Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality Posted on October 8, 2008 By Art Feierman 1. Sanyo PLV-Z700 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review - Sanyo PLV-Z700 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review: Overview2. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector Highlights - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector Highlights - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Basic Specifications3. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Physical Tour - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Physical Tour4. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Image Quality Sections - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Out of the Box Picture Quality5. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Skin Tone Handling6. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Black Level and Shadow Detail - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Black Level Performance7. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 5 - Shadow Detail Comparison - Thumbnails Comparison8. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 4 - Black Level Comparison - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Shadow Detail Performance9. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 6 - Shadow Detail Comparison - Sanyo PLV-Z700 projector - Projector Comparison10. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 7 - Thumbnail11. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 8 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison - Monitor Comparison12. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 9 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Performance: HDTV and Sports - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Overall Image Quality - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Overall Picture Quality: Bottom Line13. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance - PLV-Z700 User Memory Settings - PLV-Z700 Projector: Remote Control - PLV-Z700: Lens Throw and Lens Shift14. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance – 2 - PLV-Z700: SDE and Rainbow Effect, Pixel Visibility - PLV-Z700 Projector: Brightness - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Pre Color Calibration - Measurements Settings - Brightness Changes - The Iris setting also has a similar, large impact (Brilliant Cinema, Lamp on Normal)15. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Post Calibration - Z700 Brightness: Bottom line - PLV-Z700 Projector: Light Leakage - PLV-Z700: Audible Noise Levels - PLV-Z700: Projector Screen Recommendations16. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance – 4 - PLV-Z700 Projector: Measurements and Calibration - Advanced Settings - That resulted in these measurements - A quick calibration was also done to Brilliant Color - A quick calibration was also performed on Dynamic - PLV-Z700: Image Noise 17. Sanyo PLV-Z700 3LCD Home Theater Projector: Warranty18. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Summary - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Summary19. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Cons - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Typical Capabilities20. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities – 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Competitive Aspects - PLV-Z700 vs. Mitsubishi HC5500 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB21. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Optoma HD80 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. BenQ W5000 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Epson Home Cinema 610022. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities – 4 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Panasonic PT-AE3000U - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Summary - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Bottom Line23. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector Specifications Sanyo PLV-Z700: Image Quality Sections Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Out of the Box Picture QualityThe PLV-Z700 right out of the box, hooked up, and watching assorted content, I quickly concluded that “out of the box” picture quality was reasonably good, and definitely not great. Overall, without adjustment, the image is too warm (reddish). Shadow detail was also just good (which improved with a slight increase to the brightness setting). Overall, like the vast majority of home theater projectors, a noticeable and significant improvement can be made to the picture quality, by doing a basic, or professional calibration. I found movie watching before adjustment to be “ok”, and after the basic brightness and contrast settings, to be a little better. The brightest mode – Dynamic, as with almost all projectors, sacrifices some color accuracy, to pump out maximum lumens. HD sports viewing in Dynamic mode provided a very watchable image, but one that was significantly improved by our calibration. Bottom line: You won’t get the full potential out of this projector (as is true for most), without spending a little time or money to get it calibrated. Plan B – just drop the calibration settings we came up with into the User memories, and start there. You will find them to provide a noticeable improvement. 1. Sanyo PLV-Z700 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review - Sanyo PLV-Z700 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review: Overview2. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector Highlights - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector Highlights - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Basic Specifications3. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Physical Tour - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Physical Tour4. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Image Quality Sections - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Out of the Box Picture Quality5. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Skin Tone Handling6. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Black Level and Shadow Detail - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Black Level Performance7. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 5 - Shadow Detail Comparison - Thumbnails Comparison8. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 4 - Black Level Comparison - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Shadow Detail Performance9. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 6 - Shadow Detail Comparison - Sanyo PLV-Z700 projector - Projector Comparison10. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 7 - Thumbnail11. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 8 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison - Monitor Comparison12. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 9 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Performance: HDTV and Sports - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Overall Image Quality - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Overall Picture Quality: Bottom Line13. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance - PLV-Z700 User Memory Settings - PLV-Z700 Projector: Remote Control - PLV-Z700: Lens Throw and Lens Shift14. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance – 2 - PLV-Z700: SDE and Rainbow Effect, Pixel Visibility - PLV-Z700 Projector: Brightness - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Pre Color Calibration - Measurements Settings - Brightness Changes - The Iris setting also has a similar, large impact (Brilliant Cinema, Lamp on Normal)15. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Post Calibration - Z700 Brightness: Bottom line - PLV-Z700 Projector: Light Leakage - PLV-Z700: Audible Noise Levels - PLV-Z700: Projector Screen Recommendations16. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: General Performance – 4 - PLV-Z700 Projector: Measurements and Calibration - Advanced Settings - That resulted in these measurements - A quick calibration was also done to Brilliant Color - A quick calibration was also performed on Dynamic - PLV-Z700: Image Noise 17. Sanyo PLV-Z700 3LCD Home Theater Projector: Warranty18. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Summary - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Summary19. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Cons - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Typical Capabilities20. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities – 2 - Sanyo PLV-Z700: Competitive Aspects - PLV-Z700 vs. Mitsubishi HC5500 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z2000 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB21. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities – 3 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Optoma HD80 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. BenQ W5000 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Epson Home Cinema 610022. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities – 4 - Sanyo PLV-Z700 vs. Panasonic PT-AE3000U - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector: Summary - Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Bottom Line23. Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector Specifications Sanyo PLV-Z700 Projector: Physical Tour Sanyo PLV-Z700 Home Theater Projector Review: Image Quality – 2