Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-3 Posted on October 7, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Overview - The Home Cinema 5010 receives our Hot Product Award. 2. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Highlights - Split Screen viewing - Home Cinema 5010 Dynamic Iris - Home Cinema 5010e WirelessHD3. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-3 - Home Cinema 5010 Projector 3D - Home Cinema 5010 Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motion4. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-4 - Home Cinema 5010 Audio - Or Lack Thereof - HDMI-Link - Home Cinema 5010 Lamp Life - Epson's Fujinon 2.1:1 zoom lens5. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Physical Tour - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Appearance - Home Cinema 5010 Control Panel - Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Input/Output6. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Physical Tour 1 - Home Cinema 5010 Menus - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Remote Control - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Lens Throw - Home Cinema 5010 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen7. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Out of the Box Picture Quality8. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 1 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Flesh Tones9. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Comparison10. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Performance - Comparison11. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Bottom Line - Epson Home Cinema 5010 - Overall Color & Picture Quality12. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content13. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Brightness - Home Cinema 5010 Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE: - Post Calibration: Best Mode = Cinema - or Natural - Post Calibration: Brightest Mode = Dynamic 1660 lumens - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode): - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode):14. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 1 - Home Cinema 5010 Eco-Mode vs. Full Power - Lumen Output (Eco Lamp, Dynamic): 1235 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Pre-Calibration Color temp, Cinema Mode: - Color Temp over IRE Range (Pre calibration, best mode - Cinema): Cinema - Home Cinema 5010, Post Calibration, Best Mode (REC 709)15. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 3D Brightness16. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Sharpness - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Sharpness - Comparison17. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5010: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise18. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Calibration and Settings - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Color Temperature - Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE: - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Basic Settings - Settings for measurements (default values are in parenthesis): - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Post Calibration Grayscale:19. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Calibration and Settings 1 - Home Cinema 5010 Greyscale Calibration - Home Cinema 5010 RGB Settings - Home Cinema 5010 Post Calibration settings:20. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Projector Screens - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Screen Recommendations - Epson Home Cinema 5010 - projector screen - cave / home theater - Epson Home Cinema 5010 - projector screen - family room21. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Projector Screens 122. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Competitors - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Panasonic PT-AE7000 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Optoma HD830023. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Competitors 1 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Sony VPL-HW30ES - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Sharp XV-Z17000 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Epson Home Cinema 3010 - Panasonic PT-AE7000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 8700UB24. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Warranty25. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Review Summary - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector - The Bottom Line26. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Review Summary 1 - The Very Bottom Line on the Home Cinema 5010 projector27. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Review Summary 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Pros and Cons - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Cons28. Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5010 Projector Specifications Home Cinema 5010 Projector 3DClick to enlarge. So close.This is the primary discussion area for the Epson’s 3D performance: I really love most of what the Epson Home Cinema 5010 projector offers when doing 3D. It’s the two things it lacks, however, that does take a bit of the fun out of it. First of all, the Epson Home Cinema 5010 projector is bright when doing 3D. We’re now seeing projectors hitting the market that are roughly twice as bright as all the ones we looked at in the first generation, last year. This Epson joins its lower cost sibling, and the new Panasonic PT-AE7000, in being the three brightest home theater projectors when doing 3D, and under $5,000, and for that matter, under $10,000. A few others get close. The rest, left in the dust. Click Image to EnlargeThe 3D picture really works for me. I’m not seeing any particular issues, beyond the usual one expects with 3D, which is to say, imperfect, compared to 2D. I’m still learning, and I know I’m not as sensitive to some aspects as are some other folk. Very fast motion cause a kind of flicker (or whatever the proper term is – I don’t think that’s part of what most call “ghosting”). A tiny football on a kick-off sort of flickers in and out of existence, as it flies – but the same “artifact” is true for the Panasonic, the Sony, the Optoma… I think those issues will work themselves out over the next generations, and I consider them a minor inconvenience. Let’s face it – 3D is still far more imperfect than 2D (except in the real world), when it comes to displays. OK, so, lots of good 3D – where’s the beef? For one, dynamic iris is not available in 3D mode. Now that’s not as bad as some might think, but it does mean we’re in for a discussion here, some of you might want to drop down about five paragraphs to the “bottom line”. Actually Epson does not let you use the dynamic iris in 3D modes. Nor the CFI, and some other dynamic features (Super-Resolution). I can understand the logic with the iris – by the time a very bright projector is in 3D, it’s about 1/4th as bright as 2D. That’s huge. So while the Epson puts up a reasonable picture brightness, the blacks are going to be fairly dark. Remember this is still a “UB” projector, even with its iris off, it’s blacker than the lower cost 3010 with iris working on most darker scenes! I didn’t try this, but the Home Cinema 5010 would seem to do better blacks then almost all of those $1500 projectors, even with its dynamic iris turned off. Being the black level fanatic that I am, the lack of the iris availability has concerned me. I have watched 3D – especially dark scenes, compared to the Panasonic PT-AE7000 and the Optoma HD8300, and both of those do a better job on blacks, since their irises are working. For this reason, I spent a whole lot of time comparing, and then, watching chunks of my 3D library, using a 100″ sized normal screen or larger, and tried to determine how big a deal this is. If it was 2D – a magnitude brighter – the advantage of the Panasonic and the Optoma would be significant, and it would cost the Epson dearly. 3D being darker, even at its best, however, mitigates most of this. No doubt about the advantage of the others, especially the Optoma, but I finally (for now) sorted it out this way: Consider the difference between the 5010 and the Panasonic in terms of 2D blacks. The Panny’s really good, the Epson better. It’s sort of like that, in reverse. Oh, the difference is: Both greater in 3D, And less importan in 3D. In other words, I’d prefer the Panasonic’s blacks in this case, no question, but I could live with the Epson for my 3D viewing. I watched tonnage, from movies like Alice, Step-Up 3D, some dark (inside the house) scenes in Monster House, other animation, Hubble 3D, Legends of Flight, some concerts and more. It was fine on most, but on a few things, I actually noticed that the blacks could be better. Not on content like Step-Up 3D, Flight, or Tahiti, but a few places in Narnia: The Dawn Trader 3D, and no doubt the cave in Bond’s Quantum of Solace if that was in 3D. I wish Epson did allow the dynamic iris to function in 3D, but I have decided that I certainly can live with it. Which brings us to CFI – also missing in action. In this case, I’ll give Epson a pass. Remember the football? I’ve played with the CFI settings on several 3D projectors now, and turned it off, and I still can’t get that tiny football to stay substantial. It’s either the shutter glasses in general, or my eyes, or both, but that fast motion seems to be the area of greatest weakness in 3D viewing. In other words, if the smoother motion of CFI still leaves us with something more noticeable, it doesn’t matter as much. Even on boxing, on other projectors I’ve tried on and off with their CFI feature. You can tell the difference, just that other things are more noticeable. Ok? Done. I like having CFI, but even in 2D I’ve said many times, it’s a feature I could live without. On the other hand, the Epson would not be competitive if it didn’t have a Dynamic iris for 2D. Bottom line on 3D: The Epson is Dazzling. I can kvetch (complain) all I want about the dynamic iris not being active, but the overall 3D is bright and stunning. The blacks could be blacker, but are black enough. The rest is killer. My friends come over and are truly taken aback. (in fairness, that has also been the case with the Panasonic). I plant everyone about 4-5 feet from the screen and show them Hubble 3D, or Flight, or Tahiti, or maybe even football or boxing in 3D (amazing, truly amazing), or perhaps, a movie. What a projector filling a large screen brings to the party is so euphoric, that the government should ban 3D on anything smaller than 90 inches! (and that from a guy with libertarian tendences). Home Cinema 5010 Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motionThe Home Cinema 5010 has CFI. It seems like previous CFI’s on the older UB projectors, which is to say, even the Low setting is too much for most movies, at least for any purist. It does its job nicely for sports viewing. As noted elsewhere, Epson only allows CFI functionality in 2D. My daughter understands the difference, and can easily spot CFI, but doesn’t seem to really mind a good CFI on a movie. For us purists and enthusiasts, though most of us will prefer OFF for movies. 1. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Overview - The Home Cinema 5010 receives our Hot Product Award. 2. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Highlights - Split Screen viewing - Home Cinema 5010 Dynamic Iris - Home Cinema 5010e WirelessHD3. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-3 - Home Cinema 5010 Projector 3D - Home Cinema 5010 Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motion4. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-4 - Home Cinema 5010 Audio - Or Lack Thereof - HDMI-Link - Home Cinema 5010 Lamp Life - Epson's Fujinon 2.1:1 zoom lens5. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Physical Tour - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Appearance - Home Cinema 5010 Control Panel - Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Input/Output6. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Physical Tour 1 - Home Cinema 5010 Menus - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Remote Control - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Lens Throw - Home Cinema 5010 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen7. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Out of the Box Picture Quality8. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 1 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Flesh Tones9. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Comparison10. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Performance - Comparison11. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: Home Cinema 5010 Projector - Bottom Line - Epson Home Cinema 5010 - Overall Color & Picture Quality12. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content13. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Brightness - Home Cinema 5010 Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE: - Post Calibration: Best Mode = Cinema - or Natural - Post Calibration: Brightest Mode = Dynamic 1660 lumens - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode): - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode):14. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 1 - Home Cinema 5010 Eco-Mode vs. Full Power - Lumen Output (Eco Lamp, Dynamic): 1235 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Pre-Calibration Color temp, Cinema Mode: - Color Temp over IRE Range (Pre calibration, best mode - Cinema): Cinema - Home Cinema 5010, Post Calibration, Best Mode (REC 709)15. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 3D Brightness16. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Sharpness - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Sharpness - Comparison17. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5010: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise18. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Calibration and Settings - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Color Temperature - Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE: - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Basic Settings - Settings for measurements (default values are in parenthesis): - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Post Calibration Grayscale:19. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Calibration and Settings 1 - Home Cinema 5010 Greyscale Calibration - Home Cinema 5010 RGB Settings - Home Cinema 5010 Post Calibration settings:20. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Projector Screens - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector Screen Recommendations - Epson Home Cinema 5010 - projector screen - cave / home theater - Epson Home Cinema 5010 - projector screen - family room21. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Projector Screens 122. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Competitors - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Panasonic PT-AE7000 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Optoma HD830023. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Competitors 1 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Sony VPL-HW30ES - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Sharp XV-Z17000 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 vs. Epson Home Cinema 3010 - Panasonic PT-AE7000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 8700UB24. Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector – Warranty25. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Review Summary - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector - The Bottom Line26. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Review Summary 1 - The Very Bottom Line on the Home Cinema 5010 projector27. Epson Home Cinema 5010 – Review Summary 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Pros and Cons - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 5010 Projector: Cons28. Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5010 Projector Specifications Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-2 Epson Home Cinema 5010 Home Theater Projector Review-4