Why IMAX is so special?

Let’s start with the basics; IMAX is an acronym for Image MAXimum. It is the film format standard set by IMAX Corporation. Experiencing IMAX will be the best experience a person will ever have.

Camera

The camera has a 65mm film which is almost double the normal 35mm film. The film strip in a normal camera moves vertically at the capturing region, but in an IMAX camera, the film strip moves horizontally. The film speed in an IMAX camera is 102.7 meters per minute, and that of a conventional film is 27.4 meters per minute.

The speed of the film passing through the aperture is a key element here. Since the speed is high, the number of frames that we capture is also high. So within the stipulated time, we capture huge amount of information than compared to the low speed conventional cameras.

Sound

It won’t be appealing if the sound quality is not good, even if the picture quality is at its zenith. IMAX has a separate 35mm magnetic film which records sound, and the theatre has surround system to process that. The sound quality makes you live the movie. Light is faster than sound, IMAX sound engineers make sure that your brain processes effectively on the inputs from IMAX screen and the sound from the surround systems.

IMAX theatres will have two speakers behind the screen, two speakers at the corners and a center speaker system, which creates an illusion that you are in the movie. This makes you feel that you are in the game, and at times you may feel for some sounds, as someone is calling you from behind but it is actually the surround quality that makes you feel so.

Picture

IMAX picture quality is far superior than the conventional systems. It is achieved by using exclusive cameras, and for projecting on the big screens, they use high quality projectors which process huge amount of information on the go. If the movie is shot in IMAX 3D, then it is more fun to watch as the IMAX projectors produces left and right projections at the same time and hence the 3D effect is awesome. The depth of the picture plays a crucial role in 3D projections, and IMAX is the best in the business.

DMR (Digital Re-mastering)

The IMAX Camera used is very expensive to operate with and difficult to replace. So featured films like Gravity, Spider man were filmed with general quality cameras and then converted to IMAX format, with DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology which is proprietary. List of IMAX DMR films.

Quick facts

• Total of 697 IMAX theatres are in world.


• The reel of 2.5 hour film shot with IMAX cameras weighs 250 kilograms (approx.)


• Christopher Nolan has special interest in IMAX, and had an IMAX footage in THE DARK KNIGHT (30min) and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (90 min) and in his upcoming movie-INTERSTELLAR.


• Transformer 4 will be the first film shot with IMAX 3D digital camera.


• Prasads IMAX (Hyderabad) has the largest IMAX 3D screen in the world.

Here is the picture gallery of few IMAX theatres around the world. (Image Source : Wikipedia)

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