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Optoma HD8600 – Performance

Posted on December 6, 2009 By Art Feierman

Optoma HD8600 Brightness

The Optoma HD8600 is one of the brighter 1080p home theater projectors out there. Immediately below are the measured lumens of each of the preset modes, (and also the color temperature they produced at 100 IRE) (white)

Optoma HD8600 Projector - Uncalibrated
Cinema 1 579 @ 6451
Cinema 2 787 @ 6529
Reference 785 @ 6513
Photo 801 @ 7548
Bright 1132 @ 9021
Graphics 1127 @ 8987
User 785 @ 6499

After doing our calibration of “best mode” we measured Cinema 2 (set up for User 1) at 696 lumens. So far this year, only the JVC projectors have measured slightly brighter in “best” mode.

In “brightest” mode, (Bright) post calibration, we measured 1166 lumens, actually slightly brighter than any of the preset modes.

The Effect of zoom lens positioning on brightness: Our standard measurements reported are done with the zoom at its mid-point. Here are relative numbers from the Cinema 1 mode (lamp on low), for different lens positioning. From a percentage standpoint, the differences will be the same for any mode, as you change the lens angle. Note that the variation is very slight. This is in part do to the very limited range of this lens (1.25:1) and good optics, so there is little variation over the range.

Zoom out (closest position – wide-angle): 440 lumens
Mid-zoom: 427 lumens
Zoom in: 419 lumens (furthest from the screen – tele)

The Effect of low lamp (eco) mode on brightness:

Low lamp power, for Cinema 1: 427 lumens
High lamp power for Cinema 1: 579 lumens

That translates into a drop of approximately 26% when going from full, to low power lamp setting.

Brightest Mode

there are times when you need (or want) every last lumen. For this purpose we look at the brightest modes offered, and do a “quick – calibration” That calibration isn’t designed for best color. Brightest modes are often very poor in color. Our goal in “calibrating” that mode, it so make the color respectable, not exceptional, while compromising brightness as little as possible. With most projectors, you could start with a very bright mode, calibrate it for the absolute best color, etc, but when you get it, and measure, it’s now no longer brighter than “best mode”, in which case, why bother.

Optoma HD8600 Projector – Image Quality-11
Optoma HD8600 – Performance-2