Large Format/"Premium" Theaters (IMAX 15/70, Digital IMAX, XD, ETX, RPX, etc.)

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by blu-ray_girl_fan

It's rare that 15/70 auditoriums are switched to Digital. If that's true of your theater, then either they made the screen smaller, or the projector doesn't project an image that covers the entire screen.

The Raleigh IMAX in NC was converted 3 years ago from 15/70 to Digital and from what I can tell, the digital projector doesn't project the image that covers the entire screen.

I still go there but it's a bummer.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

The Raleigh IMAX in NC was converted 3 years ago from 15/70 to Digital and from what I can tell, the digital projector doesn't project the image that covers the entire screen.

I still go there but it's a bummer.

That's a bummer. The manager of the Bob Bullock IMAX told me that they're trying to avoid that scenario since it'd be a waste of the screen.

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by blu-ray_girl_fan

That's a bummer. The manager of the Bob Bullock IMAX told me that they're trying to avoid that scenario since it'd be a waste of the screen.

It is. It's still a beautiful image, the Raleigh IMAX digital system but I got lucky and saw The Dark Knight there when it was still using film projection and it still remains the most glorious theatre experience I've ever had.

Yeah, the screen is not the six/seven stories of the truly big IMAX screens. But at 5 and a half stories tall, I had never seen an image that large in my life with the beautiful 70mm image clarity. It was jarring.

It hasn't been the same since...even if I do like the digital image.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

It is. It's still a beautiful image, the Raleigh IMAX digital system but I got lucky and saw The Dark Knight there when it was still using film projection and it still remains the most glorious theatre experience I've ever had.

Yeah, the screen is not the six/seven stories of the truly big IMAX screens. But at 5 and a half stories tall, I had never seen an image that large in my life with the beautiful 70mm image clarity. It was jarring.

It hasn't been the same since...even if I do like the digital image.

This is going to sound random, but my favorite IMAX sequence in TDKR was the alley shootout after Selina's encounter with the baddies in the bar. The way the scene was shot, the camera felt like a policeman's POV, really throwing the audience into the action. The sound effect for the sniper rifle really startled me, too!

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by blu-ray_girl_fan

It might be a Real IMAX theater. It wouldn't hurt to call them and ask if they have a 15/70 projector. If they say that it's Digital only, then it's probably not Real IMAX.

Thanks for the advice, I want to see Gravity on the greatest screen possible so I hope it's worth the troubles of finding this info out.

[DaFees]

So I found out that my IMAX theater had a choice. Catching Fire or the Hobbit and they're going with the Hobbit. It is more than that sure but that's the simplified answer. So now if I want a real IMAX experience I can expect a two hour journey each way (4 hours total).

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by DaFees

So I found out that my IMAX theater had a choice. Catching Fire or the Hobbit and they're going with the Hobbit. It is more than that sure but that's the simplified answer. So now if I want a real IMAX experience I can expect a two hour journey each way (4 hours total).

Huh? One starts playing almost an entire month before the other, lol. There's no conflict!

[DaFees]

Originally Posted by blu-ray_girl_fan

Huh? One starts playing almost an entire month before the other, lol. There's no conflict!

Showing movies is viewed as investing in them and I believe like most museum-esque IMAX theaters this theater of mine like to show movies for 4 to 6 weeks (longer than the usual two weeks) and that would end up conflicting with the Hobbit. So for the theater, only being able to show Catching Fire for three weeks, may not be enough time, in their opinion, to make a return on their investment. If it matters, the theater ended up getting less than what they thought they would when they showed Star Trek: Into Darkness. having shown the first Hobbit movie and knowing the success they had, they aren't too worried about showing the second Hobbit movie but maybe they don't want to take a risk by trying to show Catching Fire.

Anyways this means like I said having to find some where else to go then.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Jumpman

The Raleigh IMAX in NC was converted 3 years ago from 15/70 to Digital and from what I can tell, the digital projector doesn't project the image that covers the entire screen.

I still go there but it's a bummer.

well it isn't the 'entire' 4:3 screen ... right?

unless it's native 15/70 shot documentary/nature film the Hollywood DMR'd films are either 1.85 or 2.35 - there's going to be black borders above and below the screen in either circumstance.

I'm glad the Smithsonian's three IMAX screens are holding out til the Laser-Projector systems debut and are installed (next year), where the full 4:3 screen image is retained.

I think it would behoove any and all 15/70 IMAX screens to wait for the new systems so that new (smaller) screens aren't a factor.

[Jumpman]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

well it isn't the 'entire' 4:3 screen ... right?

unless it's native 15/70 shot documentary/nature film the Hollywood DMR'd films are either 1.85 or 2.35 - there's going to be black borders above and below the screen in either circumstance.

I'm glad the Smithsonian's three IMAX screens are holding out til the Laser-Projector systems debut and are installed (next year), where the full 4:3 screen image is retained.

I think it would behoove any and all 15/70 IMAX screens to wait for the new systems so that new (smaller) screens aren't a factor.

When the Dark Knight Rises came to that IMAX, they had already switched to digital projection. The image, during the IMAX sequences, wasn't 4x3. It was more 1.66:1. That's the downfall of the IMAX sequences projected digitally on a real IMAX screen.

[SilentDawn]

It turns out that the IMAX theater that I was considering driving down to is still a real IMAX theater in terms of size. It is a digital IMAX theater but it was originally a 15/70 projector. I asked the manager if it lost anything in terms of screen size and he said it is still 50 feet high and 70 feet wide!

So happy right now, I cannot wait to see Gravity on this!

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by SilentxStatik24

It turns out that the IMAX theater that I was considering driving down to is still a real IMAX theater in terms of size. It is a digital IMAX theater but it was originally a 15/70 projector. I asked the manager if it lost anything in terms of screen size and he said it is still 50 feet high and 70 feet wide!

So happy right now, I cannot wait to see Gravity on this!

The screen may still be 70 feet wide and 50 feet high, but that doesn't mean they're projecting onto the entire screen. And 70 x 50 is 2.34:1 which is very close to standard widescreen movies (2.39:1) , but is not the 15/70 IMAX AR. The full background area on an IMAX 65mm negative is 2.772" x 2.072" = an AR of 1.338:1. It is projected with a maximum size of 2.612 x 2.040" = 1.28:1 AR maximum, which is remarkably close to the pre-1952 Academy ratio of 1.37:1 and the silent ratio of 1.33:1. Obviously by reducing the height, you can achieve a wider AR.

[DaFees]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

The screen may still be 70 feet wide and 50 feet high, but that doesn't mean they're projecting onto the entire screen. And 70 x 50 is 2.34:1 which is very close to standard widescreen movies (2.39:1) , but is not the 15/70 IMAX AR. The full background area on an IMAX 65mm negative is 2.772" x 2.072" = an AR of 1.338:1. It is projected with a maximum size of 2.612 x 2.040" = 1.28:1 AR maximum, which is remarkably close to the pre-1952 Academy ratio of 1.37:1 and the silent ratio of 1.33:1. Obviously by reducing the height, you can achieve a wider AR.

Forgive me for jumping in on this conversation but if the screen is 70 feet wide by 50 feet high, the aspect ratio (which is width/height) then is not 2.34:1 it is 1.4:1 and last I checked that is very close to the 15/70mm IMAX AR of 1.44:1. I think you may want to double check yourself.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

The people at the Bob Bullock IMAX replied to my e-mail, and they said that they'll be showing a film print of Catching Fire.

[antovolk]

Originally Posted by blu-ray_girl_fan

The people at the Bob Bullock IMAX replied to my e-mail, and they said that they'll be showing a film print of Catching Fire.

Lucky!

On the other hand, doesn't look like the BFI IMAX will be showing it in 70mm...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...32.24927908241

So much for booking early. Well, I emailed them as well, let's see if they reply.

UPD: looks like a definite no, trying to find out why.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by antovolk

Lucky!

On the other hand, doesn't look like the BFI IMAX will be showing it in 70mm...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...32.24927908241

So much for booking early. Well, I emailed them as well, let's see if they reply.

UPD: looks like a definite no, trying to find out why.

You should tell them that every revolution begins with a spark.

[saprano]

What's the total length of Catching Fire's IMAX scene's?

[antovolk]

Originally Posted by saprano

What's the total length of Catching Fire's IMAX scene's?

40 minutes I think, the last hour or so of the film is the games themselves, so intercutting with control room footage, I'd say 40.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by saprano

What's the total length of Catching Fire's IMAX scene's?

About an hour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hun...g_Fire#Filming

[Eric The Duke]

I hope the IMAX footage is shown at 1.44 AR unlike Star Trek Into Darkness where it was 1.66.