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Topic: Imax Digital

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 10-17-2008 11:14 AM

Just imagine the cost of stacking 4 or 16 projectors to make one high resolution image. OK, now imagine in a few years (won't be that long) when a single projector is released which is capable of doing the same thing if not better. Doh!

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Lyle Romer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1400
From: Davie, FL, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 10-17-2008 11:33 AM

And therein lies the issue with rushed changeovers. IMAX could have waited a few years and come out with a true digital IMAX. Instead, they just started changing over to regular 2K digital projection and calling it IMAX. This will destroy the brand because people will start to wonder what they are paying for.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-17-2008 04:37 PM

quote:
OK, now imagine in a few years (won't be that long) when a single projector is released which is capable of doing the same thing if not better. Doh!

Probably not in my lifetime! More than likely not in yours...

quote: Lyle Romer
This will destroy the brand because people will start to wonder what they are paying for.

That'll be fine with me then I can sell the remaining film theaters our 2K systems to fill their large format screens. [thumbsup]

Mark

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 10-17-2008 08:06 PM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen

Probably not in my lifetime! More than likely not in yours...

Probably not, I eat too many cheeseburgers!

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-17-2008 11:04 PM

quote: Joe Redifer
I eat too many cheeseburgers

I guess we should nickname you Whimpy! Really though... Cheesburgers are good!

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Fred Tucker
Film Handler

Posts: 90
From: Sugar Land, TX
Registered: Sep 2007

posted 10-18-2008 09:23 PM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Actually Christie stopped supplying the stacking rack. They said it was a conflict of interest with Real-D. Stacking racks are easy to fabricate out of off the shelf alumnium extrusion. I am in the process of building one at the moment, its not too difficult.

According to my Chrstie CSE the rack is still available from Sanyo.

I received a reply back from IMAX saying that 2 projectors are used in 2D to increase the contrast, personally I dont see a difference in contrast just brighness (about 2-3fL) when only one projector is used (Christie tech doesnt see it either). Also said they had built stacked projectors in the past but did not know why this setup wasn't. Last but not least, Sony 4K was not ready in time... not sure I believe that one since AMC has been testing & installing them for 6 months or so.

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 10-20-2008 05:08 AM

If you're doubling up on the brightness of the brights (and get even the slightest boost to the footlamberts), how are you not also increasing contrast? Are the blacks getting brighter, too? I think if one projector is shining no light in one spot, two projectors shining no light in the same spot will be just as dark. Right? And so the difference, or contrast, between the light and dark will be greater. Right?

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Fred Tucker
Film Handler

Posts: 90
From: Sugar Land, TX
Registered: Sep 2007

posted 10-20-2008 06:34 AM

I see your point but personally I dont see a difference nor did any of the 3 technicians that were with me when I did the testing. Bsides even if it is black, the light is still there, the pixel doesnt turn off on the CCD just because it is projecting a black pixel. (Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.)

The CP2000 already has vey impressive contrast & the IMAX projectors ae modified on top of that to get it a little better making the difference between one projector or two rather negligible.

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 10-20-2008 08:31 AM

What are the stacked projectors projecting? Is one doing the left side of the screen and the other the right? Or one the top and the other the bottom? Or what?

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-20-2008 09:18 AM

Brian,

Your theory works on the concept that black is black...it isn't from DLPs or most any other device that uses a lens. Lens flare and light leakage from the source device will always have a non-black black. In fact real constrast ratios from DLPs are on the order of only 500:1 or so...don't be fooled by the sequential contrast BS (all black or all white that gets you into the 2000+:1 range).

As such, your constrast ratio will not rise as you "twin stack" a projection system. All ships rise with the same tide so while the whites get brighter, the blacks get brighter too. Contrast ratio will likely remain constant.

Steve

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Tristan Lane
Master Film Handler

Posts: 444
From: Nampa, Idaho
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-20-2008 01:41 PM

quote: Mark J. Marshall
What are the stacked projectors projecting? Is one doing the left side of the screen and the other the right? Or one the top and the other the bottom? Or what?

Dick Vaughn said earlier in the thread that the images from both projectors were superimposed. Meaning, they were both projecting the same area.

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 10-27-2008 10:32 AM

James Hyder, publisher of the Large Format Examiner, has posted a review and comment on the Imax digital system seen at the AMC Empire 25 in NYC. His comments (and a VERY revealing graphic) are very interesting.

At this time, the article is on the front page of the site. No login is needed.

Large Format Examiner

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-28-2008 09:03 AM

Is this the revealing graphic you mentioned? Its not revealing anyting we didn't know...

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 10-28-2008 09:23 AM

I think the Lincoln Square IMAX should hang that picture in their box office window. Or make a giant full sized poster out of it for their lobby.

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 10-28-2008 09:38 AM

That's the graphic, Mark. Thanks for grabbing it.

In my opinion, the only TRUE "Imax Experience" is in an "Imax Classic" location. The newer locations offer excellent sound but the image is not much better or larger than a normal large room.

BATMAN on the smaller screen showed almost NO difference between the IMAX-filmed sections and the normal sections. Maybe a foot at the bottom and about 2-3 feet at the top, but NOT enough for the average person to notice.

The only advantage I see with the new systems is that the 3-D will look much better than the polarized systems due to the increased brightness. Unfortunately, only a very few filmmakers understand how to properly use the 3-D systems.

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