculates your projector and screen distance. Please ensure the AC adaptor doesn’t block it if that’s the case.
If you have a screen that’s more than 60 inches, the range on the autofocus will not function.
Some screen materials may also throw off the autofocus. Therefore if any of the above prevent the autofocus from functioning correctly, the best thing to do is disable it by pressing the Auto button and manually adjusting the focus.
A Properly Zoomed Sony Projector is a Happy Projector
As you can see, many of the Sony projectors have similar ways to zoom in and out. If anything, the difference is insignificant—nevertheless, it’s simple.
On some models, you can use a digital zoom. Other models require a manual zoom. But in every situation, zooming in and out is an easy fix.
James Quintanilla is a technical copywriter. Although his experience allows him to write on many topics, he loves to focus on tech and travel. As a freelancer, James has worked on projects with Pointer Clicker, Lonely Planet, and the Travel Channel. When he’s not writing or planning his next adventure, he’s watching a scary movie.