Projection Mapping: Panasonic PT-RQ45 Debuts at Lille Video Mapping Festival

Panasonic’s PT-RQ45 projector made its first live deployment at the 2026 Lille Video Mapping Festival in France, where three units transformed the façade of the Opéra de Lille into a large-scale projection mapping display. According to the project team, a comparable installation previously required six 20,000-lumen projectors. 

The annual festival attracted more than 200,000 visitors and featured projection mapping installations at 11 locations across the city, with the Opéra de Lille serving as the event’s centerpiece and one of its most technically demanding venues. 

For the installation, three PT-RQ45 projectors were installed in portrait orientation at a projection distance of 42 meters, creating a blended 4K canvas across the building’s 30-meter-high by 42-meter-wide (98 feet by 138 feet) façade.

Video technician Pascal Leroy said the higher-brightness projectors simplified both deployment and infrastructure requirements.

“Three years ago, we needed six 20,000-lumen projectors to cover a similar façade. Now, with three PT-RQ45 units delivering twice the brightness, we achieved the same scale with a much simpler setup,” Leroy said.

The creative work, titled “Le doute de l’air”, was developed by Italian studio Mammasonica. Creator Luca Pulvirenti said the projector’s color accuracy reduced the need for the on-site adjustments often required during projection mapping projects.

Panasonic said the PT-RQ45 delivers 42,000 lumens of brightness and native 4K resolution. The company also highlighted features including a compact chassis, integrated monitoring display and redundancy systems designed for live-event environments.

The project also highlighted how higher-brightness projection systems can reduce the number of projectors required for large-scale mapping installations while simplifying setup and infrastructure requirements.