Review and test of the compact laser projector Epson EF-11, which is not inferior to the lamp.
Today we are opening a mini series of budget Full HD projectors. I must say right away that they will be budget-friendly only in the world of projectors: and there, a high-quality picture, unfortunately, starts from 45-50 thousand rubles and ends somewhere in the prices of Moscow apartments. And at the same time I will also explain that by “quality” we mean normal color rendering and good response, this is such a message for those who now remember Chinese projectors for 15-18 thousand. This is not there.
As I said, we will start with a mini-projector. Epson EF-11… According to the description itself Epson, it is a compact solution that is designed not so much for a stationary installation as for frequent transport or transfer from place to place. Looking ahead, we note that this impression is deceiving, and we are still talking about a full-fledged projector that quietly replaces the TV.
Positioning
The projector is part of the series EpiqVision Mini, and it is really very small: about half the size Xbox series s… At the same time, it weighs only 1.2 kg, and another 300 grams adds a 120 W power supply. In general, throwing this thing into a backpack and taking it with you to the dacha is quite a working option: this is not a lamp colossus weighing under three kilograms.
In terms of equipment, everything is quite simple here. There is a power supply unit, there is a remote control with two AAA-batteries, and there are a couple of mounting plates. One is needed to mount the projector on a tripod or on a VESA mount 80×80 mm in size. The other is to screw the power supply to the wall.
The projector itself is made of leather-textured plastic. On top of it are the power button and the focal length adjuster. Below is a retractable leg, attachment points to a gimbal or a tripod, as well as a compartment with a dust filter, which must be periodically vacuumed or washed with subsequent drying. And on the left side are all the connectors: this is an output to a 3.5 mm jack, a service mini-USB, only one HDMI 2.0 and a standard USB into which you can plug a USB flash drive.
Connecting and connecting is all very simple: the power supply is plugged into an outlet, from the source – one HDMI, and you can press the power button.
Technologies
The menu here resembles the standard TV settings – the only difference is the ability to resize the screen and compensate for distortion. And the last thing in the EF-11 is handy. Firstly, there is a very wide range for adjusting both horizontal and vertical trapezoids. Secondly, the settings themselves go in the corners, that is, you adjust the picture exactly to the size of the screen. However, it is worth making a reservation: such wide settings are not without reason.
The fact is that the projector does not have an optical zoom, and with a fixed distance from wall to wall, there is a great chance of not getting into the screen size. So you have to either buy a smaller canvas, or put up with the fact that part of the wall on the sides is exposed. However, again, only aesthetes will be nervous in such a situation: in real life, these little things have little effect on anything.
As for the technical side, everything is standard for Epson – the projector uses 3LCD technology with three matrix mirrors that project the final image onto the screen at once. For a general understanding: there is another technology in the world, DLP, and there the image is already collected on the screen from four multi-colored layers.
It is believed that because of this, DLP has the so-called rainbow effect: this is when, with a quick change of plans, the image is stratified into color components. We will talk about this in more detail in the Acer review, but looking ahead, this is no longer such a critical problem. However, Epson’s 3LCD doesn’t suffer from this anyway. In contrast, however, the technology with three matrices is criticized for the fact that a pixel grid is visible on the screen – but there are some “buts” here too. There really is a grid, but in order to see it, you need to know about it and you need to approach the screen at least half a meter. I’ve been sitting on an Epson projector for four years now, looking at a 105-inch picture from a distance of 2-2.5 meters, and I can’t see the grid, even if I try to see it ..
Now about the light source. It is clear that with such dimensions and weight, there can be no talk of a standard lamp here: it would turn out to be too heavy and cumbersome. There is a rather modest laser source in terms of paper parameters: at the maximum it can give only 1000 lumens.
Its service life is stated at 15,000 hours, but, in my opinion, this is an underestimated figure: if everything is fine with the circuitry, then the LED simply should not degrade. However, even 15,000 hours is two years of continuous operation of the projector (well, or ten years in real life, that is, the projector itself will become outdated much earlier than the lamp dies).
Installation
In terms of ease of installation, the EF-11 is no different from its hundreds of competitors. Yes, of course, due to its size and very laconic forms, it fits more easily into the home environment, it is easier to cram it into some small shelf. But this all concerns only the initial moment when you bought a projector for the first time in your life and still believe that you can really keep it on the shelf for your whole life.
When the enlightenment does come, then the EF-11, just like all other projectors, will still have to be hung on a tripod on the ceiling (well, or under the ceiling on the wall, if you have a tension top), center it relative to the screen and, accordingly, select the size of the canvas depending on the distance to the wall and the diagonal of the resulting picture. By the way, about the diagonal: since this is still a classic, in order to get a normal size – at least a hundred inches – the projector must be placed at a distance of two and a half meters from the screen.
And here we come to the main question: does the projector generally have enough brightness to work with such dimensions? Honestly, when I saw the 1000 lumen response, I did not believe that the EF-11 was capable of anything at all: this is actually a very modest figure. However, he was wrong. I don’t even know where the problem is: either the models with which I spoke before received overestimated brightness characteristics, or Epson here slightly underestimated the possibilities on paper. But the fact remains: the EF-11 is as bright as my 1800 lumen home projector.
What does this mean in life? With a picture of 105 inches, I can, without closing the curtains during the day or without turning off the overhead light in the evening, watch conditional news, football or hockey. Of course, the contrast is zero, the picture is pale, but enough for this type of content.
Further: during the day, having closed the loose curtains, I can calmly watch TV shows, films and play bright games. When I say bright, I mean conditional Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Cyberpunk 2077, FIFA 21 – that is, projects with a rich contrasting picture.
But, of course, if I want to get the most out of films or play dark games like Dead space, Gears of war and Dark souls, then you cannot do without normal blackout blinds (on average, about 2.5-3 thousand rubles for the whole window), which extinguish the sunlight – well, either you have to wait for evening or night. Otherwise, the projector simply will not cope with dark areas: there will not be enough brightness.
However, here I must say that there are problems with dark games even in the absence of external lighting. The fact is that by default the EF-11 produces a very contrasting and juicy picture. Looks cool, but unfortunately leads to loss of detail in dark areas. You don’t pay attention to this in films, but in games, when an enemy can be hiding in a conventional dark tunnel, this is not at all good. However, again, this is corrected by the contrast settings: the shadows are lightened, the picture deteriorates, but the problem is more or less solved.
As for the overall picture quality, apart from the problems with dark zones traditional for this segment and technology, the projector shows very well. Yes, it is a little drawn to the green component, but at the same time, its sRGB coverage is 82%.
Finally, the EF-11 has four other important aspects. Firstly, the projector, unlike its lamp counterparts, is very quiet. Yes, it also has a fan, but even at maximum brightness it works quieter than 30 dB – this is almost on the verge of audibility. For comparison, my lamp projector hums at 35-36dB, like a gaming laptop under load.
Second point: there is a speaker, but it is neither hot nor cold. That is, he, of course, works and does not wheeze, but he is enough for the maximum news. To get normal sound, you still have to deal with the commutation and lead the wires to the speakers next to the screen. And, most likely, you will need a receiver for this.
The third point: the presence of a USB port for flash drives. It is better not to roll your lip here, the projector does not know how to show films: this thing is purely for presentations and viewing photos. Moreover, the projector understands flash drives only in FAT32. However, this makes up for the presence of Miracast. The projector can be connected via WiFi as a wireless display and any video stream can be sent to it. Of course, you won’t be able to play games like that, the delay is too long, but watching the series is not a problem.
Summarize. The EF-11 is the device that surprised me. I didn’t expect anything at all from a 1000 lumen mini projector, but Epson showed that even from such a small piece with very modest paper characteristics, you can get an excellent picture for shaded rooms.
Basically, the only problem with the EF-11 is the price / brightness ratio. In the same price range – from 66 to 75,000 rubles – the lamps are two to three times brighter, and this naturally makes it easier to work with the projector in the daytime. But if we are talking about more familiar conditions for projectors – a shaded room – then the EF-11 wins at the household level. Firstly, it is small and it is easier to both install and take it to the country in the summer. Secondly, it does not make any noise at all. Thirdly, it does not heat up. And believe me, at home, the last two points are a really important factor. Of course, you get used to the noise of the lamp over time, but it’s such a habit: it’s much better in silence.
So, in short, the EF-11 is a good but pricey option for the first projector ever. It is easy to install, it looks nice in the interior, does not bother with noise and at the same time gives a good picture. However, the lamp should not be discounted either.
Specifications
Epson EF-11
Projection technology: 3LCD (0.62 inches)
Permission: 1920×1080
Focal length: 13.9 mm
Image size: 0.51 – 3.81 m
Light source: laser LED, 49.5 W
Light source resource: 20,000 h (eco mode), 12,000 h (standard mode)
Brightness: 500-1000 lumens
Keystone Correction: 34/40 degrees vertical / horizontal
Interfaces: USB 2.0, 3.5mm jack, HDMI 2.0
Dimensions: 17.5×17.5×5.8 cm
The weight: 1.2KG
Price for April 2023: from 63,000 rubles ($ 840)
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