The Digital Resurrection: The Art and Science of Scanning IMAX Film
Here is what happens during a scan:
The Cost Reality: Buying a brand new, state-of-the-art 15/70 IMAX scanner can cost upwards of $1.5 million to $3 million. As of 2024, only a handful of facilities on earth can do a true 16K IMAX scan: FotoKem (Los Angeles), IMAX HQ (Toronto), and a few boutique European labs. imax film scan
Aspect Ratio: True IMAX film uses a 1.43:1 ratio, which expands to fill the viewer's entire peripheral vision. The Digital Resurrection: The Art and Science of
Producers are now shooting digital, printing the digital file onto IMAX film (a film recorder), then re-scanning that film back to digital. Why? To add the gate weave, the halation, and the grain texture of IMAX. It is the analog warmth plugin, done physically. Producers are now shooting digital, printing the digital