Sony is not the best.........
I would say Pioneer is, but can't go wrong with either of the companies you listed JB.....the Pioneer PDP-5080HD, looks to be a great set(reviewed as one of the best pictures you'll get)....the 5010FD is a newer set so you'll be paying more
depending on when and where you will be watching tv, sometimes glare can be a deciding factor, as well as dark scenes and the detail of those scenes......the 5080 takes care of all that....
here is a cnet blurb
Black-level performance is one of the most important aspects of picture quality. When a display can produce a deep shade of black, it not only improves the realism and the punch of dark scenes, it also makes colors look richer and more saturated. So why did we like Pioneer PDP-5080HD so much? This 50-inch plasma produces the darkest shade of black we've ever seen or measured from a non-CRT TV, whether plasma, LCD, or projection. It also offers a "smooth" video-processing mode that works relatively well, one of the best antireflective screens we've tested, and numerous picture controls. We do complain about its less-than-perfect color accuracy and its incomplete color temperature controls, but those issues don't prevent it from earning our highest praise. The only real kink in the works is its high price compared to that of other similar resolution plasmas on the market. If you can stomach the extra payout, the Pioneer PDP-5080HD delivers a jaw-dropping home theater picture.
