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.
In normal film projection theatres, a 35 mm or a 70 mm film is run vertically to project on the screen. In the IMAX format, the images that can be produced on the screen can be 8.3 times as large as the regular 35 mm film or 3.4 times as large as the regular 70 mm film.
This is because 65mm Imax film runs horizontally through a camera, rather than 35mm which runs vertically. Passing through the gate horizontally gives Imax the advantage of being able to record a frame width that is larger than its 48mm size - which now becomes the frame height.
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.
What is the difference between IMAX and a regular movie?
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We talked a lot about the quality, but what makes IMAX stand out is the projection. The standard uses 70 mm film run through the projector horizontally. This technique produces an area that is about 8.3 times as large as the 35mm film, and around 3.4 times as large as 70 mm film run through the projector vertically.
The imax experience made the film feel like an experience! The seats were comfy and the imax was super fun and interactive! The imax included different smells, fans, moving seats, water and awesome captivating activity which helped bring the film to life! The food is of course not cheap however portion sizes are good.
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.
IMAX seems great, right? The catch is that an IMAX ticket is often a lot more expensive than a regular ticket. It also depends on where you live. It seems the bigger the city, the bigger the price.
It should go without saying, and we are sure many would agree, that the bigger the movie is the bigger the screen it deserves to be seen – or, more accurately, experienced – on. No moviegoing experience is grander or more immersive than IMAX.
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.
