Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Hobbit in 15/70mm = 2K?

This is topic The Hobbit in 15/70mm = 2K? in forum Large Format Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=000243

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 12-14-2012, 11:11 AM:

Can anyone comment on the image quality of The Hobbit’s 15/70mm prints? I’m just wondering if it’s made from a 2K source.

It has been claimed at the RED forums that they did the DI in native 5K resolution, but I don’t know… Considering that all the DCP’s are 2K anyway, would they actually go through the trouble of rendering all sfx at 4K/5K just to make the 15/70mm prints look sharper? Somehow I doubt that.

Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 12-14-2012, 11:45 AM:

Are you sure there are 15/70mm prints? I thought it was a liemax only release.

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 12-14-2012, 11:50 AM:

Nope, at least the BFI IMAX in London is running the 3D version in 15/70mm. You wouldn’t believe the number of complaints on their Facebook page. [Wink]

quote:
The BFI IMAX is playing 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' in true IMAX 15-perf 70mm film format, one of only 3 cinemas in the UK provided with a rare film print to screen it.

http://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s211/BFI_IMAX/

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 12-14-2012, 11:59 AM:

quote: Paul Gordon
Are you sure there are 15/70mm prints? I thought it was a liemax only release.

I think the confusion may be concerning the Star Trek extended preview. 15/70 houses like the Rave 18 in Los Angeles did not play the Trek thing because there was no extra space on the platters for any trailers, due to the length of the movie.

Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 12-14-2012, 12:38 PM:

Cool anyone know all the 15/70mm locations?

Posted by Shawn M. Martin (Member # 6762) on 12-14-2012, 03:27 PM:

In the DC area, the Udvar-Hazy Center (Airbus) in Chantilly, VA starts showing it on the 21st, and the Museum of Natural History (Samuel C. Johnson) and the Air and Space Museum (Lockheed Martin) in DC start on the 28th. The Johnson is the only one showing it in 3D, even though I think the Lockheed is also 3D capable.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 12-14-2012, 03:57 PM:

Kurt Zupin is running a 15/70 3d print at the Harkins Arizona Mills 25 in Tempe, AZ

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 12-14-2012, 08:06 PM:

both Smithsonian National Mall museums can present 15/70 '3D' features.

Posted by Matthew McBride (Member # 6598) on 12-15-2012, 09:43 AM:

The Indiana State Museum can show 15/70 as well and in 3D.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-16-2012, 06:46 PM:

These 15/70mm locations can use larger platter decks if needed for longer 3D presentations.

Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 12-17-2012, 11:18 AM:

We are showing it in 1570 3D here at National Media Museum in Bradford as are the Glasgow Science Centre.
Pacific Science Centre in Seattle definitely has it as well.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-17-2012, 04:56 PM:

Sydney IMAX has it as well.

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 12-17-2012, 04:58 PM:

I was hoping you’d post, Dick...

So how does it look? The usual ”upconverted from 2K” look with all the accompanying edge enhancement artifacts and general lack of definition (compared to 4K-sourced prints)?

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 12-18-2012, 06:59 AM:

Does anybody know what aspect ratios the RealIMAX and DigIMAX releases have?

Looks like the different releases got some different treatment along the way. I've checked the IMDB technical specs, and this movie is out in three different aspect ratios, but still, this data doesn't seem right:

1.44 : 1 (IMAX 3-D version)
1.85 : 1 (3-D version)
2.35 : 1

I'm 100% certain both the 24 FPS and 3D (24FPS and HFR) are in scope and not 1.85:1.

I guess the 1.85 : 1 version is the DigIMAX release?

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 12-22-2012, 01:49 AM:

Tech Museum in San Jose, CA. is showing it in 1570 2D on the dome.

Posted by Antti Nayha (Member # 4980) on 12-23-2012, 01:20 PM:

A colleague just confirmed that the 15/70mm print is 2.39:1, just like the regular DCP’s. I’ll bet that the same goes for the digital IMAX version, and IMDb is just wrong again.

(Edit: it seems that the IMDb info has been corrected now.)

Posted by Joris Springer (Member # 4175) on 12-26-2012, 08:02 PM:

But still, 2K, I believe there is a topic stated on the forum that there are only 2K copies of this movie.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 12-26-2012, 10:12 PM:

when will we learn... imdb is never 100 % accurate.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 12-28-2012, 07:30 AM:

quote: Joris Springer
But still, 2K, I believe there is a topic stated on the forum that there are only 2K copies of this movie.

The original question was if the IMAX print was based on the 2K version pulled trough "DMR" or some higher resolution (4K or even 5K) intermediate.