Sony VPL-HW10 - Image Quality2

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Art Feierman

Shadow Detail Performance

The VPL-HW10 does very well in terms of shadow detail. Not the best of the better projectors, but close. One thing I've definitely noticed, is that anything the Sony gives up in shadow detail, it makes up for, with a particularly punchy look to dark images. I found the Sony to really perform well on dark scenes, without looking a little washed out, as some projectors with great shadow detail, but less than impressive black levels tend to appear.

VPL-HW10

Panasonic PT-AE3000

Epson Home Cinema 1080

The comparison images below are from Space Cowboys. This is a very dark scene with Clint Eastwood, on Blu-ray disc. The photos are intentionally way overexposed. Look for the blacks in the shades, and the details in those shades in the form of the white trim. (At this level of overexposure, don't even worry about the skin tones, as in these type of photos they always look terrible, and way oversaturated/too high contrast).

First image is the VPL-HW10, followed by the Panasonic PT-AE3000U, the Mitsubishi HC7000. Then comes the the older, but higher end Sony VW60. The last two in the sequence are the InFocus IN83 and the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB.

The Sony VPL-HW10's performance is very good, at revealing details in the window shades, in this very dark scene.

VPL-HW10

PT-AE3000U

HC7000

VPL-VW60

IN83

HC1080UB