The cinema is perhaps the largest mass entertainment system currently available, and one which appeals to an immensely wide audience. Recent developments in film projection technology have seen the rise of IMAX and 3D, two formats which are designed to enhance the experience.
Understanding IMAX and 3D technology is therefore essential to any film enthusiast who wants to wow their friends with their superior knowledge. So, here is a brief to help outline the benefits of the technology and how it does what it does.
IMAX
IMAX is a filming procedure which has the capacity to record and project images of a far greater resolution that standard cameras. It is the most widely used system for special-venue film presentations and is also used in a number of commercialised film projections. IMAX filming also provides a much larger picture size and is often combined with an improved sound quality.
IMAX projections require specially designed auditoriums for their showings. These auditoriums are designed in order to provide the optimum setting for screenings with a view to enhancing the IMAX technology even further.
This is done by having floor to ceiling screens which enable viewers to have a wider scope of vision as well as improving the quality of sound which is delivered. Most IMAX cinemas will have digital surround sound in order to ensure that viewers get the ultimate, full-bodied experience.
IMAX theatres offer a unique and improved film experience and there are as many as 528 theatres across 46 countries in the world, including IMAX London.
3D
3D film technology has been present in some form or another since as far back as the 1950’s, however it is only recently that the technology has been fully utilised for commercial viewings. 3D films are intended to enhance the illusion of depth perception in order to make viewers feel that they are watching a three dimensional image.
3D films are created by using two separate cameras, or camera lenses, for each shot. This provides two slightly different viewpoints of the same scene or image. The end result of this is two separate streams of images which are assigned to each eye: one for the right, and one for the left.
During the screening of a 3D film the projector shows an image intended for the left eye followed by one for the right eye. This is done at such a high speed that we are fooled into thinking that they are playing at the same time.
3D eyewear is therefore designed to separate these images and deliver them to the correct eye, fooling our brains into seeing a three dimensional image instead of two, slightly different, two dimensional ones. 3D films are designed to make the viewer feel immersed in the cinematic experience as if they are at the centre of the films action.
3D cinema, when combined with IMAC technology, provides a more personal experience during which viewers feel they are directly connected and integrated into the film.