Just setup my BenQ HT3550 projector have a few questions

[max2]

Is it normal for the screen to look washed out if you enlarge the pic with zoom on the lens?

 

[GrumpyCoder]

No it's not. But you will get different on/off and ansi contrast performance at the different ends of throw range with most cheap lenses. But it's not what I'd call washed out. However, when you make your image larger, you will get less brightness and depending on the size of your screen it might simply be not very bright and therefore look dull and washed out. Could it be that, lack of brightness to make the image pop?

What's your screen size, what type of screen material are you using (gain) and how does your room look like (pitch black with black walls and ceiling or white walls, etc. other lightsources in the room, ...)?