Back in UltraBlack
RATING
PERFORMANCE
FEATURES
ERGONOMICS
VALUE
IN LATE 2018 I reviewed Epson’s 4010 PRO-UHD 3LCD Projector, a $2,000 model with a bright (2,400 lumens) picture, 4K/Ultra HD display via pixel-shifting, and a wide range of sophisticated setup features such as motorized lens shift and focus that are typically found only on much more expensive models. But that wasn’t all the 4010 had to offer. It also provided high dynamic range compatibility plus a claimed ability to hit 100 percent of the P3 targets within the Rec. 2020 color space used by Ultra HD sources (98 percent, by our measurements). While I liked the 4010, and appreciated the high value proposition it presented, my main complaint was that its contrast performance fell short of other projectors I’ve tested, including other models from Epson. Which is why I leaped at the chance to review the company’s new 5050UB, another affordable projector offering high-end specs, Epson’s coveted UB (UltraBlack) designation, plus a slew of new features designed to enhance the display of Ultra HD/HDR sources.
What makes an Epson projector UB, as opposed to non-UB? For models like the 5050UB, a proprietary filter is used that controls light polarization within the projector to
