IMAX vs HD

joekewl1971 · 01-03-2008, 01:21 PM

I have not seen an IMAX movie since I was a kid, until the other day. Saw "I Am Legend". The movie was okay. Will Smith is usally good. Actually, I was kind of drowsy, so I could enjoy it a second time. But the PQ was so impressive. I had speculated that Super 35 was used to create the proper aspect ratio for IMAX, but that was not the case. The picture was letterboxed on the tall screen. I could not see the bottom of the screen at all, and the top was not much better. The scope image on that screen was much easier to watch at eye level. After the fact I used IMDB to learn that the cinematography of "I Am Legend" was a mix of Super 35 and Panavision. Clearly, letterbox was the way to go. I do not get out enough. The movie screens I am most familiar with are the ones at my most local multiplex. This is beacause I work there. One of the screens there has always impressed me as being huge. The IMAX screen was way wider. Made my 29" lcd seem puny. I am familiar enough with the look of 35mm. Any dust or scratches that I have seen at my second run theater was not evident on the IMAX. It looked like a digital medium to me. Perhaps that should not surprise me since the movie used a digital intermediate. That final master is a limitation on the IMAX, as is the letterboxing. The most pleasant surprise was that the movie looked a lot like HD. My 29" lcd could never pack the wallop of the IMAX screen. Just the same I was reminded how amazing it is that I have HD. When I was a kid I dreamed of 16mm. Now HD is way better than that. It really is like a movie theater in your home. Go check out an IMAX movie if there is one local to you. The size will blow you away. For the sake of tradition too, it is nice to see a movie in public on the big screen. Please also share with me any thoughts you might have on IMAX.

BadVCDguy · 01-03-2008, 02:11 PM

How much does a typical IMAX Camera package weigh?
An average complete camera package weighs approximately 650 lbs. and consists of 16 cases.

joekewl1971 · 01-03-2008, 02:41 PM

"I Am Legend" did not use those cameras. Perhaps I should go back and see a movie that was really filmed in IMAX.

Lee Stewart · 01-03-2008, 08:24 PM

joekewl1971 · 01-04-2008, 04:00 AM

I have heard digital intermediate described as 2k or 4k. If IMAX is 11k, what is the resolution of a digital intermediate?

01-03-2008, 01:21 PM	#1
joekewl1971 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 595	IMAX vs HD I have not seen an IMAX movie since I was a kid, until the other day. Saw "I Am Legend". The movie was okay. Will Smith is usally good. Actually, I was kind of drowsy, so I could enjoy it a second time. But the PQ was so impressive. I had speculated that Super 35 was used to create the proper aspect ratio for IMAX, but that was not the case. The picture was letterboxed on the tall screen. I could not see the bottom of the screen at all, and the top was not much better. The scope image on that screen was much easier to watch at eye level. After the fact I used IMDB to learn that the cinematography of "I Am Legend" was a mix of Super 35 and Panavision. Clearly, letterbox was the way to go. I do not get out enough. The movie screens I am most familiar with are the ones at my most local multiplex. This is beacause I work there. One of the screens there has always impressed me as being huge. The IMAX screen was way wider. Made my 29" lcd seem puny. I am familiar enough with the look of 35mm. Any dust or scratches that I have seen at my second run theater was not evident on the IMAX. It looked like a digital medium to me. Perhaps that should not surprise me since the movie used a digital intermediate. That final master is a limitation on the IMAX, as is the letterboxing. The most pleasant surprise was that the movie looked a lot like HD. My 29" lcd could never pack the wallop of the IMAX screen. Just the same I was reminded how amazing it is that I have HD. When I was a kid I dreamed of 16mm. Now HD is way better than that. It really is like a movie theater in your home. Go check out an IMAX movie if there is one local to you. The size will blow you away. For the sake of tradition too, it is nice to see a movie in public on the big screen. Please also share with me any thoughts you might have on IMAX.

01-03-2008, 02:41 PM	#3
joekewl1971 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 595	Filmed In IMAX "I Am Legend" did not use those cameras. Perhaps I should go back and see a movie that was really filmed in IMAX.

01-04-2008, 04:00 AM	#5
joekewl1971 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 595	2k? 4k? I have heard digital intermediate described as 2k or 4k. If IMAX is 11k, what is the resolution of a digital intermediate?

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01-03-2008, 02:11 PM	#2
BadVCDguy High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 96	How much does a typical IMAX Camera package weigh? An average complete camera package weighs approximately 650 lbs. and consists of 16 cases.

01-03-2008, 08:24 PM	#4
Lee Stewart Behold - the future! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Age: 58 Posts: 25,193