Patent ID: 8425054

Claim:
A projection type image display apparatus, comprising; a light source which emits light; an optical system which includes a first array lens and a second array lens and a superimposing lens; a light valve which receives light passed through the optical system; a projection lens which projects the light from the light valve; and a light-masking unit to adjust a light masking amount by turning or moving a plurality of light masks which masks light beams between the first array lens and the second array lens, wherein: the first array lens has a plurality of lens cells arranged in a first direction and a second direction, including: 1) at least one center lens cell contacting an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, 2) at least one first adjacent lens cell adjacent to the at least one center lens cell in the first direction away from the optical axis, and 3) at least one second adjacent lens cell adjacent to the at least one center lens cell in the second direction away from the optical axis, in one light-masking condition, the light-masking unit masks light beams between the first array lens and the second array lens so that not less than 80% of the amount of light which is emitted from the light source and reaches the light valve is masked by the plurality of light masks; both a light beam through the at least one center lens cell and a light beam through the at least one first adjacent lens cell are partially light-masked; a light beam through the at least one second adjacent lens cell is entirely light-masked; and light masking ratio of the light beam through the at least one center lens cell is different from a light masking ratio of the light beam through the at least one first adjacent lens cell.