Viewsonic Pro8200 Projector - Image Quality 2

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Shadow Detail Performance

As is typical with projectors lacking stellar black level performance, shadow detail is pretty good.

In our seriously overexposed scene of Clint Eastwood in Space Cowboys, you can make out plenty of detail in the dark shades.

Below is a heavily overexposed scene from Lord of the Rings. The overexposure lets you see all the details in the shed on the right, the structure on the left, and the plants and ground along the lower right. The Pro8200 offers a great amount of dark shadow detail.

Below is a heavily overexposed scene from Lord of the Rings. The overexposure lets you see all the details in the shed on the right, the structure on the left, and the plants and ground along the lower right. The Pro8200 offers a great amount of dark shadow detail.

Click on left thumbnail image for the Viewsonic Pro8200, Mitsubishi HC4000 in the center, and the right for the Optoma HD20

Our last comparison uses the night train scene from Casino Royale. Look to the trees and shrubs on the right, especially just above the tracks. The first image is the Viewsonic, followed by the HC4000, the BenQ W6000, then Sony VPL-HW15, the Sharp XV-Z15000.

All considered, the Pro8200 reveals more of the dark shadow detail than just about any other projector we've recently worked with. Most impressive. In reality it was essentially identical to the HC3800, but our photo of the Pro8200 is a little darker.

Bottom Line, regarding shadow detail and black levels: When it comes to the shadow detail abilities of the Pro8200, there's nothing to worry about. The Viewsonic reveals most. The lack, however, of blacker blacks, translates into a lot less pop to those dark images, but you should still make out all that detail, even if it doesn't pop.

Viewsonic Pro8200 - Overall Color & Picture Quality

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The Viewsonic Pro8200 does OK, especially since it seems to do a little better than the Optoma and Vivitek on the blacks. But, the three are very close.

Spend a few hundred more and you can move up a step in black level performance. Otherwise, for the price, picture quality isn't bad at all.

A mix of additional images to show off the Viewsonic Pro8200:

From the DVE-HD test disc:

And here are a few assorted, additional images, some of which can be found on other recent reviews: