Epson Home Cinema 5010 - Competitors

Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Panasonic PT-AE7000

Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Optoma HD8300

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The Optoma HD8300 is on the left on all of the images.

I have to say that price is probably the biggest difference between these two projectors. The Optoma, though is a good example of a good single chip DLP. The Optoma has a really good looking image, although technically, the Epson has a modest advantage in black levels.

With the HD8300 you get that DLP look, which I've always tried to define an image that offers particularly rich darker colors, that pop, but aren't over the top... (at least as a distinguishing feature of a good DLP projector).

The Epson wins in all the usual areas - far lower price, longer/better warranty, brighter by far in brightest mode, greater placement flexibility, smoother iris action.

Both calibrate well enough, to produce a great "best picture"

The Optoma HD8300, by comparison is a bit brighter in "best mode" (the Optoma offers about 750 lumens at best, vs about 630). That DLP "look and feel", and it has support for an anamorphic lens.

The images are from the 3D and 2D disc Legends of Flight, one of the discs I rely on heavily for viewing a projector's 3D abilities.
All considered, the Optoma is a very nice projector, but ultimately, it's hard do justify the roughly 50% price premium over the Epson.

If you love DLP projectors and the Optoma works in your environment, it offers a slightly rougher around the edges DLP projector, not quite as nice as say the Runco single chip, which lacks those rough edges... For those on a tight budget, though, the Epson certainly is easy to justify as the better choice.