Epson Home Cinema 3010 Projector – Image Quality

Posted on October 7, 2013 By Art Feierman

A lot of processing goes on from the start of a photo shoot until you are viewing the Epson Home Cinema 3010 images on your computer screen. As a result, these images are reasonable indications, but not accurate enough for comparing precise color, saturation and other aspects. Note: Selected images relating to shadow detail, and especially black level performance can be very effective at demonstrating how the Home Cinema 3010 positions itself compared to other home projectors. Different computers, browsers, displays, graphics cards, and software, all affect how the image looks on your screen.

I’ve always said, that all home theater projectors, including this Epson Home Cinema 3010, definitely looks better live at your place, than any of our images would indicate

Epson Home Cinema 3010 Out of the Box Picture Quality

Click Image to Enlarge. So Close.Interesting, very interesting. Cinema mode of the Home Cinema 3010, which is our basis for our “best” mode, shows a significant difference in color balance between full power and eco-mode.

Both are pretty good, however, for “right out of the box”.

In fact, “right out of the box”, the Epson’s Eco-mode offers the more accurate color. Eco-mode, in fact, is very good at overall color, though a touch cool, while full power is definitely shifted a bit more to warm – a bit strong on reds.

Click Image to Enlarge

For the average consumer of a general home entertainment projector, for use in the family room, bonus room, basement or spare bedroom, probably either setting will be just fine. Most will favor high power, simply because most people see brighter as better. For those of you really looking for an affordable projector for your theater, though the Epson 3010 is also a serious player for the price, especially if you also want 3D. In that case, try our calibration settings to further improve the picture. The Epson has a good set of color controls.

Epson Home Cinema 3010 Projector - Flesh Tones

Post calibration, the Epson Home Cinema 3010 looks really good. Skin tones are very good, but not truly exceptional. On the other hand, this is an entry level 3D capable projector. At this moment, it is the least expensive 1080p projector to sport 3D. (Technically the Optoma HD33 is $100 less, by MSRP, but the Epson comes with two pair of glasses, and for the Optoma, that’s an extra $99 a pair.)

Below are our three James Bond images from Casino Royale. Each has a different lighting scenario, the first – full sunlight, the second image; indoor fluorescent, and finally, filtered sunlight in the third image. And as one would expect, that causes each image of James Bond – Daniel Craig – to have different looking skin tones.

Epson Home Cinema 3010 Black Levels & Shadow Detail

Let’s start with the Home Cinema 3010’s black level performance. This Epson claims a “dynamic” contrast ratio of 40,000:1. A few years ago, that number would have promised dazzling black level performance, but the numbers keep getting larger, faster than black levels improve.

The Home Cinema 3010 has good black level performance, but it is not what we like to call around here, a “ultra-high-contrast projector”. It is typical for the price range, and probably not quite as good as the Home Cinema 8350, which remains in the lineup, as a less expensive, and not as bright, 2D only projector.

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