The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 which retails for $4999 is a 4K HDR-compatible laser home theater. The Pro Cinema LS12000 uses native 1080P 3LCD panels but the projector 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.
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.
The LS12000 has a rated brightness of 2,700 ANSI Lumens and can deliver over 2,500,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The Epson LS12000 is also compatible with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG content.
To take full advantage of the projector capabilities, it is equipped with two 48 Gbps HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) so it can accept 4K HDR signals at up to 120fps.
The LS12000 is Epson’s most advanced Pro Cinema Series projector to date and it is designed to deliver the performance and features demanded by the most discerning video enthusiasts. The LS12000 is a great option for someone who wants to enjoy HDR movies and high frame-rate gaming in a family room or dedicated home theater.
Epson LS12000 Specs
Price
$4999
Technology
3LCD laser
Native Resolution
1920x1080
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)
2700
Contrast
2,500,000:1 (Dynamic)
Zoom Lens Ratio
2.00:1
Lens Shift
Yes
Lamp Life
20,000 hours
Weight
28.0
Warranty
3 year
The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 is a 4K HDR-compatible 3LCD Laser home theater projector. Combining a laser light source with upgraded video processing and HDMI 2.1 makes the LS12000 a worthy replacement for the highly-rated Epson 6050UB.
With a rated brightness of 2,700 lumens which is more than enough to produce a good HDR picture on screens up to 120” and an excellent SDR image on screens that are much larger. As with all Epson 3LCD projectors, The LS12000 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. Like the older Epson 6050UB, the LS12000 uses Epson's finest ultra-high contrast 0.74" 3LCD panels along with their proprietary UltraBlack™ Technology to deliver a native contrast ratio that few competitors’ home theater projectors can match.
The only Sony SXRD and JVC DILA home theaters projector which utilized LCoS panels can deliver the same or better native contrast. Epson claims that when laser dimming is enabled, the LS12000 has a dynamic contrast ratio of 2,500,000:1.
The Pro Cinema LS12000’s native resolution is 1080P (1920 x 1080). To provide a crisp and clear picture, the projector can accept 4K60p content and is equipped with Epson’s PRO-UHD chip, which pixel shifts the image for 4K enhancement.
To get the most out of the quality components used in the LS12000, it is also equipped with a new video processor called the ZX Picture Processor. This is Epson's most advanced video processor, and it handles real-time color and contrast adjustment, HDR tone mapping, frame interpolation, and resolution enhancement to ensure source material is reproduced the content creator intended.
Epson 4K PRO UHD Laser Projectors
In addition to the Pro Cinema LS12000 (MSRP $3999.99), Epson has also introduced the Home Cinema LS11000 (MSRP $3999.99). For an additional $1000, the LS1200 has a slightly higher claimed brightness of 2700 lumens but it delivers more than double the dynamic contrast.
The notable increase in native and dynamic contrast is due to the special high contrast 3LCD imaging system used in the LS12000. For the past several years, Epson has offered two different levels of 3LCD imaging systems in their home theater-focused projectors.
In the past, you would have seen a “UB” at the end of the model number (for example Pro Cinema 6050UB) to indicate the projector used Epson's UltraBlack™ Technology. This imaging system includes a proprietary compensation filter that controls the polarization of light which dramatically suppresses unwanted stray light to enhance the projector's native and dynamic contrast ratio.
This higher-end UltraBlack™ 3LCD system is one of the main reasons why the LS12000 retails for $1000 more than the LS11000.
While the LS12000 is bright enough to be utilized in a room with higher ambient light it would normally be used in a light-controlled space like a dedicated home theater where the user can take full advantage benefits of the additional contrast.
Feature
Pro Cinema LS12000
Pro Cinema LS11000
Retail Price
$4999
$3999
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
Case Color
Black
White
Warranty
3 years
2 years
Since the Pro Cinema LS12000 will probably be mounted on the ceiling in a dark room 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. To meet the needs of home theater enthusiasts who often choose 2:35:1 screens, the LS12000 includes additional aspect ratio mode adjustments for compatibility with 3rd party anamorphic lenses.
Since the LS12000 is a Pro Cinema model 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.
The LS12000 is one of the first Epson projectors compatible with HDR10+. The LS12000 includes 48 Gbps HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 2.3) inputs to support 4K@120P HDR content from the latest gaming consoles.
