Sharpness Level?

[stackerboy99]

Hello,
I have a Samsung 43" 4KUHD TV, and am wondering what the sharpness level should be? So many people have said to have the sharpness level set to 0, but I find that the picture is too soft when it is all the way down. I currently have mine set a 10 (out of 20) and it looks fine, but am just curious as to what others have theirs set to as well and what would be recommended?
Thanks!

[gooseygander2001]

From my experience of having owned a few brands it can vary but...

LG Oled - neutral value is 10 (out of 100)
Panasonic Oled - neutral value is 30 (out of 100)
for all the Samsung's I have owned it has always been 0
Not sure about Sony's though I vaguely recall 50 (half way) being neutral on some older models.

hope this helps

[oddbox83]

LG is zero.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by stackerboy99

Hello,
I have a Samsung 43" 4KUHD TV, and am wondering what the sharpness level should be? So many people have said to have the sharpness level set to 0, but I find that the picture is too soft when it is all the way down. I currently have mine set a 10 (out of 20) and it looks fine, but am just curious as to what others have theirs set to as well and what would be recommended?
Thanks!

On Samsungs -- I have one as well -- it is my understanding that "0" (what it is set by default as in the most accurate Movie picture mode) is the correct position (verified by folks who measured it with equipment that I have spoken to) as this allows for "no oversharpening" (thus creating unnatural halos around objects and additional picture noise to be rendered and such). If you want to be absolutely 100-percent sure, you can put an HD sharpness pattern up on your display, but for me, leaving it where Samsung set it is adequate (especially since some other more professional types confirmed for me that it's right) as I see no added picture noise, grain (unless it's SUPPOSED to be there), blotchy blacks, etc. (which would pop up if the sharpness was not right).

The somewhat "softer" picture you see with sharpness at zero on your Samsung may just be a matter of getting used to it after awhile; sometimes the more accurate picture settings, as a whole, take some getting comfortable with, especially if you've been used to an overtly cold Dynamic-esque image.

But rest assured you're seeing the image (at least for films; for TV viewing, cable, etc., set it to your heart's content -- I leave my Sammy NU8000 on Standard mode with pretty much all default settings for viewing cable) as it was more or less supposed to be seen at the more accurate settings.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by gooseygander2001

From my experience of having owned a few brands it can vary but...

LG Oled - neutral value is 10 (out of 100)
Panasonic Oled - neutral value is 30 (out of 100)
for all the Samsung's I have owned it has always been 0
Not sure about Sony's though I vaguely recall 50 (half way) being neutral on some older models.

hope this helps

My previous (and first high definition) display was a Sony SXRD rear projection set, and by default it came with sharpness set at "50" (on a scale from zero to 100), so you're correct about that -- I discovered, by using setup discs at the time, that this was far beyond what it was supposed to be (the patterns indicated it was too high), and the level I ended up landing at was "25" (so half of the default).

As you said, it depends on manufacturer; indeed, the Samsungs appear to be best at "0."

[x7q3]

0 is the only proper setting. Why? Because the sharpness setting adds fake outlines around objects, fake outlines that aren't part of the original picture. The fake outlines block the real detail in the original picture.

However, if 0 makes the picture just too fuzzy, that is obviously unacceptable, and I would recommend raising the setting a bit. Leave it at a setting right where the picture is not fuzzy anymore and then stop raising it.

You don't want to see the fake outlines standing out visibly, but you don't want a fuzzy picture either. Therefore, try getting the setting right in between the two, where there's no visible fuzz and no visible fake outlines. This should make your TV look its best.

[gooseygander2001]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

LG is zero.

10 for LG Oled's (B6, B8) as I had mine ISF calibrated.

0 artificially blurred/softened the image slightly - most visible in long shots of trees or buildings.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by gooseygander2001

10 for LG Oled's (B6, B8) as I had mine ISF calibrated.

0 artificially blurred/softened the image slightly - most visible in long shots of trees or buildings.

That goes against the largely accepted wisdom of the neutral setting. I know LG themselves suggest 10 for cinema modes, but how much trust you can place in that I don't know.

The only reason I would know of setting it at 10 is in upscaling via the TVs scaler (which I've noticed is rather soft on my B8 vs. the superior scaler in my Oppo). If you were upscaling via a Oppo or Panasonic 4K player, etc., then it would surely be adding an unwanted extra layer of sharpening.

I'd be curious to learn if 10 is indeed correct for true neutral, but right now I have doubts. Rtings.com have done tests and say 0 is correct.

[gooseygander2001]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Are you sure? That goes against the largely accepted wisdom of the neutral setting.

The only reason I would know of setting it at 10 is in upscaling via the TVs scaler. If you were upscaling via a Oppo or Panasonic 4K player, etc., then it would surely be adding an unwanted extra layer of sharpening.

Yep, I questioned it too but the ISF accredited calibrator with something of a cult following here in the UK advised that 10 was the neutral setting and why it was the default on LG Oleds just as bizarrely 30 is neutral on Panasonics...go figure...

[oddbox83]

Well, I'm keeping an open mind but I'm not going to mess with my settings just yet.

Googling it offers up a myriad of conflicting reports. Some are saying 0 is neutral, others 10. I've even found a random one saying no higher than 5. Ignorance was bliss.

[gooseygander2001]

Yeh...I think ultimately trust your gut and eyeballs...

FWIW I hate any visible edge enhancement and obvious DNR and love natural film grain.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by x7q3

0 is the only proper setting. Why? Because the sharpness setting adds fake outlines around objects, fake outlines that aren't part of the original picture. The fake outlines block the real detail in the original picture.

However, if 0 makes the picture just too fuzzy, that is obviously unacceptable, and I would recommend raising the setting a bit. Leave it at a setting right where the picture is not fuzzy anymore and then stop raising it.

You don't want to see the fake outlines standing out visibly, but you don't want a fuzzy picture either. Therefore, try getting the setting right in between the two, where there's no visible fuzz and no visible fake outlines. This should make your TV look its best.

As we have been saying, it depends on manufacturer -- it's not ALWAYS 0.

[sapiendut]

Originally Posted by gooseygander2001

Yep, I questioned it too but the ISF accredited calibrator with something of a cult following here in the UK advised that 10 was the neutral setting and why it was the default on LG Oleds just as bizarrely 30 is neutral on Panasonics...go figure...

The numbers are all over the place. On the LG C9 I just reviewed, 10 is neutral. On Sony 295 projector, 47 is neutral. On Panasonic FZ1000 and GZ2000, 30 is neutral. These were not tested using merely bluray pattern but using ISF Certified Murideo Six-G pattern generator that’s also used by the more serious professional calibrators.