Optoma HD73 Projector Review - Image Quality
Optoma HD73
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons
As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, image quality is the key strength of the HD73. With classic DLP "film-like" performance, and especially good black levels for such an affordable projector, it is very satisfying to watch, especially on challenging movie content.
The overall color balance - out of the box, is very good. Just minor color adjustment, as I will cover in the next section takes it from very good to excellent.
Flesh tones are very natural, and when watching content that has director adjusted color balance, it is apparent that the shift is part of the movie, not an issue with the projector's capabilities.
Let's start with skin tones. I have prepared the usual collection of images. Please remember, there is no accurate way to first, capture the images, and second put them up on our site, and third, be seen on your computer, with its unique characteristics, and expect to see what I saw when taking these images. So, take them with a grain of salt. There is much you can tell, but they can be misleading, especially regarding saturation. For example, n my own laptop, when viewing images from my site, I find them a touch oversaturated. OK, let's go:
Gandalf above, and Arwen, below from Lord of the Rings (standard DVD), set the tone (ok, pun intended)- and they both look good!
More standard DVD, from The Fifth Element:
Will Smith, in I, Robot (standard DVD):
Moving to hi-def DVDs - from Aeon Flux:
(Note the strong blacks/near blacks in these two images above.)
From Phantom of the Opera (HD-DVD):
HD73 Image sharpness is good. I'm not sure if there have been minor improvements, but the HD73 just seems little bit sharper than the HD72. Most likely it is the result of the higher contrast rate, but the net result is that the image is nice and sharp. It can't match the Sanyo PLV-Z5, but then the PLV-Z5 has a more visible pixel structure, which enhances your feeling of a sharp image, but doesn't provide more detail
Consider this image from Aeon Flux (HD-DVD) look at the sparkle in her eye, the detail in her hair above her forehead, eyebrows, and strands of hair:
Panasonic PT-AX100U: An LCD projector, but with their Smooth Screen Technology, the end result, no pixel visibility, but some softness.
Sanyo PLV-Z5, generally considered one of the very sharpest 720p projectors:
Planar 7060: A recently reviewed, more expensive competitor that also offers the Darkchip3 DLP chip:
You'll find this slightly cropped image of the monitor in a number of recent reviews, for comparison purposes.
One more for comparison:
Epson Cinema 810:
Sanyo PLV-Z5:
If you worked your way through these images, and some of the others on competing projectors, you get the feeling that the HD73 is about in the middle when it comes to sharpness. Now let's put that in perspective.
Since you are likely to be limited to a 100" diagonal screen, consider where you are sitting. Chances are, that any difference between the Optoma and the sharpest of the 720p's is slight, certainly so, compared to any of the 1080p projectors.
HD73 Black Levels and Shadow Detail
Despite the Darkchip3, the black levels are not world class. There are other DC3 powered projectors out there that produce blacker blacks. That said, the HD73's performance seems to exceed any of the Darkchip2 projectors in the price range. This was also true for the Optoma HD7100 which also uses a DC3. It had good blacks, but definitely not as good as, say, the BenQ PE-8720, which I currently own.
Let's start with shadow detail. The first image is from Phantom, the second one, is the same image overexposed. You can, as with most images, click for larger versions:
As you can see above, the HD73 does a very good job of revealing detai in the darkest parts of this scene, notably in the walls on the right and left. The frescos on the wall are vivid, and you can make out the small openings in the wall, although they are not as easily recognizable as on projectors with noticeably better black levels, including the BenQ PE8720, and several of the new 1080p projectors.
Here's another standard pair of images from Lord of the Rings. The first is normally exposed, the second, overexposed to reveal the shadow detail the camera loses.
Below is a favorite image - standard DVD - from The Fifth Element
Next is the same frame, but overexposed. I've left in the letterbox area to give you a better idea of the background blacks.
For comparison, below is the same "starship" frame, shot on the Panasonic PT-AX100U:
Note that the overexposed Panasonic image isn't quite as overexposed as the Optoma's I have done a simple brightening so that it is close.
The Mitsubishi HC3000 - a Darkchip2 DLP projector which at the time of review demonstrated especially good black levels. In fact the HC3000 seems to reveal more stars with fairly similar exposures. Compare this image to the first one of the HD73, and you get the idea, that the HD73 has only a slight advantage in blacks over the HC3000. Better blacks and shadow detail, point of putting in the Darkchip3, so Optoma is successful in that regard.
Some additional favorite "dark images" for your consideration, starting with these from Sin City (standard DVD).
Space Cowboys (HD-DVD):
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Here's an image below, that is going to be a regular for looking at shadow detail (again from Space Cowboys). In this case, the first image is from the Optoma HD73 projector, click on it, and the enlarged version is significantly overexposed. Look to how much detail there is on the right side. Immediately below that is the same basic image from the best projector we have ever tested in terms of shadow detail, the $6295 JVC RS1.
A similar frame on the JVC RS1:
A pretty amazing difference - between a very good under $2000 projector and the best under $10,000 projector. You really appreciate it on the large screen. With the Optoma, much of the far right just looks flat - dark gray no details at all, while the JVC produces significant dark detail, and no sense of a large chunk of the screen being free of information. Also, the blacks themselves are much blacker!
The image above is another good test we plan to continue using. There is lots of detail in the satellite section on the left side. The HD73 does well. Still definitely far behind the two 1080p projectors with the best black levels, but very acceptable for serious viewers.
Time to comment on Optoma's ImageAI, where they adjust the image to enhance black levels and shadow detail, with the lamp, and electronics, not an iris. The firs image below, of a starscape is shot with ImageAI engaged. The second one has the same exposure, etc., but I opened the Optoma's menu which has some significant white areas. Due to the bright white areas, the ImageAI can't really function (without making the whites much darker). You see the end result in the "black of space" The first image has blacker blacks (and a few more stars). The second one lightens up everything. Again, this is very typical of systems that dynamically improve black levels - they are basically ineffective if there is any significant amount of pure white (or maximum brightness of any color) in a scene.
Remember, the exposures are exactly the same. (The menu is blown out, because the overall images are overexposed so that you can see more of the differences.
Now I realize that I'm using a lot of space scenes for all this, but please understand, dark scenes in any movie have the same issues, so basically any night scene, or really dark rooms. For example, here is an image of Clint Eastwood in his workroom in Space Cowboys, with only a small table light on. The room is extremely dark with lesser projectors showing no information in most of the scene.
Since this is a new image, again, I really only have the JVC to compare it too, so don't feel bad:
The exposures aren't quite the same, with the Optoma a touch darker overall, but look at the huge difference in Clint's face, and especially in the walls behind him. Even with more detail and a slightly brighter exposure, the black areas to the right are blacker on the JVC.
This image from Aeon Flux is also available on a number of other $2000 price range projectors. Look to the detail in the table, including the shadows cast.
Enough - the Optoma HD73 performs very well on black levels and shadow detail. It may not be able to match some of the dynamic iris projectors on really dark scenes with no bright areas, but on most dark scenes it will outperform almost all if the similarly priced competition.
Optoma HD73 - General Image Quality
The Optoma HD73 starts with very good color out of the box, and as noted, with just minor adjustments gets better. Here's what you can expect (of course it will look a lot better and larger in your darkened room, without the loss of shadow detail and some "crushed near whites" (that come out white), that comes from the whole photography process.
These first few are from a DTS/Blue-Ray demo disk. They should blow you away!
Now how about some HDTV, starting with the Superbowl
And back to DVD:
OK, that pretty much does it! Hopefully you all can still see straight! Our General Performance section is next. There you can learn about the menu system, remote control, Audible noise, projector brightness, projector screen recommendations and much more.
Optoma HD73
Image Quality
General Performance
Warranty
Summary, Pros, Cons