BenQ W1080ST Projector: Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Art Feierman

Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color

As noted on the first page, the color palette shrinks, contrast goes up with BC. Turn it off for a more natural image. The thing is, it will calibrate slightly differently. Thus you could use one User for calibrating with Brilliant Color On, and another with it off. That is, that could be your plan if you've got the gear to calibrate, or the money to spend. If you are happy with BC on, try our calibration settings - they definitely did the job well for us.

Below, two images from The Hunger Games. The first has Brilliant Color Off, the second has it On, all other settings are the same. These images were taken with exactly the same exposure. Unfortunately they came out a bit dark but you can study the differences. Note which version has smoother transitions in the skin tones, especially where approaching the brightest "whites" on the left of her forehead. Brilliant Color on seems brighter, but also more contrasty, as one would expect. Fortunately BenQ's Brilliant Color implementation isn't as "over the top" as some others.

The image has Brilliant Color Off

The image has Brilliant Color On

Let's look at some assorted images, starting with good examples of skin tones. Above and below, our usual suspects - Gandalf and Arwen, from Lord of the Rings, on Blu-ray.

As is usual, we have three James Bond images from Casino Royale, to demonstrate that skin tones vary a lot in different lighting conditions. Here we have full sunlight, the second image is indoor fluorescent, and finally, filtered sunlight in the third image. And as one would expect, that causes noticeable changes in the skin color. In each scene, considered by itself and the setting, the skin tones are believable. But when you look at, for example, the second and third, the visible difference in the color is significant.

I should note that The Hunger Games has some exceptional Cinemaphotography. You'll find about a dozen images in this report from that movie.

Skin tones slideshow

Skin tones

The image From Lord of the Rings, on Blu-ray.

Skin tones

The image from Casino Royale in full sunlight

Skin tones

The image from Casino Royale in indoor fluorescent

Skin tones

The image from Casino Royale in filtered sunlight

Skin tones

Leeloo, of course! (The Fifth Element)

Skin tones

Cinna, from The Hunger Games. A great image, he looks fantastic on both the W1080ST and the W1070, although I shot two different frames, several seconds apart