Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 3 Posted on January 1, 2010 By Art Feierman 1. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review2. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 2 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Overview - VPL-VW85 Projector Highlights3. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 3 - Specs for Sony VPL-VW85 - Sony VPL-VW85 Special Features - Sony SXRD panels - (LCoS) 4. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 4 - Individual SXRD panel adjustment - CFI - MotionFlow - Film MotionFlow5. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector - Appearance - VPL-VW85 Control Panel6. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 3 - Input/Output - VPL-VW85 Menus7. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 4 - Sony VPL-VW85 Remote Control8. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 5 - Sony VPL-VW85 Remote Control - Lens Shift - VPL-VW85 Anamorphic Lens9. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector - Image Quality - VPL-VW85 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Flesh Tones10. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Sony VPL-VW85 Black Levels & Shadow Detail11. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 412. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 513. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 6 - Shadow Detail Performance14. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 715. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 816. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 917. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 10 - Overall Color & Picture Quality18. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 11 - The very bottom line on overall image quality and color: - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports19. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance - Sony VPL-VW85 Brightness - The measured brightness of each mode (pre-calibration): Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom): - Color Temp over IRE Range (Best Mode, Pre calibration):20. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance 221. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance 322. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance 4 - Sony VPL-VW85: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise23. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-VW85 Color Temperature - After calibration, the measurements are even closer to 6500K, and overall, an excellent set of results: - Sony VPL-VW85 Basic Settings24. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - RGB Settings25. Sony VPL-VW85 – Screen Recommendations26. 7Sony VPL-VW85 – Warranty27. Sony VPL-VW85 – Review Summary - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector - The Bottom Line - Sony VPL-VW85 Brightness28. Sony VPL-VW85 – Review Summary 2 - Fancy features: - The very bottom line: - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Pros29. Sony VPL-VW85 – Review Summary 3 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Cons - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Typical Capabilities The Sony VPL-VW85 is the middle projector in Sony’s SXRD (LCoS) home theater projector lineup. There’s a much more expensive VPL-VW200, and the much less expensive VPL-HW15 (which we’ve reviewed). Specs for Sony VPL-VW85Click to enlarge So.close MSRP: $7999 Technology: LCoS (SXRD) Native Resolution: 1080p (1920×1080) Brightness: 800 lumens claimed, 725 lumens highest we measured Contrast: 120,000:1 Zoom Lens ratio: 1.6:1 Lens shift: Vertical and horizontal Click Image to EnlargeLamp life: Sony does not provide info, we assume 2000 hours at full power, 3000 in low (the industry standard) Weight: 26 lbs. (11.6 Kg) Warranty: 2 Years Parts and Labor Sony VPL-VW85 Special FeaturesSony SXRD panels - (LCoS) Click to enlarge So.close (This paragraph taken right from the older HW10, HW15 reviews.) The vast majority of home theater projectors use either DLP or 3LCD technology. Sony uses Liquid Crystal on Silicon, a reflective panel, as opposed to the translucent typical LCD panels. Sony calls their LCoS implementation SXRD. In the under $10,000 price range, JVC and Sony are the primary manufacturers of LCoS home theater projectors. Click Image to EnlargeThe advantages of LCoS, these days, are two fold: First, LCoS panels have, for all practical purposes, invisible pixel structures, way below visibility at normal seating distances with a 1080p projector. Only the 3LCD Panasonic PT-AE4000, with its addition of their SmoothScreen technology, has less visible pixels, and it comes with a price, a slightly softer image. Pixel visibility, and screen door effect are, effectively non-issues, with this Sony, thanks to the LCoS panels. The second advantage, it seems is in terms of black level performance. Although it seems that JVC’s panel/light engine designs are still slightly superior to Sony’s, Sony has closed the gap dramatically with the VW85, landing the VW85 in the same performance space as the RS25. Even if it still takes the Sony a dynamic iris to get there, it “has arrived.” Football over HDTV looked great, but more lumens (brighter) would have been better! 1. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review2. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 2 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Overview - VPL-VW85 Projector Highlights3. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 3 - Specs for Sony VPL-VW85 - Sony VPL-VW85 Special Features - Sony SXRD panels - (LCoS) 4. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 4 - Individual SXRD panel adjustment - CFI - MotionFlow - Film MotionFlow5. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector - Appearance - VPL-VW85 Control Panel6. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 3 - Input/Output - VPL-VW85 Menus7. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 4 - Sony VPL-VW85 Remote Control8. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Physical Tour 5 - Sony VPL-VW85 Remote Control - Lens Shift - VPL-VW85 Anamorphic Lens9. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector - Image Quality - VPL-VW85 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Flesh Tones10. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Sony VPL-VW85 Black Levels & Shadow Detail11. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 412. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 513. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 6 - Shadow Detail Performance14. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 715. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 816. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 917. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 10 - Overall Color & Picture Quality18. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Image Quality 11 - The very bottom line on overall image quality and color: - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports19. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance - Sony VPL-VW85 Brightness - The measured brightness of each mode (pre-calibration): Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom): - Color Temp over IRE Range (Best Mode, Pre calibration):20. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance 221. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance 322. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector – Performance 4 - Sony VPL-VW85: Bottom Line Sharpness - Light Leakage - Image Noise - Audible Noise23. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-VW85 Color Temperature - After calibration, the measurements are even closer to 6500K, and overall, an excellent set of results: - Sony VPL-VW85 Basic Settings24. Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Calibration and Settings 2 - RGB Settings25. Sony VPL-VW85 – Screen Recommendations26. 7Sony VPL-VW85 – Warranty27. Sony VPL-VW85 – Review Summary - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector - The Bottom Line - Sony VPL-VW85 Brightness28. Sony VPL-VW85 – Review Summary 2 - Fancy features: - The very bottom line: - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Pros29. Sony VPL-VW85 – Review Summary 3 - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Cons - Sony VPL-VW85 Projector: Typical Capabilities Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 2 Sony VPL-VW85 Projector Review 4