Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 2 Posted on July 17, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Home Theater Projector Review - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Highlights - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Overview2. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Special Features - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Special Features - Home Cinema 5020e WirelessHD - HC5020 Projector: 3D - HC5020 Gaming Abilities - HC5020 Creative Frame Interpolation3. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Special Features 2 - HDMI-Link - Epson's Fujinon 2.1:1 zoom lens - HC5020UB Lamp Life - Picture In Picture - Other Dynamic Controls4. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Projector – Physical Tour - Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Projector - Appearance - Home Cinema 5020 Control Panel - Home Cinema 5020 Projector - Input/Output5. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Home Cinema 5020 Menus - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Remote Control - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Lens Throw - Home Cinema 5020 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen6. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector - Flesh Tones7. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance - Black Levels Comparison - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: HC5020 Projector - Bottom Line8. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 - Overall Color & Picture Quality9. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content10. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Brightness - Post Calibration: Best Mode - Quick-Cal: Brightest Mode = Dynamic 1706 lumens - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode):11. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance 2 - Home Cinema 5020 Eco-Mode vs. Full Power - HC5020 Lumen Output (Eco Lamp, Dynamic): 1357 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Pre-Calibration Color temp: THX - Home Cinema 5020, Post Calibration, Best Mode User 1 (based on THX)12. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 3D Brightness - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Sharpness13. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise14. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Calibration and Settings - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Color Temperature - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Basic Settings15. Epson Home Cinema 5020e Projector – Advanced Calibration Information - Color Management Settings (CMS) - Calibration Charts (Before and After)16. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - HC5020 Greyscale Calibration based on THX Mode, placed in User Memory 1 - Epson HC5020 RGB Settings17. Epson Home Cinema 5020UB, 5020UBe – Projector Screens - Epson Home Cinema 5020UB Projector Screen Recommendations - Epson Home Cinema 5020UB - Projector Screen - Cave / Home Theater - Epson Home Cinema 5020UB - Projector Screen - Family Room18. Epson Home Cinema 5020UB, 5020UBe – Projector Screens 2 - 3D And Choosing a Projector Screen19. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Panasonic PT-AE8000 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Panasonic PT-AE800020. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Optoma HD830021. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Sony VPL-HW50ES22. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Sharp XV-Z3000023. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 5 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB vs. Epson Home Cinema 302024. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 6 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Epson Home Cinema 501025. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Warranty26. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector - The Bottom Line27. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary 2 - Epson HC5020UB Brightness - Picture Quality of the Epson Home Cinema 5020 - Home Cinema 5020 UB Competition - Will the Home Cinema 5020 work in your room?28. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary 3 - The Very Bottom Line on the Home Cinema 5020 projector - Epson HC5020UB Pricing29. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Pros and Cons - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Cons30. Epson Home Cinema 5020UB Full Specifications Black Level and Shadow Detail PerformanceFor six generations, Epson has been the black level champ among the mid-price level projectors. Nothing has changed in that regard. Well, not quite. The Epson still has a distinct black level advantage over the likes of the BenQ W7000, Panasonic PT-AE8000, Sharp XV-Z30000 and other competitors. The closest – a virtual tie, would be the Sony HW50ES. The Epson wins in most viewing but usually by a very small amount. On a couple of scenes though the Sony matches, and perhaps beats the Epson. Those two projectors are close enough to say “doesn’t matter”. With all the others, the Epson’s advantage is enough to be a real advantage when you are purchasing! Let’s start with a side by side image: Epson HC5020 vs. Sony HW50ES (Epson on the left) Click to enlarge. So close. I got the exposures almost identical. You can see the slightest advantage in the blacks favoring the Epson (note the letter box area, stars on the left side). These two are so close not to matter on this image. Click Image to EnlargeBlack Levels ComparisonEpson Home Cinema 5020PT-AE8000Sony VPL-HW50ESOptoma HD8300Epson Home Cinema 5010Optoma HD33JVC DLA-RS45Runco LS10dSharp XV-Z30000PreviousNext PT-AE8000: The lower image is a bit less overexposed making it tough to spot any real improvement in the HC5020. Sony VPL-HW50ES: A little more overexposed making it hard to compare. Optoma HD8300: Very nice, offers slightly better blacks than the Panasonic, (and probably a touch shy of the Sony?) Epson Home Cinema 5010: ($2699, being replaced) the black level champ in the price range. The Epson Home Cinema 5020 for its improvements still comes up visibly, but not dramatically short of the best at black levels such as the two high end JVC’s (starting at $7999). Optoma HD33: (lower cost, $1499 3D capable projector): Blacks are not as good as the Panny, the image is less overexposed. JVC DLA-RS45: Comparable blacks or better, and with out using a dynamic iris. The HD250 is now discontinued. Runco LS10d projector: ($27,000+):This one is included to make the point, that a lot more money doesn’t mean any significant improvement in black levels. Think, instead that other things become more important. Sharp XV-Z30000: (direct competitor) Shadow Detail PerformanceLook at the shrubs on the right, on the far side of the tracks. Compare detail in the trees also on the right. When you do, you will see that the Epson’s black levels are rather excellent, besting or matching that of most of the competition. This is an area where Epson has dramatically improved over the years. And they’ve done so while maintaining their black level advantage! As alway, ignore color shifts, long time exposures (up to 30 seconds, create problems). Shadow Detail ComparisonEpson Home Cinema 5020PT-AE8000Epson Home Cinema 3010Optoma HD33Optoma HD8300Sony VPL-HW50ESPreviousNext Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: HC5020 Projector - Bottom LineExcellent and Excellent. Certainly blacks are as good as it gets until we get to some much more expensive projectors. While I’m less concerned about whether a projector has exceptional detail (this Epson) or just really good (such as the HW50ES), the Epson seems unmatched so far. Mike has calibrated all these projectors. Not one of them seems to be able to best the Epson at either blacks, or Shadow detail. I do not believe any projector we’ve reviewed in the under $3500 price range can match the performance of blacks and dark shadow detail of the Home Cinema 5020 UB projector this year. (UB stands for “Ultra Black”) The bottom line: Overall picture quality is not going to sway you away from this projector. From the standpoint of picture quality, the Home Cinema 5020, the Epson pretty much as to be on everyone’s short list. In the under $3500 price range, if you are not choosing this projector it’s more likely to be something not related, such as the desire for motorized lens features, or that it’s in a mostly white case instead of black. 1. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Home Theater Projector Review - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Highlights - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Overview2. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Special Features - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Special Features - Home Cinema 5020e WirelessHD - HC5020 Projector: 3D - HC5020 Gaming Abilities - HC5020 Creative Frame Interpolation3. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Special Features 2 - HDMI-Link - Epson's Fujinon 2.1:1 zoom lens - HC5020UB Lamp Life - Picture In Picture - Other Dynamic Controls4. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Projector – Physical Tour - Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Projector - Appearance - Home Cinema 5020 Control Panel - Home Cinema 5020 Projector - Input/Output5. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Home Cinema 5020 Menus - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Remote Control - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Lens Throw - Home Cinema 5020 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen6. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector - Flesh Tones7. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance - Black Levels Comparison - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: HC5020 Projector - Bottom Line8. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 - Overall Color & Picture Quality9. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports, including 3D - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content10. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Brightness - Post Calibration: Best Mode - Quick-Cal: Brightest Mode = Dynamic 1706 lumens - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode):11. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance 2 - Home Cinema 5020 Eco-Mode vs. Full Power - HC5020 Lumen Output (Eco Lamp, Dynamic): 1357 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Pre-Calibration Color temp: THX - Home Cinema 5020, Post Calibration, Best Mode User 1 (based on THX)12. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 3D Brightness - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Sharpness13. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Performance 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise14. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Calibration and Settings - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Color Temperature - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Basic Settings15. Epson Home Cinema 5020e Projector – Advanced Calibration Information - Color Management Settings (CMS) - Calibration Charts (Before and After)16. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - HC5020 Greyscale Calibration based on THX Mode, placed in User Memory 1 - Epson HC5020 RGB Settings17. Epson Home Cinema 5020UB, 5020UBe – Projector Screens - Epson Home Cinema 5020UB Projector Screen Recommendations - Epson Home Cinema 5020UB - Projector Screen - Cave / Home Theater - Epson Home Cinema 5020UB - Projector Screen - Family Room18. Epson Home Cinema 5020UB, 5020UBe – Projector Screens 2 - 3D And Choosing a Projector Screen19. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Panasonic PT-AE8000 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Panasonic PT-AE800020. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 2 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Optoma HD830021. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 3 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Sony VPL-HW50ES22. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Sharp XV-Z3000023. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 5 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB vs. Epson Home Cinema 302024. Epson Home Cinema 5020 – Competitors 6 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 vs. Epson Home Cinema 501025. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Warranty26. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector - The Bottom Line27. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary 2 - Epson HC5020UB Brightness - Picture Quality of the Epson Home Cinema 5020 - Home Cinema 5020 UB Competition - Will the Home Cinema 5020 work in your room?28. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary 3 - The Very Bottom Line on the Home Cinema 5020 projector - Epson HC5020UB Pricing29. Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB – Review Summary 4 - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Pros and Cons - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Pros - Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector: Cons30. Epson Home Cinema 5020UB Full Specifications Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality Epson Home Cinema 5020 Projector – Image Quality 3