IMAX, although desperately needing to expand their empire, may be making a big mistake.
Follow these two links for more information;
http://www.lfexaminer.com/ (Is IMAX the new Coke article by James Hyder)
http://blog.bigmoviezone.com/?p=516
and this one from COLLIDER
http://www.collider.com/entertainment/inte...aid/9688/tcid/1
Greg Foster the IMAX exec' seems to get really rattled when it gets pointed out that the IMAX MPX digital system is not and never will be the same experience as full size IMAX GT. He expects people to believe that they are one-and-the-same, and be charged the same admission price for both.
He does not seem to have a basic understanding of the square law. If the width and height dimensions of the IMAX digital screen are halved, the area of the screen is reduced by a factor of four, and subjectively much more than that. The LF Examiner article illustrates this very well.
IMAX have been pushing Hollywood directors to shot films using 15/70 IMAX cameras. What this can do for a Hollywood film could clearly be seen in, 'The Dark Knight'. IMAX are also rapidly developing a more portable, quieter camera that will make shooting films in IMAX an easier experience. Greg Foster even says that theatre now so many directors knocking on his door wanting to shoot in IMAX, that he can pick and choose between them. What is the point of this when such films, when shown in the new IMAX digital multiplex conversions will have to have the top and bottom of the IMAX print cropped? IMAX needs to expand their base of theatres that have the original IMAX aspect ratio. These need not be as large as the current IMAX GT screens; they could be smaller, providing the theatre geometry was right. The aspect ratio would have to be preserved, the seating must be much closer to the screen and must be far more steeply raked. Multiplex owners I don't think are willing to make this investment, certainly not in existing theatres.
Inital reactions to the quality of IMAX digital in multiplexes by IMAX fans has not been that good. IMAX seem only to have installed a, 'Ford' rather than a Bentley or a Porsche! We have all been spoiled for far too long by, 'proper' IMAX!
As far as a digital solution for the IMAX GT system I think we are going to have to wait a long time. If they really wanted to IMAX could tackle this project, but it would have to be cutting edge and massively over-specified to get anywhere near the resolution of 15/70. I don't think IMAX are anywhere near having the will to do this. If they were to convert all existing GT theatres to digital with the perceived quality of the new MPX systems they are installing, IMAX GT would die overnight.
Be very careful IMAX!
