Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Black Levels & Shadow Detail Posted on December 7, 2008 By Art Feierman 1. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Review - PLV-Z3000 Projector Highlights - Special Features - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Overview2. PLV-Z3000 Creative Frame Interpolation - PLV-Z3000 Creative Frame Interpolation - Full HDMI 1.3b support - Dynamic Image controls3. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Physical Tour - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Physical Appearance - Control Panel - Input/Output4. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Menus - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Menus - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Remote Control5. PLV-Z3000 Lens Throw - PLV-Z3000 Lens Throw - PLV-Z3000 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens6. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Image Quality - PLV-Z3000 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Flesh Tones - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector - Image Quality7. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Black Levels & Shadow Detail8. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Black Levels & Shadow Detail – 2 - Shadow Detail Performance9. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Shadow Detail Performance10. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Shadow Detail Performance – 211. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Shadow Detail Performance – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector - Shadow Detail Performance - 312. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Overall Color & Picture Quality - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports13. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Performance - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Brightness14. PLV-Z3000 Color Tempurature Measurements (default) for Pure Cinema mode - PLV-Z3000 Color Temperature Measurements (default) for Pure Cinema mode - Effect of Zoom Lens Positioning on Brightness15. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Sharpness - Sharpness16. Sanyo PLV-Z3000: Bottom Line Sharpness - Sanyo PLV-Z3000: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise17. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Color Temperature - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Basic Settings - Our final settings (numbers in parens are the default numbers)18. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Post Calibration Grayscale - RGB Settings - For a quick calibrate of Brilliant Color - For a quick calibrate of Dynamic19. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Projector Screens - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Screen Recommendations20. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors - PLV-Z3000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB21. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Mitsubishi HC5500, HC6500 and HC700022. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z700 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. BenQ W5000 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500 UB23. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors 4 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6100 - PLV-Z3000 vs. InFocus IN82 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Panasonic PT-AE300024. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Warranty25. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Review Summary - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector - The Bottom Line26. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Pros - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Cons - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Typical Capabilities27. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Specifications First is a seriously overexposed shot of the starship in The Fifth Element. Immediately below it, is a less overexposed version, for better comparing with the same image in older reviews. In the first image, I have left in part of the letterboxing, so you can see the basic black level more easily. Overexposed shot of the starship in The Fifth ElementLess Overexposed shot of the starship in The Fifth ElementImage from the Mitsubishi HC6500The Panasonic PT-AE3000, which slightly bests the Sanyo PLV-Z3000The JVC DLA-RS2PreviousNext As you can see, the PLV-Z3000 has a long ways to go to catch the JVC RS2, in terms of black levels. The Sanyo’s black levels are very good, but the least impressive of these high contrast projectors, most similar to the Panasonic, but not quite that good. OK here’s what many of you have been waiting for, side by side images for comparing black levels. I had the opportunity to shoot the PLV-Z3000 against the Panasonic, the Mitsubishi HC7000, and the Sony VPL-HW10. All three are more expensive projectors, with only the Panasonic close to the price of the Sanyo. The image below is just slightly overexposed. The Sanyo in all of these, is on the right. Don’t worry about color shifts – at these long exposures (up to 10 seconds) subtle differences in color are exaggerated. Note, the Sanyo being a little less bright, is a bit dimmer, so fewer stars are visible. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 (right), Panasonic PT-AE3000 (left):The same drill, but the Mitsubishi HC7000 on the left, Sanyo on the rightHere is the Sanyo, vs. the more expensive LCoS powered Sony VPL-HW10:PreviousNext 1. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Review - PLV-Z3000 Projector Highlights - Special Features - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Overview2. PLV-Z3000 Creative Frame Interpolation - PLV-Z3000 Creative Frame Interpolation - Full HDMI 1.3b support - Dynamic Image controls3. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Physical Tour - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Physical Appearance - Control Panel - Input/Output4. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Menus - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Menus - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Remote Control5. PLV-Z3000 Lens Throw - PLV-Z3000 Lens Throw - PLV-Z3000 Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens6. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Image Quality - PLV-Z3000 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Flesh Tones - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector - Image Quality7. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Black Levels & Shadow Detail8. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Black Levels & Shadow Detail – 2 - Shadow Detail Performance9. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Shadow Detail Performance10. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Shadow Detail Performance – 211. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Shadow Detail Performance – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector - Shadow Detail Performance - 312. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Overall Color & Picture Quality - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports13. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Performance - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Brightness14. PLV-Z3000 Color Tempurature Measurements (default) for Pure Cinema mode - PLV-Z3000 Color Temperature Measurements (default) for Pure Cinema mode - Effect of Zoom Lens Positioning on Brightness15. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Sharpness - Sharpness16. Sanyo PLV-Z3000: Bottom Line Sharpness - Sanyo PLV-Z3000: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise17. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Color Temperature - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Basic Settings - Our final settings (numbers in parens are the default numbers)18. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Post Calibration Grayscale - RGB Settings - For a quick calibrate of Brilliant Color - For a quick calibrate of Dynamic19. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Projector Screens - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Screen Recommendations20. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors - PLV-Z3000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB21. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Mitsubishi HC5500, HC6500 and HC700022. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z700 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. BenQ W5000 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500 UB23. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Competitors 4 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6100 - PLV-Z3000 vs. InFocus IN82 - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 vs. Panasonic PT-AE300024. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Warranty25. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 – Review Summary - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector - The Bottom Line26. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Pros - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Cons - Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector: Typical Capabilities27. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector Specifications Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Image Quality Sanyo PLV-Z3000 Projector – Black Levels & Shadow Detail – 2