Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-4 Posted on September 1, 2009 By Art Feierman 1. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Review - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Overview2. VPL-HW15 Projector Highlights - Specs for Sony VPL-HW15 - Sony VPL-HW15 Special Features - Sony VPL-HW15 Gamma Modes - Sony SXRD panels - (LCoS) - Individual SXRD panel adjustment3. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Physical Tour - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector - Appearance - VPL-HW15 Control Panel4. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Physical Tour-2 - Input/Output - VPL-HW15 Menus5. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Physical Tour-3 - Sony VPL-HW15 Remote Control - Sony VPL HW15 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens6. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality - VPL-HW15 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector - Flesh Tones - VPL-HW15 Black Levels & Shadow Detail7. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-28. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-39. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-410. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-5 - Shadow Detail Performance11. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-612. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-713. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-814. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-915. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-1016. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-11 - VPL-HW15 - Overall Color & Picture Quality17. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-12 - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports18. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Performance - Sony VPL-HW15 Brightness - Color Temp over IRE Range (Pre calibration): - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode): - Color Temp over IRE Range (Post calibration)19. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Performance-2 - Sony VPL-HW15 Sharpness20. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Performance-3 - Sony VPL-HW15: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise21. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-HW15 Color Temperature - Color Temp over IRE Range (Pre calibration): - Sony VPL-HW15 Basic Settings - RGB Settings22. Sony VPL-HW15 – Projector Screens - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Screen Recommendations23. Sony VPL-HW15 – Competitors - VPL-HW15 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500UB - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. Mitsubishi HC7000 - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. BenQ W5000 - VPL-HW15 vs. Sony VPL-HW15 - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. Panasonic PT-AE300024. Sony VPL-HW15 – Warranty25. Sony VPL-HW15 – Review Summary - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector - The Bottom Line26. Sony VPL-HW15 – Review Summary-2 - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Pros - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Cons - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Typical Capabilities 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 mens’ jackets are pretty black, with little detail at all, projectors with just “good” black levels look very flat. Below it, is a side by side with the Sony on the left, and Epson 6500UB on the right. The dynamic iris, with almost all projectors (JVC excepted, as they manage great black levels without a dynamic iris,) of course, is key to the excellent black levels. I figure this is as good a time to comment on the iris’s impact on viewing. Below are two images from the beginning of one of the Star Trek movies (The Wrath of Kahn) shot at the exact same exposure! Notice how much brighter the background is on the first image, as the iris is forced to open for the bright credit. (Both images are intentionally overexposed.) A few frames before, without the credit, the scene is just stars, and the iris closes down a good amount. You must concede, the difference is significant. Of course when you have bright areas on an image, you are a little less likely to notice the blacks. 1. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Review - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Overview2. VPL-HW15 Projector Highlights - Specs for Sony VPL-HW15 - Sony VPL-HW15 Special Features - Sony VPL-HW15 Gamma Modes - Sony SXRD panels - (LCoS) - Individual SXRD panel adjustment3. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Physical Tour - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector - Appearance - VPL-HW15 Control Panel4. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Physical Tour-2 - Input/Output - VPL-HW15 Menus5. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Physical Tour-3 - Sony VPL-HW15 Remote Control - Sony VPL HW15 Lens Throw - Lens Shift - Anamorphic Lens6. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality - VPL-HW15 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector - Flesh Tones - VPL-HW15 Black Levels & Shadow Detail7. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-28. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-39. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-410. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-5 - Shadow Detail Performance11. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-612. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-713. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-814. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-915. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-1016. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-11 - VPL-HW15 - Overall Color & Picture Quality17. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-12 - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports18. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Performance - Sony VPL-HW15 Brightness - Color Temp over IRE Range (Pre calibration): - Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode): - Color Temp over IRE Range (Post calibration)19. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Performance-2 - Sony VPL-HW15 Sharpness20. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Performance-3 - Sony VPL-HW15: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise21. Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-HW15 Color Temperature - Color Temp over IRE Range (Pre calibration): - Sony VPL-HW15 Basic Settings - RGB Settings22. Sony VPL-HW15 – Projector Screens - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector Screen Recommendations23. Sony VPL-HW15 – Competitors - VPL-HW15 vs. Epson Home Cinema 6500UB - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. Mitsubishi HC7000 - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. Sanyo PLV-Z3000 - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. BenQ W5000 - VPL-HW15 vs. Sony VPL-HW15 - Sony VPL-HW15 vs. Panasonic PT-AE300024. Sony VPL-HW15 – Warranty25. Sony VPL-HW15 – Review Summary - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector - The Bottom Line26. Sony VPL-HW15 – Review Summary-2 - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Pros - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Cons - Sony VPL-HW15 Projector: Typical Capabilities Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-3 Sony VPL-HW15 Projector – Image Quality-5