Optoma HD8200 Projector – Image Quality – 3

Posted on March 29, 2009 By Art Feierman

The image immediately below is from The Dark Knight. I’ve intentionally overexposed it to make a point. This is the type of scene where the difference in black level performance makes a huge difference. Because the outside areas of the scene, and for that matter the men’s jackets are pretty black, with little detail at all, projectors with just “good” black levels look very flat – I’ve achieved that effect here.

The HD8200 actually does moderately well on this image, but the difference between the HD8200, and say the JVC RS10 and especially the RS20 is stunning. Even the less expensive Epson Home Cinema 6500UB , looks significantly better on this scene. Because the bright area of the image is of moderate brightness, projectors like the HD8200 or the Epson, can’t even get to their blackest blacks, whereas the JVCs, which do incredible blacks without an iris, would look drastically better. Right below it is an image from Quantum of Solace (but not overexposed), which is a very different scene type, but another where black level differences are almost “night and day”. (I can’t believe I’m getting away with that line! -art) The rocks on the left and right would be where the differences are.