# Is the Epson 8350 a good choice for me?



## rmclain73 (Oct 22, 2010)

I am still in the research stages but by the end of July will be ready to start making a some purchases. My theater is a convert of a spare bedroom. The projector will be roughly 10.5' away from the screen. I am looking to do a 85" 2.35:1 screen. Whatever projector I decide to go with will be within reach so manually changing zoom is not a problem. I may need some lens shift as well. 

The theater will be used 90% for movies. There are two windows behind the screen and projector, but after 10:00 am there is no harsh sunlight. I can also pull down black shades to block out the light. 

Is the Epson 8350 a good choice for me? How well does it handle being zoomed to 2.35:1? The wall painted behind the screen is a mid level color brown. How are the black levels in the 8350? Would the spill disappear when zoomed to 2:35.1, or would I still see the black on my walls. My theater is in a rental home so in 3 to 5 I more than likely be purchasing my own place where I will have a larger space for a theater. I do not want to spend a bunch of money if I am going to upgrade in 3 to 5 years. 

What screen would go good with that projector in my setup? If the 8350 is not a good projector for my set up what do you think would work best for me? The most I would want to spend would be $2000.


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## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

rmclain73 said:


> I am still in the research stages but by the end of July will be ready to start making a some purchases. My theater is a convert of a spare bedroom. The projector will be roughly 10.5' away from the screen. I am looking to do a 85" 2.35:1 screen. Whatever projector I decide to go with will be within reach so manually changing zoom is not a problem. I may need some lens shift as well.
> 
> The theater will be used 90% for movies. There are two windows behind the screen and projector, but after 10:00 am there is no harsh sunlight. I can also pull down black shades to block out the light.
> 
> ...


It's a great projector that has a native 16x9 resolution.. So I'd say a no go on stretching. I don't see a feature for that built in. Certainly there are projectors out there capable, but they may exceed your budget. 

I use my 8350 in a living room on a white wall with no issues so it will be bright enough for your setup. 

Projectors have a 3 to 5 year lifespan anyway. Go ahead and plan on replacing it every 4 years regardless of the model.


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## sga2 (Nov 14, 2009)

rmclain73 said:


> Is the Epson 8350 a good choice for me? How well does it handle being zoomed to 2.35:1? The wall painted behind the screen is a mid level color brown. How are the black levels in the 8350? Would the spill disappear when zoomed to 2:35.1, or would I still see the black on my walls. My theater is in a rental home so in 3 to 5 I more than likely be purchasing my own place where I will have a larger space for a theater. I do not want to spend a bunch of money if I am going to upgrade in 3 to 5 years.


You will definitely see the spill. I have a Panasonic PT-AE4000U on a 2.35 screen against a very dark brown wall and can see the spill. I'd like it to be gone - maybe an anamorphic lens is in my future, one day - but it is usually not distracting. But it's also a very dark wall and will be more noticeable on a lighter wall.

Regards,
sga2


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