Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 Laser Projector - Summary

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Phil Jones

Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 deliver outstanding performance at less than $5000 dollars

Improved 4K pixel shifting, HDR compatibility combined with high brightness provided by its laser light source makes the Pro Cinema LS12000 a great value. The ability to deliver a rated 2700 lumens ensures that HDR and SDR content looks good even in rooms with higher ambient light.

While the blue laser phosphor light source delivers high brightness, the high contrast 3LCD panels produce a great black level and excellent shadow detail.

LS12000 has dual HDMI 2.1 (48Gpbs) so it can accept 4K/120fps HDR content. It can also playback not HDR10 and HLG but also HDR10+ so you can enjoy both prerecorded and live HDR content.

48Gbps HDMI Inputs support gaming in 4K HDR at 120 frames per second

Epson’s proven pixel-shifting technology has been improved so delivers more visible resolution than a standard 1080P 3LCD projector. A new Precision Shift Glass Plate is which is quicker, and quieter can reproduce double the on-screen resolution of older Epson pixel shifting Pro Cinema projectors like the award winning 6050UB and LS10500. The pixel shifting is so fast it is difficult to differentiate between a native 4K projector and the LS12000.

While Pro Cinema LS12000 motorized lens assembly utilizes a high-quality multi-element structure to ensure a crisp sharp onscreen image.

Overall, the LS12000 provides a good balance of performance and value. It proves that a good projected image doesn’t have to be overly expensive. Just add a projection screen and for under $6000 total, you can bring a compelling home theater experience to any room.

The Pro Cinema LS12000 strikes a fine balance between performance and value. Yes, Epson sells projectors with better black levels, higher contrast, and more features but the Pro Cinema LS12000 is not designed for those customers.

As I mentioned earlier, many higher-end home theater projectors like the Home Cinema LS12000 have better black levels and higher contrast which is beneficial in a darkened theater or room with lighting control.

High Contrast 3LCD Panels deliver great black level with excellent shadow detail

In a family or game room, where brightness is probably more important than black level, the Pro Cinema LS12000’s rated brightness of 2700 lumens ensures that images pop even in rooms with high ambient light.

The Pro Cinema LS12000 uses high-quality lenses with motorized focus shift and zoom. The projector also includes lens memory so picture position (zoom, shift, focus) can be adjusted based on the content aspect ratio at the touch of a button. Motorized lens memories are vital when utilizing a masking screen or an external anamorphic lens.

The one feature that has been removed from the LS12000 is 3D support. While most movie studios have stopped distributing consumer 3D content in order to focus HDR, there are many enthusiasts with large collections of 3D material. Most flat-panel TV manufacturers stopped supporting 3D several years ago so it was only a matter of time before projector manufacturers stop supporting the format as well. However, the feature will be missed by many home theater enthusiasts.

The Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 includes most of the features that customers looking for a premium home theater would need at a price far lower than the competitive Sony and JVC models. Currently, you would have to spend double the price of an LS12000 for a native 4K LCoS laser projector like the DLA-NZ7. Epson’s ultimate goal is to deliver the best bang for the buck, and I believe they succeeded.

Pro Cinema LS12000 ($4999 SRP) and Home Cinema LS1100 ($3999 SRP)

For those with smaller budgets, Epson has also introduced the Home Cinema LS11000 which retails for $3999. For an additional $1000, the Pro Cinema LS12000 has a slightly higher claimed brightness of 2700 lumens and more than double the dynamic and native contrast. It also includes additional aspect ratio mode adjustments for compatibility with 3^rd party anamorphic lenses.

The Pro Cinema LS12000 projector's black levels are better and its contrast is higher than the Home Cinema LS11000 contrast, but these things are only beneficial in a darkened theater or room with lots of light control. The Home Cinema LS11000 is a great option for someone who wants to enjoy HDR movies and high frame-rate gaming in a family room or multi-purpose space.

Overall we were incredibly impressed with the LS12000 and I would be happy to have this projector as part of my personal home theater system. Due to its performance, feature set, and price point, we are giving the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000 a hot product award.