Panasonic pro plasma provides prodigious PQ

The Panasonic TH-50PF11UK is a professional monitor that can serve amateur viewers well.

(Credit: CNET)

Panasonic markets its professional monitors, like the TH-50PF11UK I just reviewed, to hospitals, TV studios, and airports, but these displays will serve just as well in your own home. In fact, in past years they've delivered better picture quality and better value than the company's line of mainstream "consumer" models.

That's no longer the case--the company's best consumer plasmas, like the TH-50PZ800U, performed better than the TH-50PF11UK we tested--but the pro model still has excellent picture quality. In addition, its styling is about as compact and unassuming as you can get and makes a stark contrast against the flashy, glossy black found on most of today's plasmas. The TH-50PF11UK also comes with more control over the picture than other Panasonic plasmas.

The downside, as you may have guessed from repeated use of the word "monitor," is that the pro model lacks a TV tuner. It's also short on inputs and missing a stand and speakers. To some buyers, however, that minimalist approach is a good thing.

Read the full review of the Panasonic TH-50PF11UK.

Below you'll find the settings we found best for viewing the Panasonic TH-50F11UK in a completely dark room via the HDMI input with a 1080p, film-based source. Your settings may vary depending on source, room conditions, and personal preference. Check out the Picture settings and calibration FAQ for more information.

Picture Mode: Cinema
Picture: 25
Brightness: 4
Color: -4
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 0
Color Temp: Warm
Color Management: Off
Advanced Settings: On

Black Extension: Off
Input Level: 0
Gamma: 2.2
AGCL Off

W/B High R: 1
W/B High G: 6
W/B High B: 3
W/B Low R: -7
W/B Low G: -5
W/B Low B: 0

Setup menu
Power Save: On

Signal submenu
3:2 Pulldown: On
Noise Reduction: Off