Measurements

In Cinema picture/Warm2 color temperature mode, the TC-P60ST60 measured a little warm across the grayscale range. After calibration, it measured much closer to the D6500 standard. Very dark, near-black images looked a little red to the eye but were beyond the measurement capabilities of my PhotoResearch PR-650.

The ST60’s primary and secondary colors all measured close to the HDTV specification. The set’s color-management system allows some adjustment to red, green, and blue. After calibration, red, green, and blue were pretty much spot-on. The non-adjustable secondary colors were a little further off spec, but still mostly accurate. Cyan and magenta were both a little bluish.

After calibration, with Panel Brightness set to High, the TC-P60ST60 produced 11.28 footlamberts (ftL) brightness with a full white image, and 0.0018 ftL with a full black image. This resulted in a contrast ratio of 6,267:1. But all plasma TVs limit their full-field brightness, so this isn’t indicative of what you’d see during normal viewing. Using a partial-screen white window (which yields a more accurate contrast-ratio measurement on a plasma TV), the 60ST60 produced 33.01 ftL, for a contrast ratio of 18,078:1.

Setting the Panel Brightness to Mid or Low did little to change these numbers. However, there was slightly less shadow noise in Mid and Low modes. With Mid, a full white image measured 11.16 ftL, and a white window 32.56 ftL. The black level remained the same, giving a contrast ratio of 6,200:1 and 18,089:1, respectively. With Low, a full white test pattern measured 11.11 ftL and a white window 32.45 ftL for contrast ratios of 6,172:1 and 18,028:1.

The out-of-the-box gamma curve in the Cinema mode gives extra punch to brighter objects. The 10-point gamma adjustment lets you dial this out for a more traditional gamma curve (as seen in the post-calibration measurements). —G.M.

Panasonic TC-P60ST60 Calibration Report