Prismasonic V200 rules!

[eugdog]

Thanks to this web site I puchased a Prismasonic V200 lens. What this does is to refocus a 4.3 projector screen to 16.9.

Initial viewing indicates quantum leap in picture quality. It seems so much sharper and clearer. I can also increase the size of the picture with no loss in resolution.

You simply set your DVD to 16.9. This allows the picture to take up all the 4.3 screen but with vertical size exagerated. This lens simply compresses the 4.3 to 16.9 so the picture is natural. The result is 33% more resolution. This does not seem much but it really does make a different!

I see no evidence of picture distortion

My only problem is the lack of adequate instructions but using your common sense it does not take too long to set up.

I was thinking about replacing my NEC 1000 with a Sanyo Z2 because of the superior resolution. But this lens gives the best of both worlds - high quality of the NEC 1000 and the resolution of a Sanyo Z2.

I urge those with 4.3 projectors to buy one!!

Thanks to Prismasonic and to posters on this site who recommended this device to me!

P.S I have no association with Prismasonic except as a satisfied customer!

 

[Peter Parker]

I've been looking at anamorphic lenses for some time now, but wasn't sure if the image improvement was worth the extra cost.

My current set-up has the HT1000 almost zoomed fully out to give the largest image - am I right in saying that the zoom should be zoomed fully in to make the image as small as possible so that it goes through the Prismasonic cleanly and centraly?

Also, what is the cost? The lens is priced at 475 Euros, but when adding to cart, it adds 22% tax - which price do we pay for UK delivery?

TIA.

Gary.

 

[eugdog]

I paid 620 Euros overall including postage and all taxes.

My HT1000 is fully zoomed out (but distance to screen is only 9-10ft) with the Prismasonic lens and it is fine. I cannot get a perfectly rectangle picture - there is a slight bow in it but I do not mind it. Many cinema screens have the same bow.

It is worth buying!

 

[buns]

thats very cheap...... i got told the official NEC lens was on clearance at $999! I wonder if anyone can compare whether the official lens is any improvement......

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[Peter Parker]

Thanks for trhe info Eudog, much appreciated.

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I think it was Bytehoven over at AVS who compared the Panamorph, Prismasonic and Optimorph (NECs own anamorphic lens), and the NEC lens came last in his opinion. I can't remember if he was using the standard lens or the non reflective one though. I'll have to search for the thread..

I was a little tempted by the one availaible on the forum classifieds, but if it's not as good as Bythoven says, then it's probably better to get a Prismasonic for a bit extra.

I'm teetering .....

BTW - did you get my last pm about Colorfacts (on avs IIRC)?

Cheers.

Gary.

 

[buns]

Gary,

I'll check AVS pms.... they dont flash up on screen at me so i tend to miss them!

I havent got to searching bytehovens poosts yet, ive been too busy trying to get my Z2 and such sold to fund the new machine. Hopefully one more phone call will finish that though. It is interesting that the NEC lens would be the worst of the bunch..... not necessarily surprising except that it costs sooo much more! To my mind, a universal lens is probably a better investment that the NEC only one..... far more resale value.

So give me a couple of weeks and hopefully im in your club! Just need to decide if i go without the lens and have a fractionally smaller screen (throw is a bit short im afraid) or get the lens and have a bigger one..... decisions decisions!

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[eugdog]

On some films I find the contrast a bit too strong when using the panamorph. I tackle this by setting the contrast to close to zero (especially for outdoor seens). Blackhawk Down really benefits from this!

 

[buns]

how do you mean 'too strong'? You mean the picture is too bright?

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[eugdog]

Yes, partly too bright with large amounts of white out and glare. The picture often becomes too sharp and grainy. By reducing contrast, the picture because smoother and less glaring

 

[Peter Parker]

Have you tried Avia for setting white and black levels? That should fix problems like that.

Gary.

 

[eugdog]

What is Avia?

 

[Andy.T]

You can get a copy cheap from here, and more info on it. It's a DVD full of AV calibration tests (with instructions).

 

[uczmeg]

Originally posted by eugdog
I was thinking about replacing my NEC 1000 with a Sanyo Z2 because of the superior resolution. But this lens gives the best of both worlds - high quality of the NEC 1000 and the resolution of a Sanyo Z2.

I'm sure we had this conversation before, but you would have been a very unhappy man had you made that switch.

I just bought the Optimorph off the forums, so look forward to seeing this for myself.

Bytehoven reviewed all the lenses on AVS and it made an interesting read. The V200 and Optimorph both came out close with the Panmorph winning.

However from plenty of reading the main complaints with the V200 and Optimorph really seem to in the lab type tests and the general consensus seems to be when actually watching films they are great.

Anyway. The HT1000 guru Guitarman seems to be impressed with his Optimorph and that is enough for me. The caveat being, in his opinion, you need a 16:9 screen, with a 4:3 screen you'll now get two layers of bars on 2.35 material. No problem for me there.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up. I'm feeling better about buying something I couldn't afford now!

Cheers
Marc