Thanks you Steve (and the rest of the AVForum team - I also listened to the podcast).
The JVCs do indeed sound promising. Last model the gave me something I'd been wanting, even deeper black level performance (I use the DI on my RS57) and this year JVC is giving the other main element I desired: significantly higher brightness (because I sometimes view quite large images, and have also craved more light for 3D movies). So these new models are looking enticing.
Anyway, as I read the above report, and listened to the podcast, several questions arose:
1. HDR.
Your comments, and the comments by the AVForum staff on the podcast on the JVC's HDR performance seem to be describing the HDR on the JVC like you are describing a typical HDR still photo. That is, you describe it in terms of the ability to portray image detail normally lost due to exposure limitations. HDR in still photography (including the HDR setting on some of our smart phones) is about capturing such detail (typically by combining multiple exposures) and rendering it within the existing limitations of display, be it a paper print of the photo, or on an average computer monitor.
But that is NOT what I understand HDR for the video realm to be about. While one does want to capture a wider range of exposure detail in HDR, the main thrust is actually expanding the contrast/brightness and hence "dynamic range" of the DISPLAY in concert with the IMAGE. In other words, greatly increasing the *actual brilliance* of bright areas (especially specular high-lights, such as sun reflections off metal etc), against the darker areas, for a more real-life level of dynamic contrast. So it's about realistically increasing contrast/brightness of the display (and coding source material for such capabilities), not merely about image detail.
The amazing brightness and simultaneous contrast of the latest UHD flat panels allow for more life-like contrasts within an image and as we know for various reasons this is much harder to pull off in projection - brightness limitations from bulb projectors being one, projection limitations in ANSI-type contrast being another.
So it's really that aspect of HDR on projectors which I'd be most curious about - whether a current HDR-labelled projector can produce some sensation of this increased realism in terms of it's intrascene contrast range, the "brilliant light reflecting of a metal car" effect. Or whether this important aspect of HDR will be left only to the flat panels. That's why I found it curious (and a somewhat frustrating) to see HDR discussed by the AVForum team in terms of describing increased image detail, rather than in terms of dynamic contrast.
Did you notice any HDR-like increase in the realism of the contrast with the HDR over the normal content? (Thanks!)
2. Have you any idea of why the X7000/X9000 models would be rated at a higher brightness level over the X5000? What would account for that (especially since in previous generations, the lower end model was actually the brighter one, which I'd always presumed had to do with the different, dual IRIS implementation in the upper models). And for that matter, why would only
the X5000 take a step back in native contrast as a price for higher brightness and not the higher end models?
3. Do you know if the new line up features the same lens memories as the previous generation - that is 10 lens memories for the X7000/X9000? I use the midrange JVC RS57 and it's 10 lens memories has been very valuable, which is why I hope they continued this in the X7000 models.
4. Do you know if the Clear Black feature is still available on the new models? I'm one of those who like that feature (in low mode) for some content.