A color combiner, comprising: a light collection optic having a light input surface and an optical axis; a first and a second light source (140, 150) disposed to inject a first and a second color light (141, 151) into the light input surface, at least one of the first and second light sources (140, 150) displaced from the optical axis; said first and second light sources (140,150) being disposed with respect to said light collection optic such that light emitted from these light sources (140,150) is partially collimated; a first polarization rotating reflector substantially extending along a plane; a dichroic reflective polarizer plate comprising: a first dichroic reflective polarizer tilted with respect to the optical axis to reflect a first polarization direction (142s, 144s, 146s) of the first color light at a first angle toward the first polarization rotating reflector, and transmit other light; and a second dichroic reflective polarizer, different from the first dichroic reflective polarizer, tilted with respect to the optical axis to reflect the first polarization direction (152s, 154s, 156s) of the second color light at a second angle, different from the first angle, toward the first polarization rotating reflector, and transmit other light; wherein the first dichroic reflective polarizer and the second dichroic reflective polarizer are each tilted such that the first and the second color light (141, 151) reflect from the first polarization rotating reflector to form a first combined color polarized light beam (148, 158) having an orthogonal second polarization direction, the first combined color polarized light beam (148, 158) propagating along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first polarization rotating reflector. a light collection optic having a light input surface and an optical axis; a first and a second light source (140, 150) disposed to inject a first and a second color light (141, 151) into the light input surface, at least one of the first and second light sources (140, 150) displaced from the optical axis; said first and second light sources (140,150) being disposed with respect to said light collection optic such that light emitted from these light sources (140,150) is partially collimated; a first polarization rotating reflector substantially extending along a plane; a dichroic reflective polarizer plate comprising: a first dichroic reflective polarizer tilted with respect to the optical axis to reflect a first polarization direction (142s, 144s, 146s) of the first color light at a first angle toward the first polarization rotating reflector, and transmit other light; and a second dichroic reflective polarizer, different from the first dichroic reflective polarizer, tilted with respect to the optical axis to reflect the first polarization direction (152s, 154s, 156s) of the second color light at a second angle, different from the first angle, toward the first polarization rotating reflector, and transmit other light; a first dichroic reflective polarizer tilted with respect to the optical axis to reflect a first polarization direction (142s, 144s, 146s) of the first color light at a first angle toward the first polarization rotating reflector, and transmit other light; and a second dichroic reflective polarizer, different from the first dichroic reflective polarizer, tilted with respect to the optical axis to reflect the first polarization direction (152s, 154s, 156s) of the second color light at a second angle, different from the first angle, toward the first polarization rotating reflector, and transmit other light; wherein the first dichroic reflective polarizer and the second dichroic reflective polarizer are each tilted such that the first and the second color light (141, 151) reflect from the first polarization rotating reflector to form a first combined color polarized light beam (148, 158) having an orthogonal second polarization direction, the first combined color polarized light beam (148, 158) propagating along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first polarization rotating reflector.