The way we watch films is constantly changing. The rise of 3D technology proved that, although there are many other new technologies and developments that affect our experiences (just like watching a bad remake affects our viewing experience). For example, going to the cinema can be a very memorable and fulfilling experience; you can go with your family and watch a film together, or you can celebrate something with your friends. But did you know that what you might be watching isn’t all that’s cracked up to be?
The resolution of the screen can drastically change your perception of the film, which can affect your viewing experience. So, how does the resolution of a cinema screen affect its viewers?
The Different Types of Resolution
Digital cinematography is becoming increasingly popular; there are some directors that tend to go for the purer form of filming, but digital filming provides a lot of benefits for cinemas around the world, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular.
When watching a film in a digital cinema, the resolution of the film is calculated in the same way we determine the resolution of a television – in pixels. The standard resolution of a cinematic film is 2048 x 1080, which is also known as 2K. There is also a resolution of 4096 x 2160, which is 4K – four times the number of pixels in a 2K film.
Very recently, Marvel announced that the sequel to their smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy would be the first film to be shot with an 8K camera. To understand what that is like, its pixel resolution would be 8192 x 4320, meaning that it would have sixteen times the number of pixels in a standard 2K film.
What Are the Screen Resolutions at the Cinema?
Currently, it would be very uncommon to find cinemas around the UK that use 2K projectors as many cinemas around the UK use 4K projectors. The standards that are used within digital cinema are controlled by an entity known as the Digital Cinema Initiatives or the DCI; this body consists of the “Big 6” major American film studios.
For example, the best Odeon cinemas use 4K projectors. However, one factor that can alter the viewing experience of the cinema attendees is how large the cinema wants the picture to be. This depends on the aperture of the projector, as well as the size of the cinema since the image becomes less clear the further away the projector is from the cinema screen.
Overall, there are a few things that can affect the cinema screen resolution, which can then affect the viewing experience for people in the cinema, but as long as they are controlled and tested correctly, such as in IMAX theatres, there should be no issue whatsoever.
Currently, 4K films are becoming increasingly popular, as well as 4K cinemas, and TV manufacturers are trying to make 4K viewing a new standard this year. Because of this, the likes of 8K cinemas won’t become mainstream for a couple of years.
Making sure that the quality is perfect for the audience is incredibly important. For example, if you have a video from the 80s or 90s and you want to make sure it can be viewed digitally, it’s vital to ensure the clarity and resolution are maintained.
That’s why we at Video2DVD Transfers are here to help; we specialise in converting your old videos into DVD format with no loss of resolution during the process, so you can rest assured that your home videos will maintain their clarity throughout the transfer.