BenQ W11000H 4K UHD THX DLP Projector Review Part Two

Equipment, News and Updates, Video

A couple of days ago I published Part One of this two part review of the new BenQ W11000H 4K UHD DLP Projector. Part One covered a brief history of projection for the home from CRT projectors up to the current state of play with 4K UHD Projectors. In part two we are going to look in detail at the BenQ W11000H 4K Projector.

When BenQ offered me the opportunity to review their brand new top of the range 4K UHD THX certified projector I literally jumped at the opportunity. Not only was I keen to see how it compared to the Marantz VP11-S1 I had been using in my cinema for better part of the last decade (see part one of this article) but I was as keen as mustard to see what sort of advantage 4k UHD would offer over high end 1080p presentation in a room and space I was intimately familiar with. I was even more keen to see how I could take advantage of the increased resolution to even better display photographs in my home (skip forward to the conclusion if you want an immediate answer).BenQ W11000H Projector: In brief, the BenQ W11000H is a single chip DLP projector that uses 4.15 million micro mirrors and XPR dual position actuator fast switching to produce its whopping 3840 x 2160 resolution with 8.3 million distinct pixels for each frame. With a resolution that’s four times higher than Full HD 1080p, 4K UHD reduces pixel blur for awe-inspiring clarity and crisply defined fine details. The W11000H is also the worlds first THX certified 4K UHD DLP Projector. THX certification guarantees accurate content reproduction as directors intended. With 100% Rec. 709 color accuracy, precise gamma, ideal colour temperature, enhanced uniformity, super high native contrast ratio and pre-calibration THX mode, the W11000H produces the best and most accurate out of the box picture quality I have ever seen from a consumer projector (regardless of price). But I am getting a bit ahead of myself and we should first look at the chassis and features of the W11000H before we dive in depth into its image quality.

The chassis of the BenQ W11000H is essentially identical to the previous W11000 model. Its quite large (470.7mm wide by 224.9mm high and 564.7mm deep), quite imposing and definitely makes a statement. This isn’t a projector you just plonk down on a coffee table, fire up and then pack away when you are finished. The W11000H is really designed for custom installation and thus its most likely home is going to be in a dedicated space such as a media room or home cinema. The matt black chassis of the W11000H is really built with the sole purpose of delivering the best possible picture quality through the enormous lens centre front. Photographers will appreciate the optics on this projector before they even turn it on. The projector body itself is large and is a nice matt-black finish that wont draw undue attention to itself in a dedicated space. Lets be honest though, you don’t buy a projector like this for the look and design. You buy it for the incredible picture quality that a high end 4K projector can display.

The projector has front facing ventilation that includes an intake and exhaust for cool and hot air. The airflow design is superb and allows for easy installation in tight places. In my own cinema ventilation was somewhat of an issue with my previous projector so I really appreciated the thought and attention to detail BenQ made in this department. If you are planning to install this projector in a hush box (it really doesn’t need one as its super quiet in operation) you will likewise find the airflow design beneficial.The top of the projector includes only two control knobs for the physical 65% vertical lens shift and 27% horizontal shifting of the lens. Although lens shift can be accomplished in software there is no substitute for optical adjustments of this order. The level of adjustment is quite substantial and facilities placement off centre in both the vertical and horizontal planes. This design gives you a lot of flexibility in projector placement. In my own cinema I was able to place the projector on a shelf at the rear of the room and use lens shift to optimise the image. According to the BenQ literature there is no loss of image quality by shifting the lens. In my own tests I found this to be absolutely true. Pixel geometry remains perfect even at the extreme ends of the lens shift.

The W11000H offers a hidden control interface under a sliding cover in the event you need to control the projector without the remote control. The inputs, include power and HDMI and are located on the side and are separated to avoid any video interference. The only other compartment is the bulb replacement panel on top, which given the lamp life you are unlikely to need access to for years.

SetUp: I am going to assume that anyone who purchases a projector of this calibre is either knowledgeable enough to set one up on their own, or plans to have it professionally installed (I would recommend professional installation if you have not tackled something like this before). In my own case, I was able to unbox and install the projector in about 30 minutes. I would wager that hardest part of setup for most people will be mounting the actual projector and aligning it with the projection screen. The projector is quite heavy at just under fifteen kilograms and the addition of a friend to help mount the unit will be appreciated by many. If you are installing into an existing space with a pre-installed screen be sure to use the calculator BenQ provide to work out your projection throw distance before you start drilling any mounting holes in your ceiling.

Features: The list of features included with the W11000H is quite extensive, but setup is extremely straight forward. The W11000H includes 2 x HDMI (HDMI 1: HDMI 2.0 and HDCP2.2; HDMI 2: HDMI 1.4a and HDCP 1.4), PC (VGA), USB (Type mini B for firmware upgrades), LAN, RS232, DC 12 Volt Trigger and an IR port if you need to run an IR extension.

The supplied remote control with the W11000H is of an excellent standard. Its large, with clearly labelled back-lit buttons and feels really solid in the hand. The fit and finish of the remote is of a premium standard and matches nicely with the projector chassis. All of the required controls are easily accessible.

HDR: The W11000H projector is turbo charged with HDR10 support with BenQ including Auto HDR colour rendition and cinema optimised technology. The high dynamic range performance of the W11000H ensures greater brightness, contrast range and overall image depth. The net result is you get to experience every detail of 4K video content for the best possible cinema experience. Dolby Vision is not supported at this time , but is likely to come via a future firmware update.

Image Integrity and Colour Accuracy: The W11000H uses DMD DLP technology to avoid inherent alignment issues that can occur with multiple planes. The projector generates razor blade sharp images and accurate colours free from artifacting such as blur, shadowing and interference patterns for immaculate clarity.

Precision 14-Element 6-Group Lens Array: Photographers will more than appreciate the super high resolution 14-element lens array found in the W11000H. The array is structured into six groups with metal barrel and cell framework resulting in greater light penetration than traditional 1080p projector technology. The results are outstanding color performance, clarity and sharpness across the entire screen. The lens architecture in the W11000H is class-leading and optimised specifically for 4K content. The lens also includeds a fantastic True Zoom function. The W11000H’s lens system uses only the highest grade glass for superior light penetration and optimal image quality. Proprietary low-dispersion lens coatings minimise any chromatic aberration and ensure you benefit from all the clarity in your favourite 4K UHD content.

Immaculate True Zoom: The W11000H’s True Zoom system adjusts focus automatically to deliver visually perfect focus without the need to refocus the projector after zoom changes. The three focusing lens groups adjust simultaneously with the zoom lens group to negate any curved field for immaculate cinemtatic performance and high precision clarity across the entire image. It might seem like a trivial thing but I really appreciated this feature during the setup procedure. You only need to achieve optimum focus once. Once focused you can alter the zoom at your leisure without having to refocus the lens.

100% Rec.709 Color Accuracy: Factory calibrated to 100% Rec.709 the W11000H does indeed look pretty spectacular right out of the box (well done BenQ!). With this performance you can indulge in the truest color image reproduction possible in your home cinema. Those of you who follow my blog will know that its a pet peeve of mine that most displays ship from the factory in ‘flame thrower’ mode. It was a revelation to turn on the BenQ, switch it to ‘Cinema’ mode and find it just about perfect out of the box.

6X RGBRGB Color Wheel: Of all DLP projector components, the color wheel has the greatest effect on color. Achieving perfect balance between color accuracy and brightness requires high precision and stringent quality control. Because even nanometer differences create great differences to color spectrum, BenQ CinematicColor™ uses precise nanometer-level references to test over 20 combinations of color wheel angle and coating. Each color wheel is carefully fabricated with high-pure-color coatings to meet Rec. 709 color gamut requirements and reproduce the true color of Hollywood films. Does all of this engineering show in the final result? Absolutely. I have seen three chip DLP projectors that don’t look this good.

Factory Calibration Report: Using special instruments and software, each CinematicColor™ projector is tested and adjusted for precise D65 color temperature, gamma, black level, white level, neutral gray, RGBCMY color tracking, hue, saturation, brightness and output from different interfaces based on ITU-R Rec. 709. Collecting all data for individual CinematicColor™ factory calibration reports, BenQ are the industry’s only brand to adopt such high standards of colour gamut and gamma calibration to exceed Rec.709 standards. Users who care about colour accuracy (which photographer doesnt?) will really appreciate this level of performance and certification typically only found in very expensive and very high end professional products.

Dynamic Black Technology and Active Iris: Active iris controls the amount of light through the optical system for ideal contrast. Dynamic Black™ analyzes scene brightness levels to optimize light output and contrast. Bringing out subtle details in shadows and preventing bright scenes from washout, W11000H delivers impressive contrast for true blacks and amazing picture depth, details, and clarity.

Cinematic Wide 2.4:1 Anamorphic Format: Available at local BenQ dealers, optional Panamorph Paladin anamorphic lens delivers the immersive 2.4:1 aspect ratio of commercial cinemas without letterboxing, delivering 2 million more pixels for increased brightness and detail to recreate full cinema experiences right at home. *Select “Anamorphic 2.4:1” or “Anamorphic 16:9” in menu with anamorphic lens. * As of this review I have not had access to the Paladin lens to test this feature. In my own cinema I am somewhat limited by a short throw distance of 3700mm and as such would be limited to quite a small screen with the Paladin. The Paladin lens is best suited to those with ample room for longer throw distances.

Input switching
The projector only has two HDMI inputs (A HDIMI 2.0 and a HDMI 1.4) which is typically not an issue given most people would run HDMI sources into an amplifier or video processor, then a single HDMI out to the projector. While that may be the most common setup, there are two available inputs and switching between them is possible via the remote control (although the projector is slow to recognise and lock onto the new source once switched).

Picture Quality: With its THX certification (certification card included with projector) you can have confidence that even out of the box this projector is going to produce an outstanding image (and it truly does). The built in display modes do a very nice job of providing a jaw dropping experience right out of the box. The projector can of course be custom calibrated to suit the environment it has been installed in and I would assume that most people who purchase this projector will employ an ISF certified technician to custom calibrate the projector for their sources and room to eek out every last drop of performance. That said, the performance I was able to achieve out of the box in ‘cinema’ mode was absolutely phenomenal. BenQ are to be congratulated on providing such a wonderful result straight out of the box.

Years ago (perhaps 20 years or more now) THX released a limited edition laser disc to demonstrate their THX speaker systems called ‘Wow!’ It was an extremely impressive montage of George Lucas film clips cunningly edited together to blow the listeners socks off. I still recall the first time I watched and listened to this disc and I remember it was a serious ‘Wow!’ moment. I relived that moment when I watched my first native 4k UHD DVD through the BenQ W11000H. The picture quality is simply jaw dropping. For lack of a better word… Wow! It should be noted at this point that the black levels on this projector are sublime with inky blacks of seemingly infinite depth. The projector produces the best black levels I have yet seen from a consumer projector in my viewing room.

Whats Missing: While BenQ get a lot of things right with this projector (most notable of which is the incredible image quality), nothing is perfect and there’s a couple of small omissions that could be added in future versions.

Blanking: One feature I really miss on the BenQ W11000H (that was on my Marantz VP11-S1) is ‘blanking’. Blanking gives you the ability to shift (and hide) the edge of each side of the projected image by one pixel at a time. Blanking is extremely useful to ensure a perfect picture to edge of screen match. The lack of blanking on the W11000H means you need to take extra special care to align the projector with the screen during setup. Its not a deal breaker (far from it) and if you are planning to run an external video scaler (such as a Lumagen Radiance Pro or similar) then it becomes a non issue since any blanking can be done internally by the outboard scaler.

Motorized Zoom: A motorised zoom function with lens memory positions would have been a nice addition for those running scope 2.35:1 systems who want to overscan their movies (to avoid having to purchase an anamorphic lens) and need multiple lens position memories. Whilst BenQ do offer an anamorphic lens option, the ability to overscan the image and use lens memory positions to shift between 2:35:1 and 16:9 material would have been a nice option. You can still run a 2.35:1 Constant Image Height setup with the BenQ without an anamorphic lens but you will need an outboard video processor such as the Lumagen Radiance Pro.

ISF Menu: The W11000H includes a password locked ISF menu. When I enquired with BenQ about access to the password I was told that “not even BenQ have it and that it is only for ISF technicians in the BenQ factory”. Fortunately I still have some connections in the Audio Visual world and I reached out to my contact at the Imaging Science Foundation and was able to obtain the password (If you read Part One of this review you may remember that I am actually an ISF certified technician). Hidden in the ISF menu is the ability to set picture parameters for both night and day. ISF simply call this ISF Night and ISF Day. All it really does is give the ISF technician who is calibrating your projector the ability to set parameters for night and day viewing that are then ‘locked’ and not user adjustable.

Addendum – Please don’t write to me and ask for the ISF password. I am not allowed to disclose or share the password (sorry!) You can contact the Imaging Science Foundation or your local ISF technician for further information.

Conclusion: The W11000H sits squarely at the top end of the consumer range and as such, you should set your expectations of pricing and performance accordingly. The BenQ W11000H 4K Projector with HDR, will cost you round $8,999.00 AUD. If that doesn’t dent your wallet and if you have some spare cash, there is also an option to add a 2.4:1 anamorphic lens to the projector to deliver the aspect ratio offered at commercial cinemas (see notes above).

In conclusion, the BenQ W11000H 4K UHD Projector produces an image that is simply jaw dropping. There is no other superlative I can think of that more accurately describes the sensation of experiencing this projector with high quality UHD 4k content. Whilst the premium price tag might scare some away it is worth keeping in mind that just a few years ago the sort of image quality offered by the W11000H was simply impossible in home projection – it was science fiction. Even then the best that was available was horrendously expensive (think exotic sports car pricing) and wasn’t a patch on the W11000H’s performance. The W11000H is simply the best consumer projector I have yet experienced. Wether you are displaying the latest 4K UHD movie, 1080p Blue Ray, 4K Netflix, or photographs from your computer, the W11000H produces gorgeous images that will leave you swimming happily in a pool of your own drool. If you are looking for the best possible performance the buck stops here. I give it my unequivocal and highest recommendation.

A note on Price vs. Performance: Over the last few years BenQ has been consistently (and quietly) producing products that offer performance well above their price points. Their recent batch of colour accurate monitors (such as the SW271) for photographers (recently reviewed on this site) were groundbreaking in their performance for price. The W11000H treads the same path, offering a level of professional performance that far exceeds its very modest price point. Smart consumers will recognise that these products are absolute bargains; offering performance that far outweighs the cost of investment. As someone who has owned displays and projectors that cost many times more than the BenQ offerings I can unequivocally report that I don’t believe you can do better for the money.

BenQ W11000H 4K UHD THX DLP Projector Review Part One

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews, Video

Introduction: It isn’t too often you read a projector review on a photographic website but projectors actually have a lot of applications in the photographic industry and over the last couple of years I have found an increasing need and use for projection in my print workshops (as well as using projectors to display photographs to friends in my own home). As a result, I recently updated the projector I had been using and wanted to share my findings on the upgrade as well as comment on how projection technology has matured over recent years in light of this recent upgrade; and lastly how you might utilise projection in your own home to better display your photography.

Because of the length of this review I have broken it up into two parts. Part one is a little about the history of home cinema projection (from my perspective) and how the technology has evolved and Part two is the review of the new BenQ W11000H projector. If you aren’t interested in the history (I think it is interesting see where we came from) then you can just skip forward to Part two (which I will post in the next few days).Where we Came From: By way of a brief history, As well as my photographic background I also have an extensive background in high end home cinema. In my previous life in the 1990’s and early 2000’s I designed a great many home cinemas for clients and was (and still am) both an ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) certified technician and a Level II THX Certified technician. I was also certified by CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) in home cinema design. My designs won several ‘Best Home Theatre of the Year’ awards from CEDIA. When I say I designed home cinemas, I am not referring to your generic home theatre in a box solutions, bur rather to high end custom home cinemas designed to properly replicate (and in many cases significantly improve on) the movie going experience. When I first started designing home cinemas the only real projection option available was 3-gun CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). CRT projectors were extremely large, extremely expensive and extremely dim by cinema standards. In order to get any sort of reasonable light output you either had to run a very small screen in a completely dark room, or stack projectors for additional lumens (light output). Stacking projectors was neither cost effective nor convenient. It took up a huge amount of space, put a huge dent in your wallet and required significant and frequent alignment (CRT projectors were prone to ‘drift’ which meant they needed frequent calibration). In hindsight, they were quite honestly more trouble than they were worth most of the time. However, they were the only game in town before the advent of LCD, DLP, DILA and Laser and if you wanted a home cinema projector, CRT was about you’re only choice. Of course in those days if you wanted to display your photography on the wall you used a slide projector (remember slides?). At the time I was using a Leica slide projector on a portable screen I would set up whenever I wanted to do a slideshow. The result was good, but it was quite a hassle to setup and prepare.
With the advent of advancing digital technologies the game changed in home cinema projection and it was finally possible to get truly bright large screen projection at a reasonable price point (compared to what it used to cost with CRT). The very first projectors utilising these new digital technologies were quite honestly pretty awful by todays standard, but they were a quantum leap in brightness over the previous CRT units.

Fast forward a decade or so from the advent of digital projection and the technology continued to mature to the point where the CRT was completely dead and digital projection (be it single chip or 3 chip DLP, LCD, DILA or Laser) was providing excellent 1080p High Definition content on just about any size screen you could want at a price point that was affordable for many who were constructing dedicated home cinemas utilising projection. Of course, much depended on your screen size, and room application, but there was a product for just about every application and budget. It was also around this time people started using projectors to display their photographs instead of traditional slide projectors. Along with film and the Dodo, slide projectors went the way of the dinosaur.

In the space of just a few years 1080p HD content became the defacto standard for home cinema. It was around this point in time (a bit over ten years ago) I purchased and installed a Marantz VP11-S1 1080p single chip DLP Projector in my house. It was at the time an extraordinary, industry leading projector with a superb Konika Minolta glass lens. It was single chip DLP and not super bright (around 700 lumens), but it was ‘razor blade’ sharp with outstanding on-board video processing. It had a variable f-stop allowing you to tailor the black level to your environment and it provided a great deal of adjustment to obtain the best possible picture. Once properly calibrated it was regarded at the time as one of the finest single chip projectors on the market at just about any price (and it wasn’t cheap at around $17,000 USD MSRP.) I used it for the next ten years on a 92” acoustically transparent SMX THX projection screen in a dedicated light controlled room for both movies and for photographic slideshows. The Marantz VP11-S1 remains to this day an outstanding 1080p projector that stacks up very well against just about any other single chip 2k projector south of about fifteen grand. During the many years of ownership I also used the projector for slideshows of my photography as well as for screening photography documentaries (and general movies).Fast forward to today and digital resolution has continued to increase to the point where now have a number of new projectors coming into the market place offering 4K UHD resolution as well as HDR10 capability (Dolby Vision is also starting to make an appearance). The game has changed; or perhaps it would be more accurate to say the game has evolved. With the advent of 4K Projectors capable of HDR it is now possible to obtain image quality in home via projection that was up until this point pure science fiction. Enter the BenQ W11000H 4K UHD THX Certified DLP Projector. The world’s first THX certified 4K UHD projector that is HDR capable and that can display photographs (and movies) in a resolution previously unavailable in the average home. Part two of this review will focus on the BenQ W11000H and will be published in the next few days.

Ghosts of the Arctic Officially Selected for Chagrin Film Festival 2018

Arctic, Media, News and Updates, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Video, Wildlife Photographs

In some very exciting news I learned today that my short film with Untitled Film Works, Ghosts of the Arctic has been selected to be filmed at the highly respected Chagrin Film festival in October this year.“The Festival is a five day celebration of the art of documentary film, at venues in and around the century village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. This inspiring event draws audiences from all over Northeast Ohio, the US and the world to experience documentary films and the compelling art and culture they highlight.”I will be in Africa when the festival is underway leading my Namibia workshop, but if you stop past please be sure to drop me an email and let me know what it was like.

Behind the Scenes – Making of the Polar Bear Foot Photograph

Arctic, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Video, Wildlife Photographs

Of all the many thousands of photographs I have taken of Polar Bears over the last years this one of the large male bear climbing an iceberg covered in snow out on the frozen sea ice in winter as the polar night descends is my favourite. There is something about the bears gesture, the crunchy snow and ice stuck to the bears rear paw, and the simplicity of the composition that speaks to me on a very visceral and emotional level. I think its also that we don’t get to see the full face of the bear, but instead just enough to know its there. We get a hint of it, without getting the full picture and that leaves the imagination to fill in the blanks. Anytime you can successfully accomplish this in a photograph you create something powerful.Recently I was going through some B-Roll footage from the Ghosts of the Arctic short film in preparation for my recent talk at the Victorian Association of Photographic Societies (VAPS) convention and came across a short segment that caught the actual moment the bear climbed the ice and dragged its paw, revealing exactly when the photograph was taken. I decided to share the video (raw, ungraded and without stabilisation straight from the Red Epic – I just added some music) as I think its interesting to see how brief a period of time this moment was and how a few seconds either side would have been interesting, but no where near as powerful. You should be able to pin point the moment I clicked the shutter. A couple of interesting side things to note are how much larger the male is than the female and how the moment the female wakes and climbs over the ice the male immediately rises to follow. My sincere thanks to Abraham Joffe and his team at Untitled Film Works for allowing me to share the footage. Enjoy.

Ghosts of the Arctic Wins 2018 Webby Award

Media, News and Updates, Uncategorized, Video

Late yesterday evening I received the exciting news that Ghosts of the Arctic has won a 2018 Webby Award in the film and video travel and adventure category. With over 13,000 entries from all 50 U.S. states and 70+ countries—and 3 million votes cast by 700,000 people in the Webby People’s Voice Awards—the 22nd Annual Webby Awards was the biggest in its history.

BenQ SW271 27″ Wide Gamut Adobe RGB UHD 4K HDR Monitor Review

Equipment, News and Updates, Reviews, Software, Video

In January of 2017 I reviewed BenQ’s outstanding SW320 31.5” 4K Wide Gamut Adobe RGB monitor for photographers. It offered groundbreaking performance at its price point (Read the Full Review). The SW320 review followed on the heels of my earlier review of the BenQ SW2700PT 27” Adobe RGB Monitor (Read the Full Review). Since my review of the SW320 BenQ has subsequently released the newer and slightly smaller SW271. The SW271 is a 27” 4K UHD monitor that utilises a 10-bit panel with 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB colour space coverage as well as support for HDR content. The SW271 was designed to build upon the success of its SW2700PT predecessor and thus it takes image quality to the next level with the addition of 4K UHD resolution and HDR capabilities.

Back when I reviewed the SW2700PT 4K monitors were not yet widely available and those that were on the market were exceedingly expensive. Much has changed in the last eighteen months or so and there are now a wide array of 4K monitors on the market from which to choose. To be clear, the SW271 is a 27” 4k monitor that is primarily aimed at the middle to higher end of the photography and video market. It is in essence the next generation of the SW2700PT with increased 4K resolution, expanded input options and HDR support and capability. As you will see from my review, it offers an incredible amount of bang for your buck.

When I reviewed the SW320 I was inconclusive on the supposed benefits of the HDR feature in real world applications. Now, a year on from that review I have had the time and experience of a lot more testing and it is clear that HDR capability does make a difference. Where the difference really shines in my experience is when playing the latest crop of 4K Ultra HD HDR disc titles. On the HDR ready SW271 they are simply jaw dropping. If you own a 4K Ultra HD DVD Player then you should definitely plug it into your SW271 and load up a 4K HDR title just to see how good video can look these days.

*Note – To view HDR content from your device, ensure that you use the HDMI cable provided with the SW270 monitor or a High Speed HDMI Cable or Premium High Speed HDMI Certified Cable.

Specifications – There is no need to regurgitate a complete list of the SW271 specifications as those are already available on BenQ’s website. See the SW271 page on BenQ’s website for full details. In brief, the most important key features are included below.

Key Features –

Access to 99% Adobe RGB + 100% sRGB Colour Space With IPS technology

27″ 4K UHD Resolution

High Dynamic Range (HDR10) via HDMI

Hardware Calibration With Palette Master Element Software

USB-C for transmitting data and video signal with one cable

Shading Hood & Hotkey Puck for switching between picture modes as included accessories Appearance –– Externally the SW271 is not dissimilar to the previously reviewed SW2700PT. Don’t be fooled though; the new SW271 display is bristling with the latest technology and represents a not insignificant advance in capabilities and performance. There are a few small cosmetic differences between the models with the new SW271 having a slimmer bezel and the OSD buttons have been moved from the bottom edge to the front.

Out of the Box – Every single BenQ SW271 ships with an online factory Calibration Report. This detailed report includes some very useful information including Uniformity Measurements and Dealt E reports that tell you just how your individual SW271performed when tested before it left the factory. It is worth noting that the report is serial number specific and not batch specific so BenQ are testing each and every monitor. These sort of calibration reports are normally only found in much more expensive displays such as those from the NEC SpectraView Line and the Eizo Colour Edge monitors. The mere fact the BenQ SW271 ships with this sort of individual test report speaks volumes to the sort of high quality display BenQ have produced and the care and attention to detail they have invested in this new display. The report is nicely presented in a branded envelope on the inside of the box. A copy of the individual calibration report included with the supplied SW271 as tested is included below:

Out of the box the BenQ SW271 is very simple to set up and in less than ten minutes I had the stand fully assembled, the display plugged in (via HDMI) to my MacBook Pro and the system fully operable. It is worth noting at this point that the SW271 does utilise the latest USB-C port to transmit video and data with only one cable. So you can do the hardware calibration without having to run a seperate USB cable if you utilise the USB-C connection. The USB-C port displays 4K content and offers an up to 5Gbps transfer rate. Since neither of the current Macs in my studio include USB-C I did not test this capability and instead relied on the HDMI cable for video and the USB for calibration. Until such time as USB-C becomes more prevalent I expect many photographers will do likewise. As I wrote when I reviewed the SW320 I am extremely impressed at the quality of the display stand and ease of installation. It’s a pet peeve of mine that many manufactures of high end displays often include such cheap plastic stands. These manufacturers would do well to take note of the quality of construction and attention to detail BenQ have lavished on their current monitor range.

SW271 Performance – Just like its larger brother the SW320, the SW271 ships in ‘flame-thrower’ mode and out of the box was far too bright for my viewing environment. I know manufacturers do this to try and impress viewers who will no doubt see the display first in a brightly lit fluorescent showroom but I really wish they wouldn’t. It would be preferable to have the display at a comfortable default with an option for store keepers to switch to the ‘super bright’ mode for store display. Once I had calibrated the SW271 to a more reasonable 120 Candelas (a light level appropriate for my studio) and D6500 Kelvin I was able to properly assess its performance and make direct comparisons against other displays.

BenQ Palette Master Software – Just like its larger brother the SW320, the SW271 requires the use of profiling software to access the internal monitor hardware Look up Tables (LUT), and for that you need the supplied Palette Master Element software. For Apple users, the supplied software is installed as an application. I don’t own a Windows machine so did not test the software under a Windows environment.

The SW271 ships with the BenQ Palette Master Software; but it can also be downloaded for free from the BenQ website. By using the Palette Master Element software and a calibrator (primarily the X-rite i1 Display in my case), you can tune and maintain the colour performance of the monitor at its most optimal state.

The BenQ SW271 currently supports the X-Rtie i1 Display Pro / i1 Pro /i1 Pro 2 , and Datacolor Spyder 4/5 colorimeters. I tested all of these during my time with the SW271 and all performed without issue.

Note: The X-Rite ColorMunki Display is not supported. Xrite does not support its use with third party software (Not BenQ’s fault).

BenQ provide a user friendly instruction manual with the Palette Master Software that you can download from their website. There is both a basic and advanced mode to choose from. The instructions are clear, concise and easy to follow. Download the PDF Manual HERE.

Palette Master is supported on Win7 or above and Mac OS 10.6.8 or above.

Rather than repeat myself, If you read my review of the SW320 you will find a link to a video that goes into more detail about the Palette Master software.Driving a 4K UHD Display – I tested the SW271 with both a 2013 6-core Mac Pro with 64 gigabytes of RAM and dual AMD FirePro 500 video cards and a late 2013 15” MacBook Pro with an NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MBMB and both were able to drive the display at its full native resolution. Like my tests on the SW320, I did notice the fan kick in more often on the MacBook Pro when driving the SW271 than with the previous SW2700PT. This is to be expected as the video card is being driven harder with the higher resolution display. There were however no ill side effects and system performance and speed appears unaffected in general day-to-day use. In general, there is now more software on the market that properly supports 4K displays and there have been numerous updates to both Apple and Windows operating systems for better 4k compatibility and performance. BenQ do publish a compatibility guide for the SW271 on their website HERE.

Advanced Black and White Mode – The BenQ SW271 also includes an advanced Black and White mode that allows you to view your photos in a black and white film effect. You can choose from three different black and white presets to preview your photographs in before you perform actual adjustments in Lightroom or other image editing applications. I am not a black and white photographer so I didn’t test this feature other than to quickly check it actually functions as advertised; which it does. Black and White photographers should definitely test this feature to see if it fits within their workflow.Gamut Duo – Matching its larger sibling like-for-like, the BenQ SW271 is likewise equiped with a feature BenQ call GamutDuo. GamutDuo enables you to view content simultaneously on the screen in different colour spaces side-by-side for easy comparison. I found this new feature quite useful to soft proof images going from Adobe RGB colour space to SRGB for the web. By viewing the two images side by side it is very easy to see the differences. Users who have to re-purpose their photographs for different colour spaces are likely to find this a very useful feature. To activate the GamutDuo feature you switch to PIP/PBP mode.Hotkey Puck – Like both the previous generation BenQ SW2700PT, and the 4K BenQ SW320, the SW271 ships with a Hotkey Puck that allows the user to switch between Adobe RGB mode, sRGB mode and Black & White modes with ease. The hot key buttons can also be customised to map other modes or OSD settings, such as brightness and contrast to bring added convenience to photographers. The Hotkey Puck is a nice addition and it is worth taking a bit of time to properly understand its uses and how it might save you time in your own workflow.4K Display Comparisons – Comparisons between the previously reviewed BenQ SW320 and the SW271 are going to be inevitable so lets get those out of the way (since I have both displays side by side in my studio). Perhaps most importantly there is the obvious size difference between these two displays and the corresponding price differential. Whilst the SW320 offers a 31.5” panel, the SW271 comes in at a more modest 27”; which I suspect may be a more convenient size for many people and most office / studio spaces. Side by side there is quite a noticeable difference in their physical size. The SW320 includes a larger bezel and as such appears significantly larger. The SW271 with its much slimmer bezel does present itself with a more edge to edge finish and as such does make the SW320 look somewhat dated in its design. In terms of price the SW320 can be purchased for around $1,500 USD. The SW271 again comes in at a more modest $1,100 USD.

Both the BenQ SW320 and SW271 are UHD (Ultra high Definition) with a resolution of 3840 x 2160. Obviously with its smaller screen size the SW271 has a higher pixel density which does result in slightly smaller text when driving the display at its native resolution. For image editing applications the difference is mostly irrelevant and I suspect the choice of the SW320 or SW271 will simply come down the individual users preference for monitor size, available work space and budget.

Measuring colour gamut between the BenQ SW320 and SW271 is a pointless exercise since for all intent and purpose they are identical in real world applications. Both produce 100% of the SRGB colour space and both produce 99% of the Adobe RGB space. Any subtle differences in gamut are nothing more than a quibble. Side by side in my studio they are to my eyes identical in their colour rendition and accuracy.

When I reviewed the SW320 I noted a noticeable and significant improvement in uniformity over the SW2700PT and outside of the extreme corners it measured almost as good as the much more expensive Eizo CG-318. I am pleased to say the SW271 picks up this improved uniformity over the last generation SW2700PT and at least in my own unit performs ever so slightly better in the corners than the larger SW320. This is remarkable performance, regardless of price and BenQ are to be commended for their efforts in obtaining this exceptional level of uniformity.

Shade Hood – Knowing that ambient lighting can obstruct colour accuracy, all BenQ SW series photographic monitors include a detachable shade hood to reduce screen glare to deliver the most accurate colours possible. The shade hood included with the SW271 can be used in portrait orientation as well as in landscape orientation (a very nice design consideration). Just like the hood included with the SW320 what I really appreciated is the solid build quality of the shade hood that ships with the SW271. It feels like a high quality addition to the display and not a cheap plastic after thought; like it does on the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 display (it’s a real niggle for me that this six thousand dollar plus display has such a cheap flimsy hood). As I noted in my review of the SW320, the Eizo CG-318 shade hood looks positively cheap and nasty in side by side comparisons.

Once secured in place the shade hood for the SW271 feels extremely robust and is nicely finished inside with anti-reflective black flocking. Another nice touch is the addition of a small operable window at the top of the shade hood to pass a colorimeter through for screen calibration. Quite honestly, the shade hood included with both the SW320 and SW271 are the best I have seen regardless of the brand or price of monitor.The Bezel and Stand – Attention to small details is very important in high end displays and I was very pleased to see that the ultra slim bezel of the SW271 is finished in a dark grey matt that minimises any potential bezel reflection. This sort of attention to detail might sound trivial but it ensures an optimal result when you are working for hours at a time in front of the display. The monitor’s stand has been redesigned in a minimalist style, with a sleek L-shaped neck that streamlines with the monitor frame. It looks great on my desk and will likely fit well in most studio spaces. The stand is easily assembled without tools. There is some facility for cable management and over all the stand feels very solid and well made.

Real World Use – In Real world use the first thing you notice on turning on the SW271 is the incredible resolution that a UHD screen provides and the subsequent desktop real estate that this resolution enables. If you are used to working with a lower resolution display the vast real estate that this sort of display offers will be a revelation to you. Depending on how close you sit to the screen and the quality of your vision you may need to implement some scaling to increase the text size. In my studio I sit quite close to the monitor and have no problem reading text on the SW320 without the need for any software scaling. On the SW271 with its smaller size and higher pixel density I occasionally have to squint and lean in a little to read text without implementing any software scaling. Colour rendition is excellent on the SW271 and the UHD resolution makes for a powerful and versatile work space.

My daily use for a monitor such as the SW271 involves the editing, post production and printing of digital files in Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud. I also use applications such as in-Design, Premiere Pro and other image related programs and plug-ins. On the whole most of my time is in the majority spent in Lightroom and Photoshop and thus this is the area that my comments are most related.

The colour rendition of the SW271 is exceptional and when combined with the excellent uniformity the display offers it is extremely easy to judge tone and contrast when processing RAW files. For those of you who place a large emphasis on printing (as I do) you will find the BenQ SW271 to offer very good performance. In fact, it offers performance that far exceeds its modest price tag.

I am primarily a stills photographer who only occasionally works in video so I confined my testing to predominantly sill images. The video I did pass through the SW271 looked extremely good to my eyes and videographers should be extremely happy with the performance of this display. During the review I tested several 4K video pieces (including HDR content) as well as upscaled 1080p video content. I also tested 4k UHD HDR content and was very impressed with the results.

Conclusion – The BenQ SW271 is an exceptionally well constructed high quality UHD HDR wide gamut monitor that offers users native 4k resolution, colour accuracy and uniformity at a price point that is extremely appealing. The monitor is simple and easy to assemble and operated without issue out of the box with both my laptop and main desktop computers.

Picture quality is exceptional with excellent linearity and uniformity across the screen that matches the much more expensive Eizo CG-318 in all but the extreme corners. This is outstanding performance that photographers and other graphic artists will really appreciate in daily use.

The display hood is extremely well constructed and provides a very solid black around the screen when working. The screen itself exhibits very low reflectance.

The BenQ SW271 monitor offers the big and accurate colour space I need in my photography and the power of the 14-bit 3D hardware LUT means there is no banding or posterisation in any of the test images I tried when reviewing the screen. I tested the SW271 with a wide range of my own photographs as well as a large suite of ISF (Image Science Foundation) test images designed specifically to trip up displays (ISF test images are designed to show up weaknesses in displays not often found in general viewing). The SW271 performed without issue on all counts. BenQ quote a Delta E of ≦ 2 on their website for the SW271 and the sample monitor supplied measured an impressive Max ∆E of 1.11.

Overall the BenQ SW271 is a superb display that offers a huge UHD resolution workspace in combination with a wide gamut Adobe RGB display at a price point that is extremely competitive. In fact, it is hard to argue with the value proposition BenQ brings to the table with the SW271. With a street price of under $1100 USD you get a colour accurate display with 4K resolution that packs HDR, hardware LUT and a suite of features tailored for photographers. The SW271 quite simply offers extraordinary performance at its price point and is exceptional value for money. Highly recommended.

Full Disclosure – In the spirit of full disclosure I would like to be clear that BenQ provided me with the SW271 test unit at no cost. I also want to be clear that although I am officially an ambassador for BenQ they have in no way tried to influence my review and instead specifically asked me to be thorough and rigorous in my testing of the SW271. I only ever accept products to review on the clear understanding that I will be completely impartial and report anything negative I find as well as anything positive. Since I am using these products in my own workflow being clear, honest and forthright is my number one priority.

National Geographic Magazine Feature ‘Re-Cut’ of Ghosts of the Arctic

Arctic, Media, News and Updates, Travel Photography, Video

National Geographic magazine are featuring a re-cut of Ghosts of the Arctic on their social media platforms at the moment. On the humorous side they felt the need to subtitle it… I guess my Australian / Icelandic / Norwegian accent was a bit much for some – LOL. The re-cut is only available to view on Facebook at present HERE.

“High in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, photographer Joshua Holko is on a mission to document polar bears in the wild”

In other news, things have been a bit quiet on my blog of late. Mostly, I have been taking the opportunity whilst at home in Australia to catch up on some maintenance around the house and have some actual real down time.

I will be heading up to the Arctic in a little under two weeks for the winter season and there is still much to do before I leave. I hope to finish testing and publish my review of BenQ’s excellent new SW271 4K Photographic monitor as well as finalise details of some new future expeditions. More to come…

Future Film Projects after Ghosts of the Arctic

Antarctica, Arctic, Media, News and Updates, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Video

The feedback I have received over the last few months since the release of Ghosts of the Arctic has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you very much to all of you who took the time to write to me with your thoughts on the short film. To date it has been screened or is scheduled to be screened at multiple film festivals across the globe, has been featured on multiple news sites including National Geographic, Daily Mail, Peta-Pixel and many, many more (I was even interviewed by the Today show on Channel 9 about the experience of making the film) and has been seen on both You Tube and Vimeo millions of times. One of the common and recurring questions I have received since the release of Ghosts was would I do any future films and if so what? Well…The answer is ‘maybe‘. The truth is these short films are extremely time consuming and very expensive to produce. Ghosts of the Arctic was more than two years in the planning and when I look back at all of the work and effort (and cost) that went into the planning and production from all who helped its difficult to quickly make the mental leap into the next project. I do have several future projects in mind, but it is honestly a matter of getting time, man power, love and money to all align in perfect harmony (not an easy thing!). I also want to push more into documenting the radical climate change we are experiencing in the polar regions through both the Arctic Arts Project and Penguin World vehicles in which I am involved. Any future film project will likely be focused in this area and most likely involve the full team involved in each project. At the moment though my focus is on finishing my new hardcover fine-art book on Antarctica, which I hope will be published late in 2018 (more details to come).

National Geographic How to Photograph Polar Bears in One of the most Extreme Places on Earth

Arctic, Photographs, Travel Photography, Video, Wildlife Photographs

National Geographic have just featured Ghosts of the Arctic in their new post HERE How to Photograph Polar Bears in One of the Most Extreme Places on Earth.

Two polar bears, a mother and her cub, clamber over the sea ice with the pink winter sky glowing behind them. “These are the moments I live for,” says nature photographer Joshua Holko. [Edit – Its actually a large male and a female polar bear in the video]

High in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Holko is on a mission to document polar bears in the wild. Braving the elements for up to 16 hours a day, he is joined on his quest by cinematographers Abraham Joffe and Dom West of Untitled Film Works. Despite technical issues and frostbite due to the subzero temperatures, the crew persisted in the depths of winter to capture the haunting beauty of this frozen expanse.

In Ghosts of the Arctic, get up close to polar bears in their natural habitat and experience the breathtaking Arctic landscape in stunning detail.

Ghosts of the Arctic Nominated as Finalist at the Explorers Club Annual Polar Film Festival

Arctic, Media, News and Updates, Travel Photography, Video

Yesterday I returned to South America from two back-to-back expeditions to Antarctica (trip report coming soon). On my return last night I received some fantastic news that the Explorers Club will not only be screening Ghosts of the Arctic at its 4th Annual Polar Festival next month, but that Ghosts has also been nominated as finalist at the festival. Full details of the festival are available online at the Explorers Club.From the Explorers Club website: The Explorers Club is proud to present our 4th Annual Polar Film Festival, with events on Friday evening December 4th, and all day Saturday, December 5th.

Date: Friday, December 4th Time: 6:00 – 9:00 pm Location: Club Headquarters, 46 East 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021

Reservation Notes: Tickets for Friday & Saturday are FREE thanks to our gracious sponsors, Adventure Canada & Canadian Geographic Magazine. Lunch on Saturday is $35, and requires advanced reservations. This is the only charge for the festival, and is optional. To make a reservation, please call us at 212.628.8383, or email us at reservations@explorers.org.