There are always complaints about pixel alignment on AVS. I think if you look back far enough you’ll find similar complaints about your 8500UB and the 8700UB, and the 6500UB before them… Considering Epson’s almost unquestioning replacement program, I wouldn’t worry about it. It should be more of an issue with any other 3 panel projector, be they Panasonic, JVC, Sony, etc. None will converge perfectly (or that close), but only Epson will replace your projector if you complain that the convergence is way off.
As to upgrading. Two reasons that count: A lot more brightness, and 3D. You’ll also get an improvement in black levels, but even your aging 8500UB can still take on current Panasonics and Mitsubishis, with only JVCs and Sonys being able to do better blacks than what you have (and the newer Epsons of course). -art

Did you see any convergence issues with the 5020? I have been reading about this issue over at AVS and it has me concerned.

Also, how does this latest offering from Epson compare to my much older 8500UB? I am trying to determine if there is enough of an improvement to upgrade.

Thanks for your thoughts.

George

Great question. I’m not sure of the answer, but I’ll take a stab at it. First, recognize that positioning even with the center of the screen is not practical for most folks. They either don’t mount, or they mount up high. High so that people aren’t blocking the image when they are moving around, etc.

Second. Like most things, the optics are hardly simple. Various lens shift schemes have different strengths and weaknesses. In rare cases, for example, we’ve measured more than a 30% difference in brightness, depending on how much lens shift used, and in the case of one old top of the line InFocus, it actually got substantially brighter when use used lots of shift. That may be an issue here, it may be optimized to be at it’s sharpest around the 0 offset points, or it may simply be because Epson recognizes that 0 offset is near where most of us use, and that maximum lens shift is often used by folks with very high ceilings (or a very low table). It may be that at maximum lens shift (and even at center point), the lens setup Epson uses has more optical distortion, is less bright, etc.

I’ve never really attempted to figure out that stuff. Why? because it would seem that if you “need” lots of lens shift, then you are going to mount where you need it to. This may be Epson’s way of saying – yes we give you more lens shift that just about everyone else, but you are best off, not using all of it (for whichever reasons).

Those are my guesses, your’s are probably just as good. I could ask Epson, but they probably don’t really know… -art

I’ve just brought home an Epson 5020UBe thanks in part to your thorough review. It is my first projector! A question for you related to lens shifting. In their setup guide, Epson recommends aligning the lens of the projector with either the top or bottom of the screen. Why wouldn’t they recommend the vertical center of the screen as the optimal position for the lens?

First, both support 1080p 24. It’s always at tough call between these two. From my perspective, you don’t have to worry about brightness, at any point, not even 3D, due to the size and gain of your screen. I never got around to viewing the Panasonic’s 2D to 3D conversion. The Epson’s is not good. Generally I’m not a fan. Mitsubishi’s HC7900 does a much better job than the Epson, but I’m still not watching theirs either for 2D to 3D, I’m too likely to be “observing” the flaws. I think it’s fun, though for personal “home” videos.
I’ve always given the Panny the slight edge on natural, the Epson, a touch more “pop”. You had an anamorphic lens, so I would assume that your 88″ screen is anamorphic? In that case, the Panny’s lens memory is a critical feature for you. The 5020 doesn’t support an anamorphic lens, only the 6020. If you do have a 16:9 screen, then that’s a moot point. However, from your list of items, most would favor the Panny, with just one major exception, and that’s black levels. Both will be a drastic improvement over your NEC, but the Epson definitely is a “cut above” at blacks, but otherwise, including the pricing you mentioned, it would seem the Panasonic is in your immediate future.
Let me know how it turns out. -art