Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 2 Posted on March 29, 2009 By Art Feierman 1. Optoma HD8200 Projector Review - Optoma HD8200 Projector Overview2. Optoma HD8200 Projector Highlights - HD8200 Projector Highlights3. Optoma HD8200 Special Features - Optoma HD8200 Color Wheel4. Optoma HD8200 – Physical Tour - Optoma HD8200 Physical Appearance - HD8200 Projector - Control Panel - Optoma HD8200 Inputs and Outputs5. Optoma HD8200 – Physical Tour – 2 - Optoma HD8200 Menus - Optoma HD8200 Remote Control6. Optoma HD8200 – Physical Tour – 3 - HD8200 Lens Throw - HD8200 Lens Shift - HD8200 Anamorphic Lens7. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality - HD8200 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Optoma HD8200 Projector - Flesh Tones8. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 2 - HD8200 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison9. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 310. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 4 - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison11. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 5 - Space Cowboys Comparison - Satellite Comparison12. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 6 - Shadow Detail Comparison - Satellite Comparison13. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 7 - Projector Comparison - Thumbnail Comparison14. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 8 - The Night Train Scene15. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 9 - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports16. Optoma HD8200 – Performance - Optoma HD8200 Brightness - Brightness Measurements - Pre-Calibration(user mode) - Measured Color Temperatures17. Optoma HD8200 – Performance – 2 - Optoma HD8200 Sharpness - Optoma HD8200 Sharpness Comparison - Computer Monitor Comparison18. Optoma HD8200 – Performance – 3 - Optoma HD8200: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise19. Optoma HD8200 Projector Calibration and Settings - Optoma HD8200 Color Temperature - User Measurements - Optoma HD8200 Basic Settings - Our final settings (numbers in parens are the default numbers)20. Optoma HD8200 Projector Calibration and Settings – 2 - Optoma HD8200 Post Calibration Grayscale - RGB Settings - Calibration settings: (default in parenthesis)21. Optoma HD8200 – Projector Screens - Optoma HD8200 Projector Screen Recommendations22. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors - HD8200 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500UB - Optoma HD8200 vs. Mitsubishi HC700023. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors – 2 - Optoma HD8200 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 - Optoma HD8200 vs. BenQ W500024. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors – 3 - HD8200 vs. InFocus IN83 - Optoma HD8200 vs. Panasonic PT-AE300025. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors – 4 - Optoma HD8200 vs. JVC DLA-RS1026. Optoma HD8200 – Warranty27. Optoma HD8200 – Review Summary - Optoma HD8200 Projector - The Bottom Line28. Optoma HD8200 – Review Summary – 229. Optoma HD8200 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Pros - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Typical Capabilities30. Optoma HD8200 Projector Specifications HD8200 Black Levels & Shadow Detail Black level performance of the HD8200 is pretty darn good. I have run the HD8200 side by side against the JVC RS20, the Epson Home Cinema 6500UB and others. While the HD8200 can’t match most of the ultra-high-contrast 3LCD projectors it comes very close to the Sanyo PLV-Z3000, the least expensive of those, and the one with the least impressive blacks. The HD8200 is comparable, and possibly a bit better in black levels than the BenQ W5000. I reviewed the two projectors a full year apart, so it’s hard to confirm that, but, let’s say that the HD8200 should be as least as good as the W5000. The first two images here, are side by side images comparing it to the Epson Home Cinema 6500UB. These images are seriously overexposed. Enough that the blue logo appears white, and the extremely dark background has been lifted enough that you can see the differences in black levels. As you can see, the Epson does have a real advantage. The second image is a more typical scene, from The Dark Knight. There are enough bright lights in this city night scene, that the irises on the two projectors are not able to stop fully down. In a mixed scene such as this, the difference in black level performance is not as immediately noticeable, but still there upon close inspection. Black Levels ComparisonOptoma HD8200BenQ W20000Mitsubishi HC5500Panasonic PT-AE3000Epson Home Cinema 6500UBPreviousNext Images of the Starship, from The Fifth Element. The first is our Optoma HD8200. Immediately below it, is the BenQ W20000. Unfortunately, brightness varies from image to image, making accurate comparisons of black levels somewhat challenging. 1. Optoma HD8200 Projector Review - Optoma HD8200 Projector Overview2. Optoma HD8200 Projector Highlights - HD8200 Projector Highlights3. Optoma HD8200 Special Features - Optoma HD8200 Color Wheel4. Optoma HD8200 – Physical Tour - Optoma HD8200 Physical Appearance - HD8200 Projector - Control Panel - Optoma HD8200 Inputs and Outputs5. Optoma HD8200 – Physical Tour – 2 - Optoma HD8200 Menus - Optoma HD8200 Remote Control6. Optoma HD8200 – Physical Tour – 3 - HD8200 Lens Throw - HD8200 Lens Shift - HD8200 Anamorphic Lens7. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality - HD8200 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Optoma HD8200 Projector - Flesh Tones8. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 2 - HD8200 Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison9. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 310. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 4 - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison11. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 5 - Space Cowboys Comparison - Satellite Comparison12. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 6 - Shadow Detail Comparison - Satellite Comparison13. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 7 - Projector Comparison - Thumbnail Comparison14. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 8 - The Night Train Scene15. Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 9 - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports16. Optoma HD8200 – Performance - Optoma HD8200 Brightness - Brightness Measurements - Pre-Calibration(user mode) - Measured Color Temperatures17. Optoma HD8200 – Performance – 2 - Optoma HD8200 Sharpness - Optoma HD8200 Sharpness Comparison - Computer Monitor Comparison18. Optoma HD8200 – Performance – 3 - Optoma HD8200: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise19. Optoma HD8200 Projector Calibration and Settings - Optoma HD8200 Color Temperature - User Measurements - Optoma HD8200 Basic Settings - Our final settings (numbers in parens are the default numbers)20. Optoma HD8200 Projector Calibration and Settings – 2 - Optoma HD8200 Post Calibration Grayscale - RGB Settings - Calibration settings: (default in parenthesis)21. Optoma HD8200 – Projector Screens - Optoma HD8200 Projector Screen Recommendations22. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors - HD8200 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500UB - Optoma HD8200 vs. Mitsubishi HC700023. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors – 2 - Optoma HD8200 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 - Optoma HD8200 vs. BenQ W500024. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors – 3 - HD8200 vs. InFocus IN83 - Optoma HD8200 vs. Panasonic PT-AE300025. Optoma HD8200 – Competitors – 4 - Optoma HD8200 vs. JVC DLA-RS1026. Optoma HD8200 – Warranty27. Optoma HD8200 – Review Summary - Optoma HD8200 Projector - The Bottom Line28. Optoma HD8200 – Review Summary – 229. Optoma HD8200 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Pros - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Cons - Optoma HD8200 Projector: Typical Capabilities30. Optoma HD8200 Projector Specifications Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 3