Dynamic contrast and laser dimming
The ratio between the brightest full-white frame and the darkest full-black frame, with the iris or laser dimming active.
- Unit
- :1
- Standard
- None (display-only)
- ISO 21118
- Extension
How to compare it
Dynamic contrast(:1)
Display-only. Never sort or filter on it.
Dynamic light control
The mechanism behind the dynamic figure: a mechanical auto-iris, laser or LED modulation, or both.
'both' with good algorithms is premium. Check reviews for pumping and iris noise.
Standard: PSDS
Light-source dimming
Whether the laser or LED can be dimmed, in steps, continuously, or dynamically per frame (feeding dynamic contrast).
Continuous manual dimming lets you match the light level to screen size without an iris. Dynamic dimming is covered in contrast.
Standard: Vendor
Marketing traps
- Dynamic contrast: '∞:1' or '5,000,000:1' figures come from shutting the laser off on a black frame. That says nothing about any real image.
Across the catalogue
Dynamic contrast
15 of 24 projectors list it- BenQ W58003,000,000:1
- Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS8002,500,000:1
- Epson Pro Cinema LS120002,500,000:1
- Optoma UHZ502,500,000:1
- Hisense L9H TriChroma Laser TV2,000,000:1
- Nebula Mars 3 Air400:1
- Nebula Capsule Air1,000:1
- Formovie THEATER3,000:1
- Valerion VisionMaster Pro 215,000:1
- Epson Home Cinema 235035,000:1
Deep cut
Dynamic contrast. Global dimming lifts perceived depth in dark scenes but can 'pump': visible brightness breathing on scene cuts. Reviewers' notes on pumping are worth more than the number.
Dynamic light control. A mechanical iris adds noise and lag. Laser dimming is silent and instant but always global. JVC's 'Frame Adapt HDR' and Sony's dynamic processors work alongside it.
Light-source dimming. Per-frame laser dimming is global: the whole frame moves together. Unlike TV local dimming, it can't raise contrast *within* a scene. That's the key point for anyone reading 'dynamic contrast'.
Terms on this page
Light source dimming / laser dimming
Frame-by-frame modulation of laser or LED output. This is the solid-state equivalent of a dynamic iris, and some models can switch off the light source fully on black frames, which gives "infinite" on/off contrast claims. ⚠ ⚖ contrast.dynamic_light_control
Dynamic contrast ⚠
On/off contrast with the dynamic iris or light-source dimming active, often quoted as 1,000,000:1, 3,000,000:1 or "∞". It has little relation to what you see within a single scene. We store it but never chart it as the headline. ⚖ contrast.dynamic (display only)