For 3D, I like “the bigger the better” but ultimately if it comes down to brightness, remember, you can always reduce the image size to say 100″ for 3D. With those glasses on, you won’t really notice your screen / letterboxing.

Since you have the PT-AE7000 play around with it. check out the different modes in terms of quality, and you can use our performance or calibration pages for the relative brightness differences. Use low lamp on your 106, and do the the math. Full power on a 120 should be pretty close to low power on a 100″.

1. movies – and you are on a tight budget. – hey if you had a few grand more to through at this, as a movie person, you’d almost certainly opt for a projector with better blacks, like the 8700UB, or a Sony Pro1, or… So, with budget tight, a moderate screen (100″) and good lighting control, then the gray will let you lower your blacks (you’ll appreciate in the letterbox areas especially). You still have plenty of brightness, and the elite grey isn’t that dark a grey, so it’s not extreme.

2. Photography. You’ll like those “blacker blacks” on those photos as well

3. Even with lighting control the hc gray screen will reject a some side lighting allowing more use of sconces etc on side walls if you want low light but want to keep most of it “off the screen”

downside, any HC grey screen will have some roll off to the sides and corners although this one is very moderate.

I’m trying to decide between this Vapex screen (100″) and an Elete ezFrame white (R100WH1) or grey (R100H1), to be paired with the Epson 8350. The Vapex packages these for $373 more than the projector (with a bunch of other stuff I don’t need). I can get the Elete white or grey shipped for $403 or $387, respectively. So price is currently a tie for these. I have a basement room with good light control, couch 13′ or less away. Mostly watch movies but I also do photography (although I’ve never considered using a tv for photography before). Any thoughts on Vapex vs. Elete? And for Elete, grey vs. white?

So far we do very few screens, just enough to give people an idea about what they get with different surfaces and prices… Sorry, not very complete, and I’ve never seen a Severtson screen though I’ve heard of them. Can’t help.

I am wondering if you have done any reviews on Severtson screens. How would a 135″ VApex (white fixed screen) compare in quality to a 135″ Legacy II Severtson white fixed screen. I know price wise there is about a $700 difference in price.

Thanks.

Thanks for the feedback. Overall, I’d just let it go as saying that the VAPex is a nice entry level screen. The Carada is the better, probably a touch more neutral, etc. Worth the difference – no doubt, depends on budget. If I was buying $999, the low cost screen makes a lot of sense. If buying $2000+, probably the Carada is proportionally priced right. Hey, if buying something like a JVC projector, then the discussion goes to – is the Stewart Studiotek 130 worth the extra $1200+ over the Carada, and so on.

Remember the old saying – your “…….fill in the blank….” is only as good as the weakest link. These days, that’s usually first, poor content (SD TV and DVD), probably next followed by projector picture quality. Screens are less significant (within competing screen surfaces), but can still make a difference. I on occasion switch between my carada, and an motorized Elite that can come down in front of it. Same idea. I stick with the Carada for my photoshoots because I believe it to be a touch more neutral, etc… -art