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JVC DLA-X70R Performance 1

Posted on March 27, 2012 By Art Feierman

On this page we take a look at the DLA-X70R projector’s brightness, sharpness, and image noise. We’ll discuss brightness in both 2D and 3D, as well. Also considered here are other issues including image noise, light leakage, and audible noise.

Brightness

JVC rates the DLA-X70R projector as a 1300 lumen projector. As expected it isn’t as bright as JVC’s “entry level projector, the X30 (aka RS45, which we also reviewed).

Mike’s highest measurement was 949 lumens, in Stage mode, with zoom at full wide angle. (855 lumens at mid-point).

The next few screens will deal with pre-calibration information, including photos of how some of the modes look. Further down you’ll find the post calibration information including the measured brightness for D65 and “brightest” mode.

First are the lumen measurements for each of the preset and user modes. Also included was the measured color temp for white, for each mode.

JVC DLA-X70R Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom):
Cinema 674 @ 7972
Film 643 @ 6897
Natural 813 @ 7562
Stage 832, switching to color temp 7000 yields 855 @ 8096
Animation 796 @ 9201
3D 781 @ 9631
THX 820 @ 7623
Users 1-5 820 @ 7634

Note, Stage definitely looks a good bit brighter, (with color temp at 7000K), which Mike’s measured numbers don’t seem to reflect.

Here are samples of the DLA-X70 projector in different modes: THX, then calibrated: User 1, and Brightest: Stage.

Not a huge difference, but in watching, Stage was sufficiently brighter than the calibrated User 1 (just over a 100 lumen difference) that buddies who came over to watch some March Madness insisted on Stage mode, after switching back and forth. We had the room’s back lighting on.

Below, this section is a simple cut and paste from the RS45 review to show you the impact of JVC’s Sharpness, and Detail Enhancement controls. All the images taken of scenes with the JVC X70R, had sharpness on either 0 or 10, and Detail Enhancement on 10, 15, or 25. I don’t recommend going above 10 on sharpness, or 15 on Detail enhancement for movie viewing, if you want natural soft skin on close-ups. Like DLP’s Brilliant Color, the more you push these controls, the harder looking the skin tones. For sports, knock yourself out – 15 sharpness and 25 Detail Enhancement, or even higher, might be what you like. Note in particular, the difference between consecutive images where the settings are 0/0, and then 25/25.

There are a lot of subtleties, you can spot in the below images. Notice how higher settings increase contrast in her hair, sharpen her eyes, etc. You’ll also notice, in the last image (25/25), that there is some loss of layers of color, and detail, and that color contrast seems to be higher (dark purples are darker, etc.)

Default image
Detail Enhancement: 15
Detail Enhancement: 25
Detail Enhancement: 40
Detail enhancement: 50
Sharpness: 0, Detail Enhancement: 0
Sharpness: 25, Detail Enhancement: 25
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JVC X95R Effect of zoom on lumen output (User 1 mode):
Zoom out: 949
Mid-zoom: 855
Zoom in: 745

Going from full wide angle (the closest you can place the projector to the screen, to the mid-point on the zoom, results in an almost perfect 10% drop in brightness. If you are shelf mounting at the full telephoto range of the DLA-X70R, brightness drops about 13% from mid-point, and about 22% from closest placement.

That really is excellent for a 2:1 zoom. Many projectors with that much zoom range see a drop of up to 40% not 22%, and on the lower end, the Panasonic PT-AR100U ($999) drops just about 50%! That’s a real plus, if you want to mount in the back of your room, such as on a high shelf.

JVC refers to full brightness as High, and their “eco-mode” as Normal brightess.

Lumen Output Low Lamp, Stage: 517 lumens

At full power, Stage measures 832 lumens, so the X70R has a larger drop going to its “eco” or in JVC’s case “Normal” mode, than most other projectors. We figure most projectors drop between 20 and 30%. This JVC, however loses about 37% of its brightness in “Normal” lamp power.

Color Temp over IRE Range, (Pre calibration): Film
30 IRE 6869
50 IRE 6869
80 IRE 6858
100 IRE 6897

Talk about nice and tight. Of course the goal is 6500K (D65), but these numbers translate to only being the slightest bit cool.

Effect of Lens Aperture setting on lumen output (Stage mode, Color Temp 7000K setting):
0 (maximum opening) 855
-7  (half  open) 624
-15 (minimum opening) 311

If you don’t need all the brightness, please note that the more you close down the iris of this JVC, the higher the contrast. Blacks will get even blacker, both by virtue of the smaller iris opening, and also because of the reduced overall brightness. Of course, the idea is not to starve yourself of brightness, for a very minor improvement in blacks.

Art’s note: When doing side by sides with the Epson 5010, I was able to notice, that if I relied on using the “normal” (low) lamp setting of the JVC, to get it’s “best” mode brightness similar to the Epson’s, that blacks were slightly better on dark scenes with the JVC. When, instead, I left the lamp on full, and stopped down the iris, then the JVC’s blacks, even on those darkest scenes, improved further, compared to the Epson.

JVC DLA-X70R Image Quality 3
JVC DLA-X70R Performance 2