Panasonic’s new 42,000-lumen 4K laser projectors powered a monumental projection-mapping spectacle across both sides of the Hungarian Parliament Building and the Chain Bridge
Wiesbaden, Germany, August 2026 – Panasonic Projector & Display’s latest high-brightness projection technology played a central role in Hungary’s St Stephen’s Day celebrations, illuminating some of Budapest’s most recognisable landmarks as part of an ambitious city-scale audiovisual production.
Hungary’s St Stephen’s Day, celebrated annually on 20 August, commemorates King Stephen I and the foundation of the Hungarian state. The Budapest celebrations are among the country’s most important public events, traditionally centred on the Parliament Building and the River Danube.
A total of 67 new Panasonic PT‑RQ45K and 16 PT‑RQ35K 3‑Chip DLP™ laser projectors were deployed to create monumental projection mapping onto both sides of the Hungarian Parliament Building and the historic Széchenyi Chain Bridge, as well as buildings along the Pest side of the Danube. The installation represents the largest deployment of Panasonic PT‑RQ45K projectors worldwide to date.
The projections formed part of the main audiovisual show staged along the River Danube. Combining projection mapping with lighting, lasers, drones, music and fireworks, the production transformed the area between Margaret Bridge and the Chain Bridge into a vast visual canvas celebrating Hungary’s history and national identity. Following the main show, the architectural projections on the Parliament Building and Chain Bridge continued into the night, extending the experience for visitors across central Budapest.
Record-breaking deployment of the PT‑RQ45K
Designed for large-scale live events, projection mapping and immersive experiences, the new Panasonic PT‑RQ45K combines 42,000 lumens of brightness and 4K image reproduction in a compact body comparable in size to the established PT‑RQ35K Series.
As the world’s smallest and lightest 4K projector in its brightness class, the PT‑RQ45K simplifies transportation, rigging and installation. Compatibility with current-generation Panasonic D3LE lenses, frames and flight cases also enables rental and production companies to integrate the new model efficiently into existing projector fleets.
Panasonic’s proprietary Quad Pixel Drive technology produces smooth, detailed 4K images with a maximum resolution of 3840 × 2400 pixels. Features including a built-in five-inch Color Information Monitor, standard 12G‑SDI input, Intel® SDM-compatible slot and Remote Preview support efficient setup and reliable operation in complex multi-projector productions.
A major collaborative production
Delivering the projection required close cooperation between several specialist companies. The overall event was delivered by Centrum Production, with Dániel Besnyő serving as the Director and Overall Project Lead, Gergő Geltz as Head of Light Art Content, and Mátyás Kálmán as Artistic Director.
Completed within just six weeks, the wider multidisciplinary production brought together more than 300 companies and more than 1,000 professionals, including engineers, technicians, manufacturers, production specialists, filmmakers and creative teams. The artistic production itself was also a major collaborative effort, bringing together leading representatives of Hungary’s light art community: six light art studios and eight independent light artists contributed to the creation of the animations and visual content.
Dániel Besnyő of Centrum Production, who was responsible for the overall project, said:
“Having worked with Panasonic projectors on Hungary’s National Day celebrations in Budapest in previous years, we already knew that we could rely on their performance. For a production of this scale and complexity, we needed technology capable of delivering outstanding brightness, image quality and consistent operation across an exceptionally large installation. The new PT‑RQ45K provided the reliability, flexibility and visual impact required to bring our creative vision to life.”
The record-breaking installation demonstrated the capabilities of the new Panasonic PT‑RQ45K in one of Europe’s most demanding outdoor projection environments, combining exceptional brightness, image consistency and operational reliability on an unprecedented scale.
Image credit: Antonio Pagano
About the Panasonic Group
Founded in 1918, and today a global leader in developing innovative technologies and solutions for wide-ranging applications in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, industry, communications, and energy sectors worldwide, the Panasonic Group switched to an operating company system on April 1, 2022, with Panasonic Holdings Corporation serving as a holding company and eight companies positioned under its umbrella. The Group reported consolidated net sales of Euro 54.12 billion (8,496.4 billion yen) for the year ended March 31, 2024. To learn more about the Panasonic Group, please visit: https://holdings.panasonic/global/
About Panasonic Connect Europe GmbH
Panasonic Connect Europe began operations on October 1st, 2021, creating a new Business-to-Business focused and agile organisation. With more than 400 employees and led by CEO Kentaro Ikeda, the business aims to contribute to the success of its customers with innovative products and integrated systems and services – all designed to deliver its vision to Change Work, Advance Society and Connect to Tomorrow.
To learn more about the Panasonic Connect Europe, please visit: https://eu.connect.panasonic.com/gb/en
About MEVIX
MEVIX delivers high-performance projection, display, and collaboration technologies designed to connect people, places, and ideas. Formerly Panasonic Connect, MEVIX continues its legacy of engineering excellence and reliability across industries — from live events to mission-critical government operations.
To learn more about MEVIX please visit https://eu.connect.panasonic.com/gb/en/MEVIX
