Panasonic 50PZ700
"So does the addition of full HD resolution make Panasonic's already impressive plasma picture quality better? The short answer is yes. But not by all that much. The expected full HD benefits with HD sources are certainly apparent. Which is to say that detail levels seem even higher, noise levels seem even lower, and colour blends seem even more subtle thanks to the greater pixel density on offer.
There's also slightly more naturalism to the 50PZ700's colour palette, and that traditional Panasonic strength of impressively deep black levels appears largely undiminished by the demands of the smaller pixels."
Samsung 50P96
"Set the 50P96FD to its 'Just' aspect ratio (a 1:1 pixel mode for direct transposition of full HD sources to the screen's 1920x1080 resolution), and it really does deliver terrific results. As with the Panasonic, all of the expected full HD benefits are clear to see, as HD sources look rich with fine textures, remarkably free of video noise, and enhanced by extra subtleties of colour blend and detail.
Surprisingly Samsung's new set also runs the Panasonic very close in terms of black level response, showing that the Korean brand has finally overcome what's traditionally been one of its plasma weaknesses. And actually the Samsung's colours arguably look slightly richer and more saturated than the Panasonic's."
Final verdict
But when we asked ourselves if the Panasonic was a whole £1,100 better than Samsung's PS-50P96FD, the answer we got was a resounding 'no', leaving the Samsung as the best all-round proposition - at least for people who don't have an unlimited supply of hard cash.
http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article/mps/UAN/1457/v/3/sp/
"So does the addition of full HD resolution make Panasonic's already impressive plasma picture quality better? The short answer is yes. But not by all that much. The expected full HD benefits with HD sources are certainly apparent. Which is to say that detail levels seem even higher, noise levels seem even lower, and colour blends seem even more subtle thanks to the greater pixel density on offer.
There's also slightly more naturalism to the 50PZ700's colour palette, and that traditional Panasonic strength of impressively deep black levels appears largely undiminished by the demands of the smaller pixels."
Samsung 50P96
"Set the 50P96FD to its 'Just' aspect ratio (a 1:1 pixel mode for direct transposition of full HD sources to the screen's 1920x1080 resolution), and it really does deliver terrific results. As with the Panasonic, all of the expected full HD benefits are clear to see, as HD sources look rich with fine textures, remarkably free of video noise, and enhanced by extra subtleties of colour blend and detail.
Surprisingly Samsung's new set also runs the Panasonic very close in terms of black level response, showing that the Korean brand has finally overcome what's traditionally been one of its plasma weaknesses. And actually the Samsung's colours arguably look slightly richer and more saturated than the Panasonic's."
Final verdict
But when we asked ourselves if the Panasonic was a whole £1,100 better than Samsung's PS-50P96FD, the answer we got was a resounding 'no', leaving the Samsung as the best all-round proposition - at least for people who don't have an unlimited supply of hard cash.
http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article/mps/UAN/1457/v/3/sp/