The screen is massive and specifically tall, built to fit the unique way the movie is shot. It can be up to 40% larger than a standard movie screen. The seats are angled to open your field of view an average to 70 degrees, while speakers are positioned to immerse you in sound.
IMAX theatres create a more immersive viewing experience with the massive screen, which delivers up to 40 per cent more imagery due to its high-resolution 3D technology. The IMAX theatre itself is also designed with steep seating to allow for an unobstructed view of the screen from any place.
IMAX's proprietary digital remastering tools (DMR) allow filmmakers to customize and clean their images to the precise level of noise and grain so films look pristine on the IMAX screen.
The average IMAX screen size is approximately 72' x 50' (22m x 16m), which is significantly larger than traditional movie screens of approximately 50' x 20' (16m x 6.1m). Is IMAX worth it? Yes, it is absolutely worth the price of admission. It's the biggest screen with the best quality.
Some IMAX theaters do use traditional 3D with smaller glasses, so you'll want to contact your local IMAX theaters to see whether they use the larger glasses or not. For many people who wear glasses, bigger truly is better. Forget about those cheap plastic glasses the theater provides you.
IMAX vs Standard Screen: Is the IMAX Experience Truly Worth the Extra Cost?
What qualifies as an IMAX screen?
IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating, with the 1.43:1 ratio format being available only in few selected locations.
For IMAX there is only one ticket price and for RealD there is the standard ticket price plus the mandatory 3D surcharge. It all amounts to the same thing: you buy a 3D ticket and you get glasses. They are provided at the theater but are turned in at the end of the show.
Renowned director Christopher Nolan prefers to sit near the front, in the middle of the third row for cinemascope ratio, and slightly behind the center line for IMAX theaters. Experts suggest sitting in the center of the room, aligned with the screen, to centralize your field of vision and prevent strain.
IMAX uses 70mm film, which is about 10 times bigger than the standard 35mm film used for most movies. Some IMAX screens are designed for 70mm, but it's only a fraction. There's also the digital IMAX Laser and IMAX Xenon screens.
That answer depends on the nature of the room and your preferences. As we've established, the front row of an IMAX isn't great due to the giant screen. You'll be craning your neck and looking left and right to get everything in – it's not comfortable. Some go to the other extreme and go for the back row.
Here are some key distinctions: Screen Size: Real IMAX theaters feature a significantly larger screen compared to traditional movie theaters. A genuine IMAX screen can reach up to 72 feet (22 meters) in width, providing an expansive and immersive viewing experience.
IMAX is designed to fill one's field of vision and engulf one in cinematic surround sound so powerful it is almost tangible. The screen is several times larger than a standard theater screen and is slightly curved with seats angled, allowing audience to have an unobstructed view of the movie screening.
On the other hand, IMAX claims that their sound system can produce up to 120 decibels of sound. While this is slightly lower than Dolby, it is still incredibly loud and can cause hearing damage if listened to for extended periods of time.
The aim of IMAX is immersion: they aim to fill your vision, including peripheral vision with picture and create an immersive experience. 4k is just a resolution of the traditional cinema wide-screen picture. 4k is adequate for big screen presentation, although 8k would be better.
Another negative is that because the 15 perfs of film need to run through the camera so much quicker than regular 4 perf 35mm, Imax cameras are incredibly noisy when shooting. This makes it difficult if not impossible to record clean sync sound audio without hearing the whir of the film running.
A: The screen at an IMAX is wider then usual. It is also MUCH taller then usual. The seating is much steeper, resulting in the viewer being much closer to the huge screen. The result is a gigantic image that fills the entire field of vision.
Screens: IMAX theatres have a dome circular and huge plain screens that almost cover the entire theatre and makes you feel like a part of the film. Whereas normal theatres have plain and regular screen of limited pixel resolution.
Whilst it is expensive, I'm really glad I booked premium seating. I was the only person in the row which made it very personal and comfortable. I saw Beauty and the Beast and it was nice to see it in 3D on the large screen.
With stimulating effects like water, wind, scent and strobe lighting that are timed to enhance what's happening on screen, you'll be truly thrilled in your seat. And speaking of your seat – it moves.
A typical IMAX screen is 16 meters high by 22 meters wide (approximately 52 by 72 feet), but they can be much larger. The largest IMAX screen is 30 meters (98 feet) high. Imagine standing next to an eight-story apartment building that is wider than it is tall.
First, 3D glasses are necessary only for IMAX 3D movies. There are non-3D IMAX movies too, and they don't require any special glasses. Both are “IMAX experiences”, but only one is 3D.
Do you have to wear special glasses for IMAX movies?
IMAX 3D movies, come with special IMAX 3D glasses that will be loan to you before you enter the hall and are to be returned after the movie. All other 3D movies, you'll need to bring your own RealD 3D glasses.
RealD 3D projectors like Sony's 4K Digital Cinema models use a special lens to project 3D visuals giving viewers four times the resolution of full-HD 1080p. Imax Digital 3D theaters, on the other hand, use Christie 2K dual-projector systems which give the same resolution as full-HD.
