BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow Detail Posted on June 16, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. BenQ W1080ST Home Theater Projector Review - BenQ W1080ST Projector Highlights - BenQ W1080ST Projector Overview2. BenQ W1080ST Special Features - W1080ST 3D - ESPN 3D is toast! - BenQ 3D Glasses3. Gaming with the BenQ W1080ST - Gaming with the BenQ W1080ST - W1080ST Brilliant Color - The image from Fast Money on CNBC was taken with Brilliant Color on - Full Color Management System - CMS4. W1080ST ISF certification - W1080ST ISF certification - W1080ST Smart-Eco mode - W1080ST Audio - W1080ST Lamp Life5. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Appearance - BenQ W1080ST Projector - Appearance - W1080ST Control Panel - W1080ST Projector - Input/Output6. BenQ W1080ST Menus - 3D Sub Menu - BenQ W1080ST Remote Control - BenQ W1080ST Lens Throw - BenQ W1080ST Lens Shift - BenQ W1080ST Anamorphic Lens - Widescreen7. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Image Quality - BenQ W1080ST Out of the Box Picture Quality - BenQ W1080ST Projector - Skin Tones8. BenQ W1080ST Projector: Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color - Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color9. BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow Detail - BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Shadow Detail Performance10. Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: W1080ST Projector – Bottom Line - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: W1080ST Projector - Bottom Line - BenQ W1080ST - Overall Color & Picture Quality11. BenQ W1080ST Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content12. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Performance - BenQ W1080ST Brightness - BenQ W1080ST Calibrated: User 1 "best" mode = 1446 lumens - BenQ W1080ST Projector Modes: Image Comparison - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode):13. W1080ST Lamp Brightness Eco, Smart-Eco vs. Full Power - W1080ST Lamp Brightness Eco, Smart-Eco vs. Full Power - BenQ W1080ST Pre-Calibration Color temp - W1080ST, Post Calibration, Best Mode (User 1) - BenQ W1080ST 3D Brightness14. BenQ W1080ST Sharpness - BenQ W1080ST Sharpness - BenQ W1080ST: Bottom Line Sharpness15. BenQ W1080ST Performance: Light Leakage - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise16. BenQ W1080ST Projector Calibration and Settings - BenQ W1080ST Color Temperature - Color Temp over IRE Range (Various Modes): - BenQ W1080ST Basic Settings17. BenQ W1080ST Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - BenQ W1080ST Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - W1080ST RGB Settings - W1080ST Post Calibration settings 18. BenQ W1080ST Projector Advanced Calibration - Color Management Settings - CMS Calibration - Calibration Charts and Graphics19. W1080ST Projector Screen Recommendations - W1080ST Projector Screen Recommendations20. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Warranty - BenQ W1080ST Projector - Warranty21. BenQ W1080ST – Review Summary - BenQ W1080ST Projector - The Bottom Line22. The Very Bottom Line on the W1080ST projector - The Very Bottom Line on the W1080ST projector: - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Pros and Cons - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Pros - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Cons23. BenQ W1080ST Projector Specifications BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow DetailWe start with black level performance as usual. The BenQ W1080ST is neither a $3000 projector nor can it produce the kind of blacks we expect from those far more expensive (at the very least – twice the price – but typically $2500+). OK, so now you know this isn’t a great dedicated home theater projector. Still, some nights you’ll want to turn out all the lights and watch a great movie with the best possible picture. I’m pleased to report that black levels are very good for the price range. The W1080ST, not only outperforms a number of similarly priced DLP projectors (2D and 3D ones), but it offers better blacks than the Epson Home Cinema 3020 even with that projector’s dynamic iris engaged. That projector is half again more expensive. I’ve watched a few movies in the last month in the theaters. Most recently Les Miz. Considering the ambient lighting level in the theater (here in California), I can say that the W1080ST, in a fully dark room, has better blacks than Les Miz did in a large Regal theater. The W1070 is just about 1/3 stop less exposed, otherwise they should look virtually identical. (How the W1070 image got stretched, I’m not sure) Acer H9500BD (below) – this projector shared our Best In Class award last year, with the older HC3010. As was the case last year, the Acer – which had the best black levels in the price range, still does a better job on blacks than the newer W1080ST. Sony VPL-HW50ES (LCoS projector $3,699): This is what you want. A massively overexposed starship, while the letterbox and the black of space is still very dark. BenQ W7000: This BenQ is really a home theater projector rather than a home entertainment one. It definitely does better on blacks – it is one of only three under $2000 reviewed projectors so far, that we consider “ultra high contrast.” BenQ W1080STBenQ W1070Epson Home Cinema 3020e ($1899)Acer H9500BDOptoma HD33: (2D, 3D)Optoma HD23: (Different than the HD33, and 2D only) neither are a match for the BenQPanasonic PT-AR100U projector: (2D only, $1199) The BenQ is better at blacks.Mitsubishi HC4000: An OLD favorite (3 year old projector), that was one of the best at blacks (a bit more expensive)Sony VPL-HW50ES (LCoS projector $3,699)Vivitek H1080FD ($899)BenQ W7000PreviousNext Shadow Detail PerformanceLet’s start with a night scene from The Hunger Games. This is a scene that looks best with both great black level performance, and great shadow detail: (click for the larger image which is more overexposed to better determine black and dark shadow detail abilities. Note that much of the dark areas are flat without any detail. They aren’t that black, which is the black level issue. The detail is reasonably good compared for others, but even there there’s some detail missing, notably detectable in the whole lower left and lower center area. Below is a favorite image for looking at dark shadow detail. It’s also a good test of black level performance. As already noted, the black levels of the W1080ST are very good for a non “ultra-high-contrast” projector. Dark shadow detail of the W1080ST projector is excellent. Note the details in the dark of the woods on the right, and easier, look at all those shrubs on the other side of the tracks on the far right. Wow! OK, it’s easier to see the darkest shadow detail on projectors that lack super-dark blacks, but this shadow detail is great even for a projector with only good black level performance. BenQ W1080ST: Showing a little less detail than the W1070 below it, but that’s due to the also spottable difference in exposure, with the W1080ST slightly less overexposed. Shadow Detail Performance details slideshow Shadow Detail Performance details Acer H9500BD ($1595): Much better blacks, not so good on shadow details Shadow Detail Performance details Mitsubishi HC4000 Shadow Detail Performance details Epson Home Cinema 3020: There may be some color shifts, but the shadow detail is about identical. Shadow Detail Performance details Optoma HD33 Shadow Detail Performance details Viewsonic Pro8200 Shadow Detail Performance details Sony VPL-HW50ES: A big bucks top performer that's four times the price, and drastically better on blacks. Shadow Detail Performance details BenQ W1070 Shadow Detail Performance details BenQ W1080ST Shadow Detail Performance details The W1080ST 1. BenQ W1080ST Home Theater Projector Review - BenQ W1080ST Projector Highlights - BenQ W1080ST Projector Overview2. BenQ W1080ST Special Features - W1080ST 3D - ESPN 3D is toast! - BenQ 3D Glasses3. Gaming with the BenQ W1080ST - Gaming with the BenQ W1080ST - W1080ST Brilliant Color - The image from Fast Money on CNBC was taken with Brilliant Color on - Full Color Management System - CMS4. W1080ST ISF certification - W1080ST ISF certification - W1080ST Smart-Eco mode - W1080ST Audio - W1080ST Lamp Life5. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Appearance - BenQ W1080ST Projector - Appearance - W1080ST Control Panel - W1080ST Projector - Input/Output6. BenQ W1080ST Menus - 3D Sub Menu - BenQ W1080ST Remote Control - BenQ W1080ST Lens Throw - BenQ W1080ST Lens Shift - BenQ W1080ST Anamorphic Lens - Widescreen7. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Image Quality - BenQ W1080ST Out of the Box Picture Quality - BenQ W1080ST Projector - Skin Tones8. BenQ W1080ST Projector: Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color - Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color9. BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow Detail - BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Shadow Detail Performance10. Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: W1080ST Projector – Bottom Line - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: W1080ST Projector - Bottom Line - BenQ W1080ST - Overall Color & Picture Quality11. BenQ W1080ST Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content12. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Performance - BenQ W1080ST Brightness - BenQ W1080ST Calibrated: User 1 "best" mode = 1446 lumens - BenQ W1080ST Projector Modes: Image Comparison - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode):13. W1080ST Lamp Brightness Eco, Smart-Eco vs. Full Power - W1080ST Lamp Brightness Eco, Smart-Eco vs. Full Power - BenQ W1080ST Pre-Calibration Color temp - W1080ST, Post Calibration, Best Mode (User 1) - BenQ W1080ST 3D Brightness14. BenQ W1080ST Sharpness - BenQ W1080ST Sharpness - BenQ W1080ST: Bottom Line Sharpness15. BenQ W1080ST Performance: Light Leakage - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise16. BenQ W1080ST Projector Calibration and Settings - BenQ W1080ST Color Temperature - Color Temp over IRE Range (Various Modes): - BenQ W1080ST Basic Settings17. BenQ W1080ST Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - BenQ W1080ST Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - W1080ST RGB Settings - W1080ST Post Calibration settings 18. BenQ W1080ST Projector Advanced Calibration - Color Management Settings - CMS Calibration - Calibration Charts and Graphics19. W1080ST Projector Screen Recommendations - W1080ST Projector Screen Recommendations20. BenQ W1080ST Projector – Warranty - BenQ W1080ST Projector - Warranty21. BenQ W1080ST – Review Summary - BenQ W1080ST Projector - The Bottom Line22. The Very Bottom Line on the W1080ST projector - The Very Bottom Line on the W1080ST projector: - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Pros and Cons - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Pros - BenQ W1080ST Projector: Cons23. BenQ W1080ST Projector Specifications BenQ W1080ST Projector: Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: W1080ST Projector – Bottom Line