Sony VPL-VW5000ES Home Theater/Commercial Projector Review

VPL-VW5000ES Basics - continued

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The VW5000ES comes with all the trimmings:  A pair of HDMI 2.0 inputs, with HDCP 2.2, needed for Blu-ray UHD and some other 4K standards. It's standard zoom lens is huge my most HT projectors standards.  If it won't work for your setup, rejoice in knowing that in addition to the standard 2.1:1 motorized zoom lens, Sony has a short throw lens available (also fully motorized).

The images above consist of the first four from various HDTV.  The next three are from Blu-ray disc.  Then comes three 4K Blu-ray UHD movie images.  Finally the last two of Scarlet Johansen, show her first from Blu-ray disc, and the second from 4K UHD disc, with HDR engaged.  I'll be talking a good bit about HDR and it's trade-offs later on. -art

Focus, zoom, and lens shift are all motorized allowing for Lens Memory functionality, which in this case means being able to save up to five different settings to best fill your screen depending on your content's aspect ratio. That could be 16:9, 2.35:1, 2.37:1, 2.40:1, etc.  (over the years widescreen movies aspect ratios have varied slightly).

Now let me repeat myself:  This Sony is a true 4K projector - and I mean that.  An engineer might tell you that most "4K" projectors right now aren't 4K, rather they do 4K UHD, which is 4X the res of 1080p.

This Sony is not  3840x2160 (which is double 1080p, both vertically and horizontally), for 4X the pixels..

Not this Sony.  It is a true 4096x2160, which really is around 5% more pixels, but more importantly it is the same as the digital projectors in at the local 4K cineplex. So it's the truest 4K.  But generally we're not all engineers, so I'll call true 4K projectors who's pixel size is no more than 1/4th that of 1080p pixels.

VPL-VW5000ES - Sony's flagship true 4K projector - rivals digital cinema projectors - $60,000 and 5000 lumens of amazing, all for the price of a mid range Lexus

This Sony, unlike most, supports 18Ghz hdmi allowing for 4K/60fps at high bit depths (more in the Special Features page).

Before I do highlights, here are the rest of the Sony's 4K home theater line-up, in descending order:

The new VPL-VZ1000ES - a 2500 lumens ultra short throw laser projector, just announced at CES with a price of $10 per lumen - aka $24,999. Half as bright, but should be an excellent alternative for those who find this Sony beyond their budget.  We will be reviewing soon.

(There's also the VW1100ES, which won't go away - once the flagship, it isn't up on all the latest 4K such as HDR - so I suspect that product will end - when they run out of inventory.) $27,999

The VPL-VW675ES which recently replaced the VW665ES we reviewed in 2016.  The primary difference is support for hybrid log-gamma (more later).  $14,999

The VPL VW365ES - is the least expensive at $9999, no hybrid log-gamma, more modest black level performance.  $9999.

Sony VPL-VW6000ES Highlights