He’s definitely wrong in that v2.5 is darker than v1.0 - there’s a couple of scenes in v2.5, which are a bit darker, because from what I can tell from the 35mm LPP print and Puggo’s 16mm print, they were originally darker but generally v2.5 is definitely brighter and has less crushed blacks.
Actually, here’s a comparison gallery showing v1.0 vs v2.5:For best comparison, I recommend downloading the whole gallery and viewing it in full screen mode in your image browser.
Harmy - I definitely see what you are saying with regards to many parts being lighter, but in some frames, even if you lightened a portion of the frame, you really lose the shading detail in the blacks (if I am correct in that is what is defined as black crush).
For some comparison frames:
Stills: 57-58 - loss of detail to Luke
Stills: 149-150 - loss of detail to emperor clothing, architecture, and Vader’s helmet.
Stills: 155-156 - smaller ship is absorbed into space
Stills: 181-182 - loss of ship detail behind Luke.
Stills: 183-190 - crushed detail in vegetation shaded areas
Stills: 223-224 - loss of architectural details, emperor’s robe detail
Stills: 241-242/245-246/243-244 - loss of Vader lower mask/chain patterning detail