Navitar Provides New Fisheye Projection Lenses That Create Immersive Experiences

Navitar has taken another step forward in optical projection technology with the launch of the new HemiStar 180°/360° fisheye lenses that allow single projector presentations for multiple applications.

The optical technology company Navitate has developed a new series of HemiStar fisheye projection lenses for immersive presentation experiences, such as planetarium shows, Projections in immersive environments or spherical digital signage. Designed to project images onto curved surfaces, The lenses have been installed in numerous spaces, as the Drake Planetarium & Science Center de Cincinnati (Us.).

The Drake Planetarium has recently installed an HS28 lens with a Panasonic PT-DW6300 projector to project content from 180 degrees in its dome of 30 feet. The Drake had been using an antiquated projector with a flat field lens placed on the outer edge of the dome to project onto a small section of the curved surface..

Nate Banzhof, planetarium educator at the Drake Planetarium, has pointed out: "We built our own system around the HemiStar lenses., which allowed us to deliver content throughout the dome for a fraction of the cost of an external drive”.

Versatile solutions

With a long depth of focus, HemiStar lenses are also well suited for use in both single and multi-projector applications, including inflatable planetariums, Small and medium and spherical display systems.

Julian Goldstein, co-president of Navitar, has noted that “the beauty of HemiStar lenses is in their versatility. The range of applications is truly unlimited: Rear projection, Dome projection, Planetary... Whatever.”

According to Navitar, its HemiStar lenses are compatible with major projector brands such as InFocus, Panasonic Optoma, projectiondesign, Digital Projection, Christie, Sanyo and Eiki.