Black: 0.011
White: 27.44

Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio: 2,496:1

The measurements here were taken in the Custom Picture Mode, through an HDMI input.

The XBR-52LX900’s blacks and contrast ratio were satisfactory, but there were some oddities to its performance there. The black level shown above was the level seen when a full black field was displayed and measured immediately after a brighter image, or consistently when that full black field contained even a hint of a brighter area, such as the black field with PLUGE pattern found on Digital Video Essentials HD Basics. If you let a full black field (with no PLUGE or other brighter detail) sit for a few seconds, the black level drops to 0.003 foot-lamberts (0.002 ft-L with the Advanced Contrast Enhancer control on Low). After a few additional seconds of full black, the LED lighting shuts off completely. In our opinion, the 0.011 reading represents the set’s useful minimum black level with real program material.

These results were taken in 2D, with the Backlight on minimum, the Picture set to 80 (Sony calls its contrast control Picture), and the Brightness control on 49. In 3D, with the set’s default Custom 3D settings, the peak white level as measured through the 3D glasses was just under 12.5 ft-L.

The set’s 2D gamma, at a Gamma setting of 0, varied between 2.12 and 2.2 across the brightness range. At –1, it was 2.37 at 20 IRE, but between 2.24 and 2.28 elsewhere. At +1, it ranged from 2.03 to 2.07. Higher gamma numbers indicate lower brightness in the mid-brightness region. The generally recommended gamma varies from 2.2 to 2.4, or even as high as 2.5, depending on the expert consulted. In my opinion, the correct setting depends to a degree on the program material—which is why it’s a very useful adjustment to have.

The 2D Color Tracking was mediocre out of the box in the Warm 2 Color Temperature setting. Delta E ranged from 4.1 to 11.3 from 30 to 100 IRE, peaking at 17.6 at 20 IRE. After calibration, it was a very respectable 2.6 or less from 20 IRE to 100 IRE. The After Calibration results, not shown for 3D, were 2.5 or less from 30 to 100 IRE, peaking to about 5.1 at 20 IRE.—TJN