BenQ W1080ST Sharpness 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 SharpnessI’ll repeat this to start: “I expect single chip DLP projectors like this BenQ to inherently look sharp (at least compared to 3LCD and LCoS projectors) due to being the only technology that isn’t 3 panels that have to be converged.” Once we get past that basic difference, it’s up to the quality of the optics. I’m watching CNBC (in HD) as I am writing this page. Even the smallest numbers on the screen look nicely crisp. Consider that the BenQ W1080ST to be as sharp looking as most other single chip DLP projectors in the price range. The W1080ST (unlike the 1070), has a nice smooth zoom and focus, the W1070 I had received was very tight making it really hard to get the focus just right. Sharpness should not be an issue at all with this projector. Certainly it’s the only short throw home entertainment projector around, so nothing competes directly against it, rather the competition competes with the W1070 projector. BenQ W1080STOptoma HD33BenQ W1070Epson Home Cinema 3020Viewsonic Pro8200Acer H9500BDPreviousNext BenQ W1080ST: Bottom Line Sharpness Typically very good for a lower cost DLP projector geared for home entertainment. Edge to edge sharpness has to be considered pretty good, especially since good edge to edge it’s a little more challenging when the projector is short throw as this W1080ST is. First this is a photo of one of the DVE-HD test patterns. Red is used to highlight the small text in the images below, and a blue loop shows the alternate black / white 1 pixel line pattern area we show much larger below. Here are a couple of test images from the DVE-HD disc, showing the handling of incredibly small type, and also showing handling of alternate one pixel wide lines, click for larger: 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 W1080ST Lamp Brightness Eco, Smart-Eco vs. Full Power BenQ W1080ST Performance: Light Leakage