BenQ W1080ST Projector: Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant Color 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 Brilliant Color vs No Brilliant ColorAs 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 OffThe image has Brilliant Color OnPreviousNext 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 Skin tones From The Hunger Games: The Star Crossed Lovers Skin tones Iron Man - Robert Downey Jr., in his lab 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 – Image Quality BenQ W1080ST Black Levels & Shadow Detail