Sony VPL ES2

The sony VPL-ES2 is a great projector at a bargain price. I wil admit that I think it would struggle with large presentations with only having a 1500 lumen lamp. But for home use and for small scale office presentations this projector is just what you need.

I bought this projector for watching films at home after selling my previous projector due to it being far too noisy. This projector is very different when it is on the sound from ...
...shape of the image. Now Sony has brought this luxury feature into their very reasonably priced unit. This feature allows you to hide the projector away in the corner of the room.

The projector can be ceiling mounted and comes with fixing points for a projector mount that is sold separately or you can buy a standard universal cage mount. Or you can put the projector onto a surface such as desk.

The projector does come ... more

The sony VPL-ES2 is a great projector at a bargain price. I wil admit that I think it would struggle with large presentations with only having a 1500 lumen lamp. But for home use and for small scale office presentations this projector is just what you need.

I bought this projector for watching films at home after selling my previous projector due to it being far too noisy. This projector is very different when it is on the sound from it is barely noticeable.

If you've purchased a projector before then you'll know that the most important thing is the bulb life. Because when the bulb goes they can easily cost anywhere upwards from £300-£400. It is often a more economically viable option just to replace the projector. However with this projector you have no reason to worry. The bulb life is a staggering 3000hours and in eco mode it will last 4000 hours. If you use it for 2 hours daily in eco mode, then it will last nearly 5 and a half years.

The image size that this projector can produce is a staggering 300" or 25 Foot!!!

The picture quality is great considering its price, it certainly beats most mid-range projectors on the market at the moment. You can connect most of your devices through the s-video, I would encourage getting a scart to s-video cable for your devices that only have a scart output this leaves you with just one cable rather than 3 RCAs and in my experience the S-video input has produced the best quality images.

One downfall of this projector is the lack of a vga output. These are useful on projectors because they allows you to connect your desktop to the projector then the projector to your monitor. That way you can use your monitor as usual whilst your audience can view the projection. This is needed because usually the projection will be behind you as the audience need to look at you and the projection, so without it you have to strain your neck to see the image.

A feature of this projector is the motorised lens cover. Upon switching on, the lens cover retracts and then when you switch the projector off it covers the lens again. A lens cover is a must on a projector as it stops the lens getting dirty, dusty or scratched. And the lenses are also prone to damage from direct sunlight so it also prevents this too.

Another feature is the motorised tilt which allows you to adjust the angle of the projector so you can projector exactly where you want on the screen/wall.

An urban myth with projectors is that to use one you need an expensive high quality screen. Well with this projector it is certainly not true. Providing you have a reasonably smooth wall that is painted/wallpapered in white or neutral tones, then this projector is bright enough for you to not need to have a screen.

If you are projecting from the corner of a room with a projector, then inevitably the image will no longer be produced rectangular due to the angle. Top of the range projectors now incorporate a keystoning feature that allows you to correct this by adjusting the shape of the image. Now Sony has brought this luxury feature into their very reasonably priced unit. This feature allows you to hide the projector away in the corner of the room.

The projector can be ceiling mounted and comes with fixing points for a projector mount that is sold separately or you can buy a standard universal cage mount. Or you can put the projector onto a surface such as desk.

The projector does come with a built in speaker, however the quality is rather poor. It seems this was a last minute thought by Sony to cram a single speaker in just to finish the projector off and try to appeal to a wider market. However this isn't really an issue, because if you want the real home cinema experience then you are likely to be purchasing or already have purchased a surround sound system. And the projector has the same 3.5mm audio output as standard computers and laptops alike. So you should already have some speakers that you can easily connect up or you'll be able to purchase some very cheaply if necessary.

With the projector is a very nicely sized, easy to use remote control. Its size is also its downfall though, because being small makes it very easy to lose, especially if you're using in various offices etc. Even around the home it can be easy to lose. I misplaced mine and before finding it considered if it would be worth just purchasing a replacement. A quick search on the web brought back prices of between £40-50, so don't lose it!

The projector has great manually controlled zoom and focus features. You can easily correct the size of the image and then focus it within seconds. Being manually controlled you get complete control over it, so you can get it just right. Projectors without a focusing feature can suffer from poor image quality at different display sizes. Focusing the image makes it much sharper and clearer.

One of the best things about this projector is the auto setup feature. This will automatically revert the projector to the saved settings. It will adjust the tilt, contrast etc. all for you, making for instant setup and ridding any waiting around. This means that you dont have to have the projector constantly setup and can put it away when not in use.

With all these features packed into this projector you would expect it to be very large when in fact is very nicely proportioned. With dimensions:
Width: 29.5 cm
Depth: 23.8 cm
Height: 7.8 cm
And the weight is just 2.8 kg. This all makes the projector extremely portable, so it is great if you need it for an office presentation.
It is housed in a very stylish casing and has a nice minimalistic look. Sony have really gone to town making this projector as aesthetically pleasing as possible unlike other manufacturers who just produce very boxy projectors that are very ugly.

Overall Sony have produced a great all round projector. From its great looks to its ease of use. This does it all. But I'll admit the determining factor in me buying this projector was its price. This projector is available for £600-700 and with all these features it is a great buy. And for your money you're not just getting a projector packed full of features, your are getting a Sony. Sony defines quality. Just look at the original playstation console produced back in 1994, many of which are still in use today over 10 years later. Being with such a big name also means that if you need anything fixing or replacing (like the remote), then you shouldn't have any difficulty sorting it out.

I would happily recommend this projector to anyone looking for a reliable projector for home use or small presentations. It is a phenomenal projector for the money and should last for many years to come.  

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