Epson's 4010 PRO-UHD 3LCD Projector - Back In UltraBlack

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.

- Al Griffin

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 eliminate any leakage. While that might not sound like a big deal, the increase in contrast provided by Epson’s UltraBlack technology makes both a visible and measurable difference. Add to that the projector’s impressive 2,600 lumens color and white brightness spec, and you have a model that appears primed for UltraHD/HDR movie-viewing.

To provide more detail on the 5050UB’s HDR handling, it supports both the HDR10 and broadcast TV-friendly HLG high dynamic range formats. Epson also added a 16-step HDR curve adjustment, accessible from the projector’s remote control, to modulate the tone map of incoming HDR signals. As I’ll discuss in more detail later on in this review, the curve adjustment goes far to fine-tune the picture quality of HDR images, which can vary dramatically on a disc-by-disc or stream-bystream basis.