Optoma HD20 Projector - Image Quality2

Below is the same (overexposed) night train scene from Casino Royale. You can definitely see that that the Optoma (right) is revealing more shadow detail (than the Samsung SP-A600) in the trees and bushes above the railroad tracks on the right side. That's a good thing! Overall, though, despite the Optomas additional detail, the Samsung looked better on the screen, more dynamic, while the HD20 looked flat. While one hates to lose any dark detail, generally the darkest detail is not what your eyes are focused on in a scene. I'd much rather have better black levels and slightly less dark shadow detail, than the other way around! Below our usual sequence of images of Clint Eastwood in a very dark room/scene. Look to the blinds and, in general, the upper right, for shadow detail differences between these many projectors. The first image, of course, is the Optoma HD20 projector. It is followed, in order by: Epson Home Cinema 6100, Samsung SP-A600, Sanyo PLV-Z700, Sharp XV-Z15000, Optoma HD8200, Sanyo PLV-Z3000, Sony VPL-HW10, BenQ W5000, and Panasonic PT-AE3000.