Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 2 Posted on July 16, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Home Theater Projector Review - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Highlights - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector Overview2. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Special Features - HC3020 Lag Times - Gamers rejoice - Split Screen viewing - Home Cinema 3020e WirelessHD - Home Cinema 3020 Projector 3D3. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Special Features 2 - Frame Interpolation - FI - smooth motion - USB Slideshow - Home Cinema 3020 Audio Abilities - Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Dynamic Iris - Home Cinema 3020 Lamp Life - 1.6:1 Zoom Lens4. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Appearance - Home Cinema 3020 Control Panel - Home Cinema 3020e Projector - Input/Output5. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Home Cinema 3020 Menus - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Remote Control - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen6. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour-3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Remote Control 7. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour-4 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen8. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Flesh Tones9. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Bottom Line10. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 - Overall Color & Picture Quality11. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - pson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content12. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality-513. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Brightness - Epson HC3020 Calibrated: User "best" mode, based on Cinema mode = 1362 lumens - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode) - Home Cinema 3020 Eco-Mode vs. Full Power 14. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance 2 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Pre-Calibration Color temp - Home Cinema 3020, Post Calibration, Best Mode - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Image Comparisons15. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 3D Brightness - 3D Brightness - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison Images16. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance 4 - Epson Home Cinema 3020: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise17. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector Calibration and Settings - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Color Temperature - Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Basic Settings18. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - Home Cinema 3020 RGB Settings19. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Advanced Calibration Information - Color Management Settings (CMS) - Calibration Charts (Before and After)20. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Projector Screen Recommendations - HC3020 Projector Screen Recommendations21. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Warranty - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Warranty22. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Review Summary - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - The Bottom Line23. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Review Summary 2 - The Very Bottom Line on the Home Cinema 3020 projector24. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Review Summary 3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Pros and Cons - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Cons25. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Full Specifications Epson Home Cinema 3020 Black Levels & Shadow DetailWhile Epson’s $1000 more HC5020UB has the best (blackest) blacks we’ve ever seen in an under $3000 projector, the Home Cinema 3020 is not remotely in its league. In reality black level performance for under $2000 projectors is just average. There are several projectors selling for under $2000 that can do a much better job at blacks. If there’s one area where we really could have appreciated the HC3020 performing better, it has to be black level performance. Yes, it’s a family room type projector, where lighting usually isn’t near perfect, but even in such rooms, better blacks can be appreciated, even if no where near as much as in a dedicated home theater. Below our starship image comparison from The Fifth Element. Black Levels ComparisonEpson Home Cinema 3020Acer H9500BDOptoma HD33BenQ W1200Viewsonic Pro8200 projectorMitsubishi HC4000Sony VPL-HW50ES (LCoS projector $3,699)Vivitek H1080FD ($899)BenQ W7000PreviousNext Acer H9500BD: 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 Home Cinema 3020: BenQ W7000: The BenQ is more of a home theater projector than a home entertainment one. It definitely does better on blacks – it is one of only two under $2000 reviewed projectors, that we consider “ultra high contrast.” Shadow Detail PerformanceBelow is a favorite image for looking at dark shadow detail. It’s also a good test of black level performance. While as already noted, the black levels of the 3020 are only average, that definitely is the case for dark shadow detail. Look at the shrubs on the right and behind the tracks, and also in the darkest portion of the woods, that there’s plenty of dark shadow detail. Most of the projectors’ images below crush the darkest detail more. Shadow Detail ComparisonEpson Home Cinema 3020Epson Home Cinema 3010Optoma HD33Acer H9500BDViewsonic Pro8200Mitsubishi HC4000BenQ W6000Sony VPL-HW50ESPreviousNext Epson Home Cinema 3010: There may be some color shifts, but the shadow detail is about identical. Optoma HD33: Definitely not quite as good. Acer H9500BD: Better blacks, but not quite as good on dark shadow detail BenQ W6000: Ultra high contrast, 2D, $2000+ Sony VPL-HW50ES: A big bucks top performer that’s easily twice the price. Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Bottom LineAs a family room projector most owners will find the black levels to be acceptable, and the shadow detail to be rather excellent. Black levels performance though, is not likely to inspire serious enthusiasts looking to put the HC3020 in a dedicated theater / cave type of room. No one’s going to complain about the shadow detail, but if you are really into black level performance, as I am, you’ll have to weigh this one relative weakness against the many benefits. 1. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Home Theater Projector Review - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Highlights - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector Overview2. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Special Features - HC3020 Lag Times - Gamers rejoice - Split Screen viewing - Home Cinema 3020e WirelessHD - Home Cinema 3020 Projector 3D3. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Special Features 2 - Frame Interpolation - FI - smooth motion - USB Slideshow - Home Cinema 3020 Audio Abilities - Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Dynamic Iris - Home Cinema 3020 Lamp Life - 1.6:1 Zoom Lens4. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Appearance - Home Cinema 3020 Control Panel - Home Cinema 3020e Projector - Input/Output5. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Home Cinema 3020 Menus - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Remote Control - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen6. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour-3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Remote Control 7. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Physical Tour-4 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen8. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Flesh Tones9. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Bottom Line10. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 - Overall Color & Picture Quality11. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - pson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content12. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality-513. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Brightness - Epson HC3020 Calibrated: User "best" mode, based on Cinema mode = 1362 lumens - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode) - Home Cinema 3020 Eco-Mode vs. Full Power 14. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance 2 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Pre-Calibration Color temp - Home Cinema 3020, Post Calibration, Best Mode - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Image Comparisons15. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 3D Brightness - 3D Brightness - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison Images16. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Performance 4 - Epson Home Cinema 3020: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise17. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector Calibration and Settings - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Color Temperature - Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Basic Settings18. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - Home Cinema 3020 RGB Settings19. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Advanced Calibration Information - Color Management Settings (CMS) - Calibration Charts (Before and After)20. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Projector Screen Recommendations - HC3020 Projector Screen Recommendations21. Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Warranty - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - Warranty22. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Review Summary - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector - The Bottom Line23. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Review Summary 2 - The Very Bottom Line on the Home Cinema 3020 projector24. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Review Summary 3 - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Pros and Cons - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector: Cons25. Epson Home Cinema 3020 – Full Specifications Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality Epson Home Cinema 3020 Projector – Image Quality 3