The Epson Home Cinema LS11000, which retails for $3999, is a 4K HDR compatible laser home theater projector. The LS11000 has a rated brightness of 2,500 ANSI Lumens and can deliver over 1,200,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.
We had the opportunity to review the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 and were incredibly impressed with the unit’s performance. The Home Cinema LS11000 delivers a lot of the same performance as the LS12000, but for a thousand dollars less.
The Home Cinema LS11000 uses native 1080P 3LCD panels and is equipped with the latest version of Epson’s 4K UHD Pro technology. This feature combines advanced pixel-shifting technology and a new Precision Glass Shift Plate with three individual high-definition LCD chips to produce 4K resolution (3840x2160 pixels) on screen.
New Precision Shift Glass Plate is quicker and quieter quadrupling the visible pixels onscreen to 8.3 million
The new version of Epson’s 4K PRO UHD (pixel-shifting) utilized in the LS11000 is noticeably better than the previous versions due to a new Precision Shift Glass Plate that is quicker and quieter. Every pixel’s image is rapidly shifted 1/4 pixel diagonally and horizontally, allowing each one to do the job of four pixels. This new version quadruples the visible pixels onscreen, whereas previous Epson pixel-shifting projectors, like the 6050UB, only doubled them.
While native vs. pixel-shifted resolution is still a heated debate among home theater enthusiasts, Epson’s proven pixel shift technology does deliver an image that is visibly sharper than a traditional native 1080p projector. When viewed from a normal viewing distance, it is difficult to differentiate between a 4K pixel shift image produced by the LS11000 and an image projected by a native 4K projector.
To get the most out of the quality components used in the LS11000, it is also equipped with a new video processor called the ZX Picture Processor. This is Epson's most advanced video processor. It handles real-time color and contrast adjustment, HDR tone mapping, frame interpolation, and resolution enhancement to ensure source material is reproduced as the content creator intended.
Dual 48Gbps HDMI inputs support 4K HDR at 120 frames per second
To take full advantage of the projector capabilities, the LS11000 is equipped with two 48 Gbps HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) inputs so it can accept 4K HDR signals at up to 120fps. Currently, there isn’t much high frame rate video content available. However, 4K@120fps can help deliver a smooth, high-quality gaming experience from a high-end gaming PC and the latest PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles. Also, when gaming 4K@120fps, the LS11000 has a rated input lag time below 20ms.
While the metadata in HDR10 content is static, in HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content, this metadata is dynamic. Since the luminance information for each scene is embedded into the content as dynamic metadata, tone mapping can be optimized scene by scene or frame by frame. This helps the projector faithfully reproduce the HDR images as intended by the creators.
HDR content is currently distributed mainly in HDR10 and/or Dolby Vision, but Amazon Prime Video has announced support for HDR10+. There is also a limited number of 4K UHD Blu-ray discs available, and a select number of UHD BD players from companies like Panasonic support it.
The LS11000 sits at the top of Epson’s Home Cinema Series projector lineup. It is feature packed and delivers outstanding performance at a price that should be within reach of many enthusiasts. The LS11000 is a great option for someone who wants to enjoy HDR movies and high frame-rate gaming in a media or family room.
Epson LS11000 Specs
Price
$3999
Technology
3 LCD
Native Resolution
1920x1080x4 (3840x2160)
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)
2500
Contrast
1200000:1
Zoom Lens Ratio
2.1:1
Lens Shift
Yes
Lamp Life
20,000 hours
Weight
28lbs
Warranty
3 years
The LS11000 is equipped with a blue laser phosphor light engine. Epson says the laser light source in the LS11000 has a rated life of 20,000 hours at full power. This means owners can enjoy several years of nearly maintenance-free operation.
With a rated brightness of 2,500 lumens -- which is more than enough to produce a good HDR picture on screens up to 120” and an excellent SDR image on much larger screens. As with all Epson 3LCD projectors, The LS11000 produces as many color lumens as it does white lumens, which ensures bright, vibrant color, which is critical for good HDR picture quality.
While brightness is important, it is deep blacks and high contrast that separates a premium home theater projector from a standard unit. Epson claims that when laser dimming is enabled, the LS11000 has a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,200,000:1.
Combining a laser light source with upgraded video processing and HDMI 2.1 inputs makes the LS11000 a worthy upgrade from the highly rated Epson 5050UB.
In addition to the Home Cinema LS11000 (MSRP $3999.99), Epson has also introduced the Pro Cinema LS12000 (MSRP $4999.99), which we reviewed earlier this year. For an additional $1000, the LS12000 has a slightly higher claimed brightness of 2700 lumens, but it delivers more than double the dynamic contrast.
The LS12000 uses Epson’s ultra-high contrast 0.74″ 3LCD panels and their proprietary UltraBlack™ Technology to deliver a native contrast ratio that few competitors’ home theater projectors can match. Only the Sony SXRD and JVC DILA home theater projectors that utilize LCoS panels can deliver the same or better native contrast.
Pro Cinema LS12000
Home Cinema LS11000
Dynamic Contrast
2,500,000:1
1,200,000:1
Brightness
2700 ANSI Lumens
2500 ANSI Lumens
Native Panel Resolution
1080 X 1920
1080 x 1920
4K PRO UHD
Yes
Yes
Cinema Kit
Yes
No
Anamorphic Lens Modes
Yes
No
Case Color
Black
White
Warranty
3 years
2 years
Also, the LS12000 is a Pro Cinema model so it includes a three-year warranty with three years of Rapid Replacement. The warranty on a Home Cinema projector like the LS11000 is two years.
Lastly, the Pro Cinema LS12000 has a black case while the LS11000 case is white. The LS12000 is also bundled with a Ceiling installation kit that includes a ceiling mount and a cable cover.
While the additional features and enhanced performance found on the LS12000 justify its $1000 price premium, for many customers, the less expensive LS11000 might be a better fit. For example, someone placing the unit on a shelf projecting onto a 16x9 screen in a room with some ambient light. The Home Cinema LS11000 is arguably the best home theater projector priced below $4000.
