To compare overall picture quality, I set up both projectors side by side on my 120" screen. Source content was sent to both projectors simultaneously through an 2 way HDMI splitter.
The images above show the difference in color reproduction and skin tone between the Vankyo and the BenQ. Both projectors were setup side-by-side and shot simultaneously. Colors and brightness were not adjusted so while the photos can’t show every detail, they do provide a reasonable representation of the actual difference in clarity brightness and colors.
The BenQ TH585 is a DLP unit that Benq says can produce 95% of Rec709 due to its RGBW color wheel. The BenQ TH585 has 8 preset picture modes and several delivered good color reproductions out of the box including the CINEMA, LIVING ROOM and two USER modes. Like all BenQ projectors, the TH585 also has a full set of picture calibration adjustments.
The Vankyo V630 has four preset picture mode but the colors and skin tones were never quite right. In addition to being more accurate, the colors on the BenQ were a lot richer and more saturated than the Vankyo.
The blacks on both projectors were closer to dark gray. This was especially obvious when watching darker scenes at night in my demo room. A higher end home theater projector like a Epson Home Cinema 5050UB will have better black levels and higher contrast, but this is only beneficial in a darkened theater or room with lots of light control.
If you crave better blacks, you will have to spend several hundred dollars more for a projector like a Benq HT3550 which is rated for triple the dynamic contrast. However, most customers in the market for a projector that sells for under $600 will likely utilize the projector in family rooms or spaces that have higher ambient light which would prevent you from fully appreciating ultra-deep black levels anyway.
When comparing wide screen content, the black bars were darker on the Vankyo V630, but shadow detail was also crushed. The blacks weren’t as deep on the BenQ HT585, however the due to the fact it was capable of deliver nearly 8x the brightness, the overall contrast of the BenQ was better.
Also, I did notice a large amount of light leakage coming from BenQ TH585’s front exhaust vent, but in a room with some ambient light it isn’t too distracting
When viewed side by side, the Benq TH535 also delivered a sharper picture for two main reasons. The first reason is the BenQ is a DLP projector so you don't have to worry about converging multiple LCD imagers therefore the image should remain sharp for the life of the projector. Secondly, based on my observations and its higher price point, it appears the BenQ has a higher quality lens. These two things resulted in a noticeably sharper image regardless of what I was watching. The sharpness difference is easy to see even in the side-by-side comparison photos.
Additionally, while both projectors are 1080P units, when viewing fine details like small text or an image of leaves, the difference was obvious.
