Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 2 Posted on July 28, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Review - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Highlights - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Overview2. Sony VPL-VW95ES Special Features - Dynamic Iris - VPL-VW95ES 3D Abilities - Let's talk 3D active glasses - 2D to Simulated 3D on the VPL-VW95ES3. Sony VPL-VW95ES Special Features 2 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Gamma Modes - CFI - Sony MotionFlow - Sony SXRD panels - (LCoS) - Individual SXRD panel adjustment4. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Physical Tour - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector - Appearance - Sony VPL-VW95ES Control Panel - Input/Output5. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Menus - Sony VPL-VW95ES Remote Control - Sony VPL-VW95ES Lens Throw - VW95 Lens Shift - VPL-VW95ES Anamorphic Lens, Lens Memory6. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality - VPL-VW95ES "Out of the Box" Picture Quality - VPL-VW95ES Projector - Flesh Tones7. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 2 - VPL-VW95ES Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison8. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 3 - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison9. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 4 - Sony VPL-VW95ES - Overall Color & Picture Quality - The bottom line on overall picture quality10. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 5 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports - Bottom line for HDTV on the Sony VPL-VW95ES Home Theater Projector11. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Performance - Sony VPL-VW95ES Brightness12. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Performance 2 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector - Post Calibration - Sony VPL-VW95ES Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison Images - Sony VPL-VW95ES: Bottom Line Sharpness - VW95 Light Leakage - VPL-VW95ES Image Noise - Sony VPL-VW95ES Audible Noise13. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-VW95ES Basic Settings - Pre-calibration - Sony VPL-VW95ES Color Temperature - Calibration - Sony VPL-VW95ES Post Calibration Grayscale: User 2 (based on Cinema 3) "Best" - Notes14. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Screen Recommendations15. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Competitors16. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Warranty17. Sony VPL-VW95ES Home Cinema Projector – Review Summary - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector - The Bottom Line - The Very Bottom Line on the VPL-VW95ES projector - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector: Pros - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector: Cons18. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Full Specifications VPL-VW95ES Black Levels & Shadow DetailThere are a whole bunch of projectors over $3500 that have excellent black level performance. In fact, great black level performance is almost standard on projectors above that price (and a few, below it). Our take, is by the time you get black levels this good (are they the “holy grail”?), most folks are very satisfied (though who will refuse blacker blacks, if all else is equal)? That said, the VPL-VW95ES is in good company. Almost all of the projectors I consider in this price and black level handling range, use a dynamic iris, to achieve best blacks on dark scenes. The only exceptions of the projectors we consider primary competition, are the three JVCs, with the two higher end ones offering a bit better blacks than any of the other projectors. The field I’m addressing includes this Mitsubishi, the JVCs, The two Sonys currently shipping, an Optoma, a Runco, the JVCs, and the Sharp. Of all of those mentioned, only the two more expensive JVCs are likely able to produce blacks that are visibly darker than the VPL-VW95ES. OK, let’s look at some screen images, practical for considering black levels. And, as usual, we’ve provided the same image from a number of other projectors. If two images have the starships equally bright, but one has blacker blacks in the letterbox, that projector is the one with the better blacks. Alternately, and logically, (since the exposures do vary a bit): If two projectors have letterboxes equally black/gray, then the one with the brighter starship, has the better blacks. It’s that easy. The hard part are the brightness variations from one image to the next. Even a 1/3 stop difference in exposure is rather significant. Black Levels ComparisonSony VPL-VW95ESSony VPL-VW90ESMitsubishi HC9000DJVC DLA-RS25Sharp XV-Z17000Epson Home Cinema 5010JVC RS15PreviousNext Here we again start with the VPL-VW95ES, and the Sony VPL-VW90ES. Note: We will be converting most recent “starship” images to grayscale to remove the distraction of varying colors. Mitsubishi HC9000D (uses Sony LCoS panels): JVC DLA-RS25: Sharp XV-Z17000, This Sharp was the first single chip 1080p DLP projector to hit the market under $5000. Epson Home Cinema 5010: Epson has reigned for years as the “black level champ” in the under $3500 price range, and can compete in blacks, rather easily with most over $5000 projectors. That said, it can’t quite compete with the Sony VPL-VW95ES, which is simply better at doing blacker blacks. It would seem an improvement over the 90ES last year, as I don’t recall it being quite so remarkable at handling black levels. JVC RS15: (Has been replaced, officially, by the RS45 (not reviewed) Finally, a little side by side imagery. On the right is the VPL-VW95ES, on the left is the $20K SIM2 Nero 2: Click Image to Enlarge 1. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Review - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Highlights - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Overview2. Sony VPL-VW95ES Special Features - Dynamic Iris - VPL-VW95ES 3D Abilities - Let's talk 3D active glasses - 2D to Simulated 3D on the VPL-VW95ES3. Sony VPL-VW95ES Special Features 2 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Gamma Modes - CFI - Sony MotionFlow - Sony SXRD panels - (LCoS) - Individual SXRD panel adjustment4. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Physical Tour - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector - Appearance - Sony VPL-VW95ES Control Panel - Input/Output5. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Physical Tour 2 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Menus - Sony VPL-VW95ES Remote Control - Sony VPL-VW95ES Lens Throw - VW95 Lens Shift - VPL-VW95ES Anamorphic Lens, Lens Memory6. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality - VPL-VW95ES "Out of the Box" Picture Quality - VPL-VW95ES Projector - Flesh Tones7. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 2 - VPL-VW95ES Black Levels & Shadow Detail - Black Levels Comparison8. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 3 - Shadow Detail Performance - Shadow Detail Comparison9. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 4 - Sony VPL-VW95ES - Overall Color & Picture Quality - The bottom line on overall picture quality10. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 5 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports - Bottom line for HDTV on the Sony VPL-VW95ES Home Theater Projector11. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Performance - Sony VPL-VW95ES Brightness12. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Performance 2 - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector - Post Calibration - Sony VPL-VW95ES Sharpness - Sharpness Comparison Images - Sony VPL-VW95ES: Bottom Line Sharpness - VW95 Light Leakage - VPL-VW95ES Image Noise - Sony VPL-VW95ES Audible Noise13. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Calibration and Settings - Sony VPL-VW95ES Basic Settings - Pre-calibration - Sony VPL-VW95ES Color Temperature - Calibration - Sony VPL-VW95ES Post Calibration Grayscale: User 2 (based on Cinema 3) "Best" - Notes14. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Screen Recommendations15. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Competitors16. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector Warranty17. Sony VPL-VW95ES Home Cinema Projector – Review Summary - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector - The Bottom Line - The Very Bottom Line on the VPL-VW95ES projector - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector: Pros - Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector: Cons18. Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Full Specifications Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Image Quality 3