High-resolution cinema: 4K, 8K, and more

You may not have given much idea of the display solution when you decided on Rogue One over Christmas, however, the videos shown in theaters are set to certain quality levels, just like videos streamed from your smartphone or Apple TV installed at home.

So what solution does it offer you when you take a field trip to the local (or standalone) multiplex?And to what extent will the situation improve in the coming years?We are here to answer any questions you may have about the future and the future. Cinematic solutions.

Most cinemas switched from film reels to virtual projectors in the early 2010s, as a generation reasonable enough and capable enough to entertain movie-going audiences.

Many benefits are obvious: being able to download new versions from the Internet, for example, than sending reels by mail.

Although many directors still like their films shot on film and projected on reels (in particular, Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino), it turns out that the die is cast. It is still imaginable to find cinemas that use cinemas, but it is becoming more and more appropriate. difficult.

The resolution of a movie projected in a virtual cinema is measured through the number of horizontal pixels, i. e. 2,048 x 1,080 pixels for 2K or 4,096 x 2,160 pixels for 4K. Note that there is a slight difference between this popular 4K client and the popular one used. on TVs and streaming services, which refers to 3,840 x 2,160 pixel images. Confusing, is it rarely very so?

The quality of the movie you’re watching will depend on other factors, such as screen length and available lighting, but those resolutions are essential.

For comparison’s sake, 70mm film (which for many is still the popular gold one) is roughly equivalent to the 12K solution in virtual terms, so virtual has yet to catch up at this point.

It’s hard to say without calling and asking them, but most primary cinemas in the UK and many cinemas in the US are in the UK. The U. S. will now be 4K virtual projectors, and have been for several years.

The criteria for digital cinema are controlled through an organization called Digital Cinema Initiatives, in which many primary studios have interests. The idea is to impose a safe set of criteria for the screening and distribution of a virtual film that theaters can follow, making sure that it is a specific point of quality for filmmakers and audiences.

For example, the most productive screens in Odeon cinemas use 4K projectors that generate a maximum of nine million pixels, but the difference between a projector and the smart TV you might have at home is that the length of the screen is rarely very fixed – it depends on the cinema at what the length is. The symbol appears.

IMAX demonstrates this difference well: it can also be used with 70mm film, but when shot digitally, the display solution is only 2K or 4K. It’s the giant screen, high magnification, and other tweaks that make IMAX such an immersive experience.

And, just like with your home smart TV, it’s only when the screen reaches a certain length that you’ll be able to tell the difference between 2K, 4K, IMAX, and movie reel projections. On smaller screens, the quality your eyes may stumble upon will be more or less the same.

8K cinemas are still a long way off: it’s already been said that higher resolutions only make a difference on the big screens, and cinemas and filmmakers are still getting used to 4K. There’s no rush to take the next step.

We saw the first movie shot in 8K: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

That said, it will inevitably take place one day, just as HD has nonetheless given way to 4K: it’s simply a better, more detailed picture. There are a handful of 8K projectors and video cameras, and even one or two. experimental movie theaters, but it will still be several years before we see 8K succeed in the mainstream (the general public is the movie theater you go to on Saturdays).

The calculation is not difficult, as you only need to double the duration and width again. 8K means 8,192 x 4,320 pixels, which is 4 times more than 4K and 16 times more than 4K. In other words, it’s an improvement.

Remember, when you take the generation to a higher level, each and every component of the filmmaking process needs to be followed, from the software you use to create your visual effects to the computers you want to finish editing on.

Even on giant IMAX-style screens, the difference between 4K and 8K may not be noticeable, and we’re starting to push the limits of how many pixels our eyes can catch. It may also be that long-term inventions in cinema will demonstrate the generation of the Imax route, focusing on extras such as brightness and contrast rather than pixel count.

Dave has over 20 years of experience in the generational journalism industry, covering hardware and software in the fields of mobile, computing, smart home, home entertainment, wearables, gaming, and the internet. You can find his writings online or in print, and even occasionally scientific article, in first-generation titles such as T3, TechRadar, Gizmodo and Wired. Outside of work, he enjoys taking long walks in the countryside, skiing in the mountains, watching football games (as long as his team wins) and following the latest movies.

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