Mitsubishi HC9000D Projector - Image Quality-4

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Art Feierman

Shadow Detail Performance

Our major comparison uses the night train scene from Casino Royale. Look to the trees and shrubs on the right, especially just above the tracks. The first image is the Mitsubishi HC9000D. Next, the Sony VPL-90ES, third is VPL-Pro1, fourth, the Epson Home Cinema 8700UB, followed by the JVC RS15, and the last one is from the Runco LS-10d projector.

Although you can tell the Mitsubishi image is a touch brighter than the Sony immediately below, look to the shrubs and trees on the right side by the tracks and above. There is definitely more detail visible on the Mitsubishi. The Mitsubishi is especially good at dark shadow detail for an ultra-high contrast projector.

hc9000d bond train large

VPL-VW90ES bond train large

8700ub bond train large

JVC DLA-RS15 bond train large

LS10 bond train large

My personal thoughts - regarding dark shadow detail: The older Epson UB projectors weren't that great at dark shadow detail, but excellent on blacks. I found shadow detail to be more than good enough (I'd rather have blacker blacks and a touch less dark shadow detail). With the Mitsubishi being more like the newer improved 8700UB, with really good dark shadow detail, that simply says: No problem! Very nice job!

Mitsubishi HC9000D - Overall Color & Picture Quality

❮ ❯

While I had several projectors here, I could have done side by side images with, I only shot the HC9000D against the JVC HD250, a less expensive projector (not 3D capable). The other two - the Epson 8700UB, and my own RS20, weren't practical, due to brightness. My RS20 with a new lamp should be almost as bright as the Mitsubishi, but I have over 1900 hours on my 2000 hour lamp, so I'm lucky to have almost 400 lumens. The Epson puts out (now) just under 500 lumens in "best mode", so it too, is significantly dimmer. Even using the low lamp setting on the HC9000, it was too bright for side by sides.

Three images above from Bond movies. I'd expect the color performance of the JVC HD250 on the right, to also be similar to the RS40, while the higher end JVCs offer a CMS for better calibrating. Remember, the HC9000D also has a CMS, but here, at Projector Reviews, we only do the basics and gray scale calibration, not full CMS. Point being, calibrated, the HC9000D has excellent color. The JVC, as you can see, isn't quite as bright as the Mitsubishi, but they are obviously very close.

Black level performance is first class UHC - ultra high contrast. It's not the best, so if you are on a quest for the best blacks (this side of CRT projectors), you'll still have to look to the two top end JVCs, but this Mitsubishi, is like so many others - The Epson UB, the JVC RS15/RS40, the Sony and Sharp. All offer excellent blacks, fine enough, that other aspects become more important!

For your consideration: Here are additional images, some of which can be found on other reviews: