The Panasonic TX-P50VT50B is another outstanding Plasma television from the company’s 2012 lineup. It features the killer combination of outstandingly deep black levels, excellent screen uniformity, freedom from meaningful viewing angle limitations, natural colour, crisp, blur-free motion, and ultra-fast video gaming responsiveness. It also has a brilliant design that almost matches the thinness of poorer-performing LED-based LCD TVs, and a great lineup of internet connectivity and multimedia features. We’re glad to see that, as with the updated version of the VT30, Panasonic has avoided the “floating gamma” issue that we found on the first versions of the 2011 models (although calibrators should take care, because a much milder version of the same thing can be introduced with one of the calibration controls). Watching the best 2D Blu-ray Disc transfers on this Plasma HDTV was just breathtaking due to the nearly flawless image characteristics of the NeoPlasma panel. It does not present rock-solid accuracy, but the deficiencies are mostly at the level of being statistical rather than imposing an unwanted look on the picture.
However, there is one spectre looming over the VT50 series. Happily for Panasonic, the competition is internal. In our view, the VT50 faces stiff competition from the ST50 range (available in a large 65″ model too for the first time in Europe) which features every single one of the best parts of the VT50 series – although the design is subjectively less extravagant. It’s inevitable that a top-end model won’t rank as highly in terms of value for money, because unless they offer something radically better than the less expensive ones, it’s bound to be a case of diminishing returns. But, Panasonic don’t put forward as strong a case for upgrading to this flagship display as they could have done, because the VT50 series can’t produce as bright an image as the cheaper ST50, when set to its best picture modes – something we really think that the company should address for VT50 owners. Finally, although the 3D experience presented by the TX-P50VT50 is excellent, we couldn’t see any improvement on last year’s VT30 3D performance, and it’s still some way behind the outstanding 2D quality (that comment goes for 3D TV in general though, not just the VT50).
One major strength we saw with our TX-P50VT50B review sample, though, was its out-of-the-box picture accuracy. We spent hours calibrating the HDTV with the full suite of setup controls, but after comparing the results of our labours to the quality attainable out-of-the-box in the [THX Cinema] mode, we had to admit that the difference, for once, was tiny. This was in contrast to the ST50 series and most of last year’s Panasonic Plasmas, which had a more noticeable greenish tint to their images before calibration.
While most of the industry is scrambling to produce thinner and thinner fashion-conscious LED-lit LCD TVs with precious little improvement to picture quality, it’s reassuring and refreshing to see Panasonic – and more recently, Samsung – making incremental picture quality improvements to their Plasma products as well as improving the aesthetics and internet connectivity features. Largely thanks to the excellent image characteristics afforded by the NeoPlasma panel, the Panasonic TX-P50VT50 receives one of our highest possible recommendations, although the best value is to be had slightly lower down the range.
