Comments on: Panasonic PT-AE7000 Projector vs. Epson Home Cinema 5010

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 05:46:36 +0000

Hi Chuck,

Everything comes into play in the “Worship” arena. When I was a “dealer” we sold several thousand projectors to churches of all sizes. It comes down to your screen, the lighting, both ambient and controlled… Projectors – even bright ones, really aren’t designed to do large images in “brightly lit” areas…

Drop me an email, at reviewer@projectorreviews.com, and I’ll see if I can point you in a couple of “right directions”. -art

By: Chuck Crow

Chuck Crow — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:01:27 +0000

Hi Art, I’m new to projectors, but my Church Pastor asked me to look into them for our church. It would be ceiling mounted in an approx. 40′ wide by 80′ deep room. I would like to know the specs {lumens, contrast ratio, etc.} needed for such an area (sometimes brightly lit}. We would play music videos, movies, etc., and would like to include 3D, HDMI, 1080p, 16:9 technology. Also, what screen size would you recommend? Most websites I’ve looked at list Home Theater projectors. Would these work in a Worship setting of this size? We are a small Church with a small budget, so I’d like to stay in about a $5,000 range. Thank you for your time and effort. Chuck Crow

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:15:31 +0000

Hi Michael, If you are really happy with the Panasonic PT-AE7000, and your requirements are the same, I’d say stick with it. If there’s something you don’t like, or specifically find lacking, then start looking around. -art

By: Michael Adler

Michael Adler — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:11:06 +0000

Art, thanks for the response. In my case I use the projector for imaging still,high resolution pictures. Detail is a big deal for me as is the ability to resolve small differences in brightness in bright areas of the picture such as in cloud detail. I bought the AE7000 and have found that it can match my computer monitor in resolving these small brightness differences. However, I live in two locations and am looking to buy another projector and want to get the best one for my purposes.
Mike Adler

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:59:33 +0000

Hi Michael, Both projectors have various controls. I tend to leave the sharpness and dynamic controls in their normal positions, and that can make a difference. I will adjust if one gets over the top. Edge sharpening type contrast and dynamic versions do make a difference. I will be dragging an Epson to Vegas for CES, where I’ll be hooking up with Evan for our own little shootout against the Panasonic they provided him. Will be much fun. Evan and I go back more than a decade…
He and I have already discussed this same matter, and it’s on the list. We’ll no doubt be comparing related controls. As I told Evan, so far, “it may well be” but which is more important – and to whom: A touch more “sharpness” or better blacks on dark scenes. This, I think, will be the primary debate! -art

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:17:02 +0000

Hi Pete,
2D – 3D conversion is not for me. I think it will be a personal call. the issues:
1. the conversion always looks like 3D
2. there are artifacts – 3D thats just wrong, like the a street lamp looking to be 25 feet away, but the light on the top being 50 feet away on the wrong side of the street…
3. To suffer – incorrect 3D (oh it’s not terrible), you have to wear the glasses, view a less bright image…

I just don’t think it’s ready for primetime, but I can see a lot of kids watching their old Disney in the conversion mode…

Remember, everyone’s fav bitch is about wearing glasses… -art

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:08:18 +0000

Hi Bert,

Ahh, I really opened a can of worms. Technically, sure, firmware updates could activate these features – as I can’t imagine there’s any real hardware that would need changing. That said, to date, Epson has always updated by bringing the projectors back in – and since they pay freight both ways, that’s at least very expensive to bring back “all of them”.

do I think Epson will allow CFI and the Dynamic Iris to work in 3D on the 5010, via update? I don’t really know. I seriously doubt it, for the following reasons:

1. 3D tends to be dark – we all know, so without very bright 3D, dark areas (like everything else) will be relatively dark, in 3D so less of an issue.
2. Remember, there’s nothing out there I’ve seen (or anyone, to my knowledge) that can match or beat the black levels of this $2700 projector, without spending 2x the price or more. And more to the point, the 5010, can pretty much do blacks with the iris off, that rival most lower cost projectors with their irises engaged, including the Epson 3010. (So, the issue, is technically a bigger one for 3010 owners).
3. CFI – So far, CFI and 3D haven’t impressed me together – I still see more 3D related issues, than any benefit from CFI. Whether the Sony, the Acer, or anything I’ve had, in between. That is, when I watched a small football on a kick off, with 2 different CFI (in 3D) projectors, in both cases, with CFI Off, On low, or on high, the ball would disappear in and out of space. Similar for other fast motion. So while the CFI is no doubt working, I suspect most of us won’t “appreciate it” in 3D the way we do in 2D because there are other greater distractions. Also remember, not all projectors offering CFI in 3D are offering it for both 60hz and 24hz starting content.

Hey, my job is to help you guys decide… While I would like very much to see the dynamic iris activated (and probably the Super-Resoution, I don’t consider these huge issues. Remember, the Epson’s blacks in 3D with no dynamic iris, for example will easily be darker than the blacks on the Epson 3010, the Mitsubishi HC4000 and other lower priced models. The Acer 9500BD which surprised us with “entry level” ultra high contrast performance, is probably about comparable in 2D blacks with the Epson doing 3D blacks (no iris)…

The one place where I really felt this was important, and the reason I devoted a lot of words to it in the review (and here), is in the head to head against the PT-AE7000. As I said, the Panny has the edge in 3D due to blacks, and at the same time, the Epson has the advantage over the Panny in 2D. Given a choice, I’m going to take the better blacks in 2D, since 3D blacks are darker to start… -art

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:49:58 +0000

Hi Scott,

No, I keep asking but I seriously doubt that they will make changes to the 5010 re Iris or CFI. As to CFI, perhaps it’s the way I see 3D, but where I have had the opportunity to watch 3D with CFI on (several projectors), the 3D effects – ghosting, etc. don’t seem to be much affected by CFI, so the result is, whatever it seems to be doing successfully when in 3D is more than offset by other 3D visuals, that remain. That is, when an arm is swinging fast – it tends to almost move in and out of existence when in 3D. Turning on CFI, and it’s still slips in and out, but there is also some smoothing that’s detectable, but the “artifacts” are far, far more noticeable (to me). Thus, I have commented that CFI in 3D should be a plus, but, due to the above, no where’s near the big deal it is for many in 2D. -art

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:36:59 +0000

Hi, just catching up on comments, and saw yours and a couple others. Thought I had put up the numbers, will take care of, as soon as I post this Sony VW95ES review, that’s starting to go live this afternoon and finished tomorrow. By monday morning on the Epson Cal info. (I truly hope).

By: Art Feierman

Art Feierman — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:34:47 +0000

Hi Stephen,

Ouch, didn’t realize I hadn’t updated. it. I’m posting a Sony VW95ES review today/tomorrow. Will also get the calibration page for the Epson up, before sunrise on Monday… (I truly hope).