Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 2 Posted on July 15, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Mitsubishi HC8000D Home Theater Projector Review - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Highlights - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Overview2. Mitsubishi HC8000D Special Features - Adding 3D to the HC8000D - 3D Gaming with the Mitsubishi HC8000D: Lag Times! - HC8000 6X Color Wheel vs. Rainbow Effect - HC8000D Lamp Life3. Mitsubishi HC8000D Special Features Part 2 - 1.5:1 Zoom Lens - HC8000D Projector - 3D Performance4. Mitsubishi HC8000D Special Features Part 3 - Mitsubishi HC8000 Projector: 2D to 3D conversion - HC8000D Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motion5. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Physical Tour - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Appearance - HC8000D Control Panel - HC8000D Projector - Input/Output6. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Physical Tour Part 2 - HC8000D Menus - Mitsubishi HC8000D Remote Control - Mitsubishi HC8000D Lens Throw - Mitsubishi HC8000 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen7. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality - Mitsubishi HC8000D Out of the Box Picture Quality - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Flesh Tones - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Flesh Tones8. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 2 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: HC8000 Projector - Bottom Line9. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 3 - Mitsubishi HC8000D - Overall Color & Picture Quality10. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 4 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content11. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance - Mitsubishi HC8000D Brightness - HC7900DW - Post Calibration: User "best" mode (placed in User AV Memory 1) = 465 lumens12. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance 2 - HC8000 D in Eco-mode vs. Full power - Mitsubishi HC8000D Pre-Calibration Color temp, Cinema Mode - Post calibration: AV Memory 1 Mode HC8000D Color Temp over IRE Range - Mitsubishi HC8000D13. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance 3 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison Images - Mitsubishi HC8000D: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise14. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Calibration and Settings - Color Temp over IRE Range, Best Mode - Lumen Output and Color Temp for various Picture modes at 100 IRE - Mitsubishi HC8000D Basic Settings15. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - HC8000D RGB Settings - Calibration settings16. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Advanced Calibration Information - Color Management Settings - CMS Calibration Notes - Calibration Charts (Before and After)17. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Screen Recommendations18. Mitsubishi HC8000D – Competitors - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Epson Pro Cinema 6020 UB and Home Cinema 5020 UB - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Sony VPL-HW50ES - HC8000D vs. Sharp XV-Z3000019. Mitsubishi HC8000D – Competitors 2 - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Optoma HD8200, HD8300 - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Viewsonic Pro 9000 - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. PT-AE800020. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Warranty21. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - The Bottom Line22. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary 2 - HC8000D Color and Overall Picture Quality23. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary 3 - HC8000 DW Projector - Brightness for 2D viewing - HC8000 Projector - 3D Brightness - The Very Bottom Line on the HC8000D projector24. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary 4 - BenQ W1070 Projector: Pros and Cons - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Pros - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Cons25. Mitsubishi HC8000D Full Specifications Mitsubishi HC8000D Black Levels & Shadow DetailThe HC8000D offers solid black level performance in its price range. Definitely not the best, but definitely what we call “ultra high contrast”. This projector is roughly comparable in handling blacks to projectors like the Panasonic PT-AE8000 and the BenQ W7000. It won’t, however, match the blacks of the Epson or the Sony. The Epson (HC5020UB) is slightly less expensive, the Sony a many hundreds of dollars more. Let’s start with a side by side image: Epson HC5020UB (left) vs. Mitsubishi HC8000D (right) We use the Epson as our primary reference for black levels. The Epson isn’t unbeatable, there are a few more expensive projectors that can beat it at blacks, but it, so far, has taken on all comers under $3000 without fear. The HC8000 has very respectable “ultra-high contrast” blacks, close, but not quite up to the Epson. Black Levels ComparisonMitsubishi HC8000DEpson Home Cinema 5020PT-AE8000Sony VPL-HW50ESOptoma HD8300Optoma HD33JVC DLA-RS45Runco LS10dSharp XV-Z30000PreviousNext Mitsubishi HC8000D Really very good blacks.. Like all the images below of the “starship”, it is intentionally overexposed by a few f-stops. This raises the blacks so they can be easily seen as dark grays, and so that after mentally adjusting for the slightly differing exposures, you get a very good idea of how the HC8000 stacks up to the competition. Epson Home Cinema 5020 Image more overexposed (slightly, but blacks are still blacker than the HC8000, as well as the HC7900). Definitely has more “pop”, thanks to the better blacks. PT-AE8000 More comparable to the Mitsubishi. Factor in the slight differences in exposure, then the HC8000D should prove to be a touch better at blacks. Sony VPL-HW50ES A little more overexposed making it hard to compare, but still at least as black blacks as the Mitsubishi, so this again, indicates a projector with better black level performance than the HC8000D. Optoma HD8300 Very nice, offers slightly better blacks than the Mitsubishi, not quite up to the Epson or Sony. This is an older image not converted to grayscale, and definitely less overexposed. Optoma HD33 (lower cost, $1499 3D capable projector) Blacks are not as good as the Optoma, the image is less overexposed. JVC DLA-RS45 JVC’s $7500+ projectors have killer blacks. Even this RS45 is very good, and better than the Mitsubishi, although not by a whole lot. 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) this is another good DLP projector. The image is a bit less overexposed. Blacks are roughly comparable, though I’d say they slightly favor the Sharp. 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. The HC8000D’s dark shadow detail, like the HC7900DW’s is really excellent. I don’t think any of the competing projectors can do better by a noticeable, visible amount. I can’t say which of several is the very best, but this Mitsubishii projector is definitely one of the ones that seems to reveal the most. To start, our Bond “Night Train” Epson HC5020UB on the left, HC8000D on the right. (Converted to grayscale) The Epson is a little bit brighter, so due to the massive overexposure, more bright area detail is lost on the Epson than the Mitsubishi in this photo. Both look rather great when not overexposed intentionally. Shadow Detail ComparisonMitsubishi HC8000DOptoma HD8300Optoma HD33Epson Home Cinema 3020PT-AE8000Epson Home Cinema 5020 UBSony VPL-HW50ESHC7900DWPreviousNext Epson Home Cinema 5020 UB: Both Mitsubishi projectors’ dark shadow detail is every bit as good, perhaps a touch better than this Epson which we find to be better than most. PT-AE8000: Also very good dark shadow detail, but perhaps not quite as good. Epson Home Cinema 3020: A lower cost projector ($1599), not an ultra-high contrast projector. Optoma HD33: Another lower cost projector Optoma HD8300: Nice blacks but not as good on dark shadow detail Sony VPL-HW50ES: Better on blacks than dark shadow detail, but still very good. Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: HC8000 Projector - Bottom Line Very good and Excellent. For a $2999 “local dealer” projector that’s rather good, but not exceptional. Although the blacks could still be better, they are very livable. Still, for those of us who truly demand great blacks, there are competitors that will win this battle. Just remember, after a certain level of performance, black levels and shadow detail remain two important abilities, but arenot all of the important ones. 1. Mitsubishi HC8000D Home Theater Projector Review - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Highlights - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Overview2. Mitsubishi HC8000D Special Features - Adding 3D to the HC8000D - 3D Gaming with the Mitsubishi HC8000D: Lag Times! - HC8000 6X Color Wheel vs. Rainbow Effect - HC8000D Lamp Life3. Mitsubishi HC8000D Special Features Part 2 - 1.5:1 Zoom Lens - HC8000D Projector - 3D Performance4. Mitsubishi HC8000D Special Features Part 3 - Mitsubishi HC8000 Projector: 2D to 3D conversion - HC8000D Creative Frame Interpolation - CFI - smooth motion5. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Physical Tour - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Appearance - HC8000D Control Panel - HC8000D Projector - Input/Output6. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Physical Tour Part 2 - HC8000D Menus - Mitsubishi HC8000D Remote Control - Mitsubishi HC8000D Lens Throw - Mitsubishi HC8000 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens - Wide Screen7. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality - Mitsubishi HC8000D Out of the Box Picture Quality - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Flesh Tones - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - Flesh Tones8. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 2 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison - Black Level and Shadow Detail Performance: HC8000 Projector - Bottom Line9. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 3 - Mitsubishi HC8000D - Overall Color & Picture Quality10. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 4 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Bottom Line on HDTV Sports, and also 3D HDTV content11. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance - Mitsubishi HC8000D Brightness - HC7900DW - Post Calibration: User "best" mode (placed in User AV Memory 1) = 465 lumens12. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance 2 - HC8000 D in Eco-mode vs. Full power - Mitsubishi HC8000D Pre-Calibration Color temp, Cinema Mode - Post calibration: AV Memory 1 Mode HC8000D Color Temp over IRE Range - Mitsubishi HC8000D13. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Performance 3 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison Images - Mitsubishi HC8000D: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise14. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Calibration and Settings - Color Temp over IRE Range, Best Mode - Lumen Output and Color Temp for various Picture modes at 100 IRE - Mitsubishi HC8000D Basic Settings15. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - Mitsubishi HC8000D Post Calibration Grayscale: User Mode - HC8000D RGB Settings - Calibration settings16. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Advanced Calibration Information - Color Management Settings - CMS Calibration Notes - Calibration Charts (Before and After)17. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector Screen Recommendations18. Mitsubishi HC8000D – Competitors - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Epson Pro Cinema 6020 UB and Home Cinema 5020 UB - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Sony VPL-HW50ES - HC8000D vs. Sharp XV-Z3000019. Mitsubishi HC8000D – Competitors 2 - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Optoma HD8200, HD8300 - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. Viewsonic Pro 9000 - Mitsubishi HC8000D vs. PT-AE800020. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Warranty21. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector - The Bottom Line22. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary 2 - HC8000D Color and Overall Picture Quality23. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary 3 - HC8000 DW Projector - Brightness for 2D viewing - HC8000 Projector - 3D Brightness - The Very Bottom Line on the HC8000D projector24. Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Review Summary 4 - BenQ W1070 Projector: Pros and Cons - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Pros - Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector: Cons25. Mitsubishi HC8000D Full Specifications Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality Mitsubishi HC8000D Projector – Image Quality 3