PICTURE QUALITY This model had very good high-definition picture quality. It did an excellent job displaying the finest detail. Color accuracy was excellent, so colors looked very natural and lifelike. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images had depth and dimension, typical of most models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. Black level was very good, though shy of the deepest black, thanks to Panasonic's effective "Smart LED" local dimming feature which gives greater depth to darker scenes (assumes the image is viewed directly from front and center; see viewing angle comments). With the feature turned off, black level was overly bright. Additional local dimming is provided by a "Letterbox" mode which dims the upper and lower black bands on letterboxed movies, but not on full screen content; a plus. There was slight banding (unnatural contours) on scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, rather than a smooth transition in the shaded areas. There was a slight uneven brightness effect that created cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes. We routinely see this type of issue with many brands of LCD TVs, regardless of the type of backlight used (CCFL or LED). Though it's generally not a significant problem, it can vary in degree from TV to TV. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was excellent, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing was very good, with minimal jaggies visible when converting 1080i video content, such as from cable, to the display's native resolution.
VIEWING ANGLE This Panasonic has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality.
When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a moderate loss of color so flesh tones looked washed out, along with a moderate color shift. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was good. The picture showed some change in color, contrast, and black level.
ULTRA HD PERFORMANCE This Panasonic UHD TV offers excellent overall UHD performance, with very good HD-to-UHD upconversion. Its Ultra HD picture quality is excellent, consistent with its described HD performance but enhanced by the additional fine detail of its UHD screen. As we do with all UHD TVs, we evaluated Panasonic’s UHD performance with a number of higher-resolution sources, including 4K videos shot with Sony’s FDR-AX100 4K camcorder, 4K resolution test patterns, and photos via USB. Though this TV includes an HEVC decoder we were not able to stream 4K content from Netflix, where streaming in the HD format was presented as the only viewing option. With videos from Sony’s 4K camcorder we confirmed that playback of 4K content revealed finer detail and texture than HD, but those differences were best appreciated when viewing from up close to the screen. When playing 1080p movie content from a Blu-ray disc, we found the TV’s HD-to-UHD upconversion processing was very good, among the better performing we’ve seen on a UHD TV. Edges of fine detail were generally smooth with only occasionally visible jaggies. UHD test patterns and photos played via the TV’s USB port confirmed the display takes full advantage of its roughly 8 megapixel UHD resolution, and is not marred by unnecessary image processing. This was confirmed with videos from Sony’s 4K camcorder, which we played back on the TV both via its HDMI input, and by playing the content from a USB drive. Unlike some UHD TVs we've tested, this model has a full complement of picture settings that are accessible in photo playback mode, so picture quality can be tweaked for best fidelity.
MOTION BLUR This Panasonic TV has very good motion performance, with minimal blurring on our motion tests, thanks to Panasonic's Motion Picture Setting. This feature is designed to reduce motion blur, a shortcoming of most LCD TVs. With the feature turned off, motion performance was only fair, with significant blurring on our motion tests.
SCREEN REFLECTIVITY Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room.
3D PERFORMANCE The overall 3D effect was only good, a notch below the better 3D displays. 3D images generally showed effective depth but with a noticeable level of ghosting (left eye/right eye crosstalk) on our 3D test patterns and on a wide variety of 3D program content. We didn't see any increase in ghosting when viewing at off angles. In 3D mode, the display presented full 1080p resolution to each eye, showing all the detail from the best 3D content from Blu-ray disc. Image brightness in 3D mode was on the dim side, less than we expect for normal 2D viewing.
SOUND QUALITY This TV's sound is good, fine for typical TV programming, but won't reproduce the full range of movie soundtracks and music. It has a good volume range. At more typical listening volume levels the TV has a generally smooth sound with decent bass but good impact, though highs were rolled off. All told, none of these issues were overly distracting and most will find this sound quality acceptable.
EASE OF USE Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was straightforward, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is very good, and the on-screen menu is easy to navigate.
Remote has a dedicated button to access Internet features, and to access 3D, and to access Internet features. All buttons on the remote are backlit so they're easy to see in the dark. The remote's major function buttons were sufficiently large and have high-contrast labeling, making them easier to see and navigate. Labeling uses non standard icons making button selection less intuitive to use.
STAND ASSEMBLY Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting.
INTERNET FEATURES This TV provides advanced Internet capability. Features include a full Web browser and access to a library of applications via "Apps Market. Movie streaming services include: Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, Movies by Flixster, Netflix, Target Ticket, Vudu. It also includes a separate Web cam for access to video conferencing applications such as Skype.
CONNECTIONS This TV includes four HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs (which means you can only use one type or the other at a time), optical digital audio out, three USB ports, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi (via yes USB adapter), and a SD memory card slot. Wireless connectivity includes: DLNA network file sharing. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth.
INCLUDED IN THE BOX The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, a quick start guide, two remotes with batteries, and two pairs of 3D glasses. ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable), USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed.
