Mitsubishi HC4000 Projector - Image Quality

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Art Feierman

These HC4000 scene images below are either Blu-ray or HDTV. Consider that by the time these Mitsubishi HC4000 projector images get to your eyeball, via digital SLR, software, browsers, and your monitor, there are definite color shifts, saturation differences, contrast difference... The HC4000 images are here to support the commentary, but keep in mind these limitations when trying to compare images from the HC4000 projector with other home theater projectors. Take them all, "with a grain of salt". Those images relating to black level performance and sharpness, however, are pretty reliable, color accuracy, getting to you (and dynamic range) are the issues. Different projector technoogies noticeably affect the pictures I shoot. I must say I'm not particularly pleased with this set, which is a bit dark in general and the color temp appears too cool - thin on reds (and also yellows) not sure exactly why this batch was off this much. Still, they don't look bad. I will reshoot some when a full production version of the HC4000 arrives. I think it's safe to for me to say that all home theater projectors, including the Mitsubishi HC4000 definitely look better live, than in even the best looking images here would hint.

Mitsubishi HC4000 Out of the Box Picture Quality

I was no the least surprised when I found the HC4000 (specs here) projector's "out of the box" color to be particularly good, in fact the whole picture in general starts out with some impressive looking preset combinations, Though some are a bit oversaturated, and green is a touch strong in some ranges, the less than dramatic color inaccuracies are easily corrected with a calibration.

Mitsubishi HC4000 Projector - Flesh Tones

After Mike calibrated the HC4000 (check out Mitsubishi here) sample, skin tones proved to be excellent. Not only does the projector closely follow 6500K across most of its range, but the end result, is very good skin tones. Yes, we've seen better, but like the HC3800 before it, it is a bit better than most similarly priced 3LCD and DLP projectors. Skin tones are rich, accurate, and have that DLP "look and feel" which translates into intense without being oversaturated. Nice! Of course if you take advantage of engaging Brilliant Color, you will get more lumens, and more pop, but the skin tones will become a touch less natural (as is normally the case when you mess with dynamic controls, which most projectors not provide).

There are plenty of our favorite skin tone images, and as you look through them, you'll have to admit they look pretty good, but, again, I note that the images came out looking a bit thinner on reds than the original projected image.

Below are our three James Bond images from Casino Royale. Each has a different lighting scenario, the first - full sunlight, the second image; indoor fluorescent, and finally, filtered sunlight in the third image. And as one would expect, that causes each image of James Bond - Daniel Craig - to have different looking skin tones. All look pretty good!