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Depending on how the results of this evaluation turn out, the arrival of the Epson EH-LS12000B on our test benches could not have come at a more convenient or more inconvenient time. It is, after all, a (kind of) 4K laser projector that is designed for serious home cinema enthusiasts and has a price that is significantly lower than one might anticipate given the level of specification that it delivers.
It sounds an awful lot like the extremely amazing but also unexpectedly affordable Sony VPL-XW5000ES, which we just evaluated a few days ago. This makes it sound like the two products are very comparable. If Epson can compete on a level playing field with the forward-thinking Sony, the world will be a better place.
Epson EH-LS12000B SPECIFICATIONS
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 4K Enhancement (3840 x 2160) |
| Brightness | 3,000 lumens |
| Contrast Ratio | 1,200,000:1 |
| Lamp Life | Up to 20,000 hours (ECO mode) |
| Throw Distance | 2.35:1 to 1.48:1 |
| Lens Shift | Vertical: ±90% / Horizontal: ±40% |
| Input Lag | 28ms |
| Connectivity | HDMI, USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Epson EH-LS12000B review: Design
The EH-LS12000B is a solid piece of home entertainment equipment that is well made and heavy. As we’ve come to expect from laser projectors with serious home theater goals, its footprint is bigger than what most coffee tables can handle.
This tells you that a projector like this should be installed permanently in a room that’s just for watching movies. It’s not just a simple projector that can be put away when it’s not being used. But it doesn’t look too big because it has an unusually textured black finish wrapped around a body that smooths out most of the sharp edges. You can buy this projector from its official website.
Epson EH-LS12000B review: Features
The main thing that makes the Epson EH-LS12000B stand out is that it can play 4K in high dynamic range using laser lighting at a price that, not too long ago, would have been unthinkable for a model that was clearly made for home theater fans. So let’s take a closer look at these features that make the news.
First of all, it’s not really 4K like Sony’s XW5000ES is. The LS12000B’s three LCD imaging devices don’t have 3840×2160 pixels each; instead, they are Full HD chips that use “advanced pixel shifting” technology to create a 4K pixel density.
Epson EH-LS12000B review: Picture quality
The Epson EH-LS12000B doesn’t make any noise, even though it can handle up to 120Ghz and has a 4K picture quality. Compared to those loud projectors, it’s so quiet. If great picture quality is important to you, the Epson EH-LS12000B will definitely meet your needs with its dark, detailed blacks and bright screen, even during the day (viewing recommended in a dark place).
Epson EH-LS12000B review: Performance
This problem is mostly fixed by switching to the Bright Cinema preset, which also fixes a few other small problems. Its much higher brightness works better with HDR than, say, the dark-looking “Cinema” mode, because HDR works better with brighter images. It also turns out that the LS12000B’s color performance is much more convincing and nuanced when the projector is running at a brightness level like that of the Bright Cinema mode.
Epson EH-LS12000B review: Price and availability
Even though the Epson EH-LS12000B and Sony VPL-XW5000ES laser projectors are probably each other’s biggest competitors right now, their prices aren’t exactly the same. With a price of £4500, $4999, or AU$8999, the EH-LS12000B is a lot cheaper than its new competitor.
The Sony XW5000ES. It is cheaper by around £1500 in the UK, $1000 in the US, and $1000 in Australia. When you add up these differences, you could buy a lot of 4K Blu-ray discs or a nice external audio system to go with the LS12000B before you reach the price of a Sony XW5000ES.
Final Words
Even though the LS12000B can get brighter with HDR content, it doesn’t mean that the Sony XW5000ES is a better watch overall. But the Sony’s image processing is better in many ways, especially when it comes to capturing motion and making HDR photos with a wider range of light. The colors look better and more consistent on the Sony, and it’s easy to see how its “real” 4K resolution helps. As we said at the start of this review.
Epson EH-LS12000B Ratings
THE GOOD AND THE BAD
THE GOOD
- Beautiful 4K picture quality with more accurate colors and more light.
- High contrast gives you dark blacks and bright colors.
- With its flexible lens shift feature, it’s easy to install and set up.
THE BAD
- Compared to other home theater projectors, the price is high.
- Best picture quality is achieved in a dark room.
FAQS
Does Epson LS12000 have lens memory?
The Pro Cinema LS12000 has high-quality motorized lenses that can zoom and change focus. The projector also has lens memory, so the position of the picture (zoom, shift, and focus) can be changed with the touch of a button based on the ratio of the content.
Is Epson LS12000 true 4K?
The LS12000 is not a “native” 4K projector. Epson still uses 1,920 x 1,080 LCD panels for imaging and combines them with a moving optical element to make what looks like 3,840 x 2,160 pixels on the screen.
How far can Epson EH ls12000b throw?
Most high-end 3LCD and LCoS home theater projectors, like the LS12000, have a good amount of lens shift range, but most DLP projectors have less.