8mm Forum: Imax Laser Projection..anyone seen it yet?

This is topic Imax Laser Projection..anyone seen it yet? in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on January 07, 2016, 03:08 PM:

I read this article about seeing the new Star Wars film and they said this was the best way to see it. Even J.J. Abrams said its spectacular.
Anyone seen a movie in this format yet?

http://www.slashfilm.com/imax-laser-projection-video/

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on January 07, 2016, 08:38 PM:

This... http://www.cineplex.com/Movie/star-wars-the-force-awakens-an-imax-3d-experience

...is what we saw it in couple weeks ago.I am unsure if it is laser or not, but it was beautiful:

Synopsis:
The IMAX release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of An IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on January 08, 2016, 09:09 AM:

Here are the only theaters that currently have the 3D Laser Projectors:
USA:

TCL Chinese Theatres IMAX – Hollywood, CA
AMC Metreon 16 & IMAX – San Francisco, CA
AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19 & IMAX – Universal City, CA
Sunbrella IMAX 3D Theatre, Jordan’s Furniture Reading – Reading, MA
Scotiabank Toronto & IMAX – Toronto, Canada
Airbus IMAX, Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center – Chantilly, VA
Boeing IMAX and the Pacific Science Center – Seattle, WA

International:

IMAX, Melbourne Museum – Australia
Event Cinemas Queen Street IMAX – New Zealand
VOX Cinemas & IMAX – UAE
Cinestar Berlin & IMAX – Germany
Filmpalast AM ZKM IMAX – Germany
Empire Leicester Square IMAX – United Kingdom
Cineworld Sheffield & IMAX – United Kingdom

Posted by Mathew James (Member # 4581) on January 08, 2016, 10:08 AM:

You raise an interesting observation Alan!
Here is an interesting article on the differences between the digital imax and normal 70mm prohjected imax:
http://www.slashfilm.com/qa-imax-theatre-real-imax-liemax/

If you are in US, find a DL theatre by looking here:
http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm

If you are outside of US, look here:
http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaIntl.htm#CANADA

Looks like I have seen it in IMAX using digital Xenon!!

Posted by Paul Browning (Member # 2715) on January 08, 2016, 12:08 PM:

I'm glad this is now a reality, with the help of a guy from Skegness, who produced laser systems for nightclubs and large lighting shows. They were struggling to produce a blue laser diode for the three primary colours, red green and blue. He was part of the team sorting out the problems encountered, at the time only the Japanese he told me knew more than the rest of the team and were ahead in this field of technology. I believe I read somewhere originally developed in Russia and sold to the west when they run out of funds, don't know how true that is though.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on January 10, 2016, 12:27 AM:

I saw it. The future of film is very insecure because of this invention! AMC Universal Imax looks very, very good in this format. Comparing Interstellar 15/70 to this, the laser brightness is a bit more than film (not as much as I was expecting), the black levels are spectacularly low, and lower than film, but the 2K film format left a lot to be desired. Because of the huge contrast range and huge screen, "Force Awakens" looked fuzzy and noisy to me all the time, on row 6 of 13. There is no comparison to the resolution of 15/70 film, but I heard a Disney employee who is not authorized to make an official statment state this week that there was no way to run "Force Awakens" on better than a 2K Digital Intermediate on its production schedule.

Give laser projection better pixel resolution and bit depth, and you'll start to forget about film. I promise. At least a little.

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