Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Performance 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 On this page we take a look at the VPL-VW95ES projector’s brightness, sharpness, and image noise. We’ll discuss brightness in conjunction with 3D usage, as well. Also considered here are the physical attributes of light leakage and audible noise. Sony VPL-VW95ES Brightness VPL-VW1000ES Lumen Output and Color Temp at 100 IRE (mid zoom) Dynamic 859 @ 10495, 954 lumens @ 8508 with Color Temp on Custom 5 Standard 804 @ 8824 Cinema 1 718 @ 6908 Cinema 2 646 @ 5719 Cinema 3 722 @ 6917 Game 721 @ 6923 Photo 523 @ 5663 User 1 723 @ 6923 User 2 715 @ 6921 Sony rates the VPL-VW95ES projector as a 1000 lumen projector. As it turns out, they are right. Mike’s highest measurement was 1031 lumens. The next few screens will deal with pre-calibration information, including photos of how each of the modes look. Further down you’ll find the post calibration information including the measured brightness for D65 and for an improved “brightest mode”. This is how it plays out: First are the lumen measurements for each of the preset and user modes. Also included was the measured color temp for white, for each mode. Cinema 3 was the best looking image before Mike calibrated. All measurements were all taken with the zoom set to mid-point unless noted. All the images above were taken with the same exposure so you can get a hint at the relative differences. The last two are post calibration. First below, is User 1, the result of Mike sacrificing a limited amount of lumens to improve the overall color of the brightest mode. And below it, User 2, which is the D65 calibrated Cinema 3. Above, note that User 1 is actually a touch brighter than the default Dynamic mode (above it), but without the very cool (too blue) whites. It shows that you don’t have to choose when you need brightness between something nicely calibrated, and something way off. Below – D65 calibrated. You’ll see the numbers below. Very tight -Believe me, any color shifts you see in the posted images, aren’t the fault of the Sony. Effect of zoom on lumen output (Dynamic mode) Zoom out 928, (1031 using Custom 5 Color Temp) Mid-zoom 859 Zoom in 701 That translates into a roughly 25% drop in brightness going from the closest placement to the furthest placement allowed by the 1.6:1 zoom lens. Closest position is only about 8% brighter than mid-point, while furthest position is almost 20% less bright than mid-point. Lumen Output (Low Lamp, Dynamic mode): 497 That works out to a surpisingly large drop of 42%. Most projectors drop 20 – 30% when switched into low lamp mode. Below: sample color temperature snapshot, pre-calibration – not quite as good as last year’s projector, as default is a bit too cool. Color Temp over IRE Range (Best Mode, Pre calibration): Cinema 3 30 IRE 7453 50 IRE 7275 80 IRE 7121 100 IRE 6917 Effect of Iris settings on lumen output (Reference mode) Iris on Manual (maximum opening) 786 Iris on Manual (50% open) 653 Iris on Manual (minimum opening) 392 Iris Off or on Auto 1 or 2 859 Interestingly, the various iris settings of the Sony projector do affect measured output. For example, the projector is almost 10% brighter with the iris turned off or on Auto modes (dynamic) than when in manual use: As you can see, in manual mode, the maximum you can close it down is 50% in terms of brightness. That should give you a pretty good idea of the relevant settings and how they affect the projector’s picture. 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 5 Sony VPL-VW95ES Projector – Performance 2