A digital cinema projection apparatus having an illumination source with a first etendue value for providing polarized polychromatic light. A first lens element lies in the path of the polarized polychromatic light for forming a substantially telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam. A color separator separates the telecentric polarized polychromatic light beam into at least two telecentric color light beams. At least two transmissive spatial light modulators modulate the two telecentric color light beams. There is an etendue value associated with each spatial light modulator. The etendue value is within 15% or greater than the first etendue value corresponding to the illumination source. A color combiner combines the modulated color beams along a common optical axis, forming a multicolor modulated beam thereby; and a projection lens directs the multicolor modulated beam toward a display surface.