Abstract: An optical design is described to be used in a color projection system. The system comprises a white light source (52), a light splitting means to split the white beam into color subbeams, optical components to direct each color subbeam on a light modulating means (56) and a dichroic prism (70). The light splitting means and the optical components are arranged such that each of the images of the color subbeams imaged on the light modulating means (56) has equal size and orientation, i.e. such that the magnification of the color subimage on the light modulating means (56) is equal. This is obtained by providing equal light paths for each color subbeam or by providing optical components such that either all different color images on the screen are inverted or none of the different color images are inverted.