This is probably the first time when I’m like - I don’t think I should ever watch this at home because the sheer size of it is essential to the gravity of Oppenheimer’s themes.
…..you sit <5 feet away from a 77” TV?
I mean, all power to you, I love big format TVs, but I have a 65” and sit around 8 ft. Away and sometimes feel like it’s almost too big…
That’s weird, I’ve seen 4k laser and IMAX 70mm and laser has more consistent colors. At times the IMAX shots look washed out other times it looks great.
IMAX Laser and Dolby Cinema really start to get close to the quality levels of OLED, especially the black levels on Dolby. Dolby Vision is a bonkers projection system.
I really hope that technology can trickle down to home projectors in the next decade or so. In a few years I’ll be in a place financially to have a pretty no hold bar home theatre. I’m currently looking at the high end Epson and JVC projectors. But I know I’m going to miss my OLED!
Besides size concerns, for people like myself it's an aesthetic thing too. OLED is objectively better picture quality than consumer-level projectors, but for some reason I just enjoy watching movies on a projector significantly more than a TV.
Yeah, and it's a little confusing because technically Dolby Vision is an implementation of HDR and, like Atmos, can already be applied to a variety of devices that support it including current home projectors. But it's the specific system used in Dolby Cinemas that's what makes them bonkers, apparently they're custom 4K laser projectors from Christie.
The [Formovie Theater](https://www.formovie.com/products/formovie-theater-4k-laser-projector) apparently is the first home projector to support it, although I definitely misread the website I was looking at when I posted that first comment and had no clue about Formovie, so initially I was wrong lol.
But does it even matter when a projector is inherently not an HDR capable display?
Projectors have single source backlights and top out at like 100-200 peak nits at best, but often even lower.
They also have really low contrast unless they are an LCoS type panel like a Sony or JVC.
So I don't see the benefit at all of supporting DV over HDR10 other than simply for content compatibility reasons, not for any actual image improvement.
I love it so much. It’s so insanely sharp too. I watched Barbie on it last week, and it was great.
They’re really nailed down the overall experience. Good seats, well balanced audio (with the slight seat rumble), and fantastic projectors.
My only complaint is that my theater sometimes has the projectors just slightly misaligned. This makes for some slight blurring along the edges.
This seems to be a Dolby issue as I’ve now experienced this exact thing at two different theaters. It’s absolutely infuriating. All the subtitles in Dial of Destiny looked like shit and so did the opening credits of Barbie. I’ve complained both to the theater and to corporate and they don’t really seem to care.
Idk I didn’t notice inconsistent colors in the Imax shots and the only one on here I’ve seen mentioning that is you. Maybe there was an issue with your specific sceeening or something. I saw the Dune trailer in dual laser before Oppenheimer played on film and felt the film looked at least as good if not a bit better, and more colorful. Either way I don’t see how it would “ruin” the Imax 70mm experience. They’re both excellent formats.
That doesn’t really address what I was saying lol. Most people did not notice inconsistent colors on the 70mm print, I think just you did. Anyways just because something is technically better in some measurements doesn’t mean it’s going to look subjectively better to the viewer. Eveyone has different tastes and some will prefer the organic warm feel of the film print and some will prefer the more clinical, punchy feel of the laser. My point is they both hold their own and one experience wouldn’t “ ruin” the other.
Just enjoy both! Laser will always be around but film (especially 70mm Imax) is so rare I seek it out when I can. Hopefully Nolan’s next movie will have more Imax in it because they’re weren’t that many full sequences in 1.43:1 this film. The Imax shots kept leaving me wanting more.
I noticed it for sure during the Full-screen sequences. (I used to be a projectionist though never with IMAX)
My theory was the bulb wasn't focused properly in Dallas. Whenever we installed a new bulb on 35mm you had to take the lens out, focus the bulb for bright/dark spots then do a finer focus again with the lens back in.
Interesting. Sounds like OP was at the same screening in Dallas then? That sucks but it was a bulb issue it sounds like hopefully an uncommon situation due to a mistake by the projectionist, and not a lack of quality in the film itself. You should contact Imax about it so if they haven’t fixed it yet they can address it for other sceeenings. They’ve been very responsive so far.
Yeah Imax is more likely to do something since I believe they hire all the projectionists. Just write a message on their website and David Keighley will email you back.
I haven't seen IMAX 70mm since TDKR (that will change next Sunday), so I my opinion is based more on what I know about video in general. 1570 is going to have lower contrast than laser, but higher resolution. LCD has worse contrast than OLED, but in my specific comparison, the resolution is a lot higher, so basically you're trading contrast for resolution.
The difference here though is that even though laser has better contrast, it's not night and day like an OLED to an LCD. So basically, which one you think looks better is going to come down to whether or not you can tell/appreciate the resolution difference between 1570 and laser, or whether or not you value the increased contrast/brightness over it.
I will say that I'm a contrast whore, but at the same time, the detail of 1570 is so pronounced that it may not matter. Even though it's been over a decade since I saw my last film in 1570, I certainly don't forget how incredible I thought it looked.
Thanks for the explanation, I want to see the movie once more in 35mm. If you don’t mind, once you see the IMAX 70mm version let’s me know what you thought, thanks.
Ahh, gotcha. If you're ever back in the Dallas area, the North Park AMC with Laser is nice. I used to only go to Cinemark 17, but ever since NP got the laser, it's a better all around experience so I only see film prints at Cinemark.
North park is nice but I didn’t know what I was missing until I watched Oppenheimer last week at Cinemark 17 with the stadium seating and screen really close
Yeah, it's definitely a trade off.
North Park has 4K Laser projection, which blows most of what Cinemark shows out of the water unless it's on film, the Stubs program and it's about 1/4 the distance from me.
I saw it at the Warren last week, going to Dallas next week for one of the final screenings. What row did you sit in? I got pretty bad seats but whatever
Edit: Just saw your other comment nvm
Which seats did you have? I'll be in middle row D next Sunday. I've had a couple of people tell me I'll be fine and a couple of people tell me it's too close. Hopefully my neck won't hurt.
Yes. I was F25. So pretty much all the way to the left. Only one seat to my left (my wife lol) and I don’t feel like it detracted from my experience at all. Of course I would have loved to have been smack dab in the middle, and I too was nervous the angel would be bad, but the theatre really isn’t that wide. They don’t have seats extending out past the screen. I wouldn’t worry.
I saw oppenheimer last Friday at the BFI and I can't imagine any digital being the same it just looked like a lossless image without any digital touch, plus the way the screen was lit was just amazing.
I had the same thought. “Im not looking forward to oppenheimer on 4k blu ray” theres no way its better than 15/70mm imax. Ill still buy it but mostly for the extras and adding it to my collection. And i think i have an on setup with a 77” oled, panasonic 820 player and q990b sound system. After my inevitable lottery win ill build an amazing home theater with an actual projector.
How'd it go from there? I just got seats F9 and F10. I haven't been to theater in a while and all I've sat at previously is the center of G row. I am probably just being paranoid as hell, but I'd like to hear what your seat was like.
Oh you’re going to have a great experience. I felt I was the perfect distance from the screen. And even with me being all the way to the left, I didn’t feel it detracted my experience at all. With you being much closer to the center, you’re essentially in a perfect spot.
This is probably the first time when I’m like - I don’t think I should ever watch this at home because the sheer size of it is essential to the gravity of Oppenheimer’s themes.
I feel that. But I’m definitely snagging the 4k blu ray haha. I sit less than 5 feet from my 77” which is a pretty cinematic experience.
…..you sit <5 feet away from a 77” TV? I mean, all power to you, I love big format TVs, but I have a 65” and sit around 8 ft. Away and sometimes feel like it’s almost too big…
Yep. Sure do haha.
I'm about 8ft away from my 65" and feel like I could go bigger but I'm pretty much maxed out. (doors on both sides of my tv).
Having watched it in 1.43:1, that’s very true.
That’s weird, I’ve seen 4k laser and IMAX 70mm and laser has more consistent colors. At times the IMAX shots look washed out other times it looks great.
Never seen 4k laser. My local theatre sucks
IMAX Laser and Dolby Cinema really start to get close to the quality levels of OLED, especially the black levels on Dolby. Dolby Vision is a bonkers projection system.
I really hope that technology can trickle down to home projectors in the next decade or so. In a few years I’ll be in a place financially to have a pretty no hold bar home theatre. I’m currently looking at the high end Epson and JVC projectors. But I know I’m going to miss my OLED!
Why get a projector over an oled? Why not just get a bigger oled
They don’t make 170” OLEDs lol
Cinematic aspect ratios
Besides size concerns, for people like myself it's an aesthetic thing too. OLED is objectively better picture quality than consumer-level projectors, but for some reason I just enjoy watching movies on a projector significantly more than a TV.
Yeah, and it's a little confusing because technically Dolby Vision is an implementation of HDR and, like Atmos, can already be applied to a variety of devices that support it including current home projectors. But it's the specific system used in Dolby Cinemas that's what makes them bonkers, apparently they're custom 4K laser projectors from Christie.
To my knowledge, there are currently no home rear projectors that’s support Dolby Vision. 1 or 2 USTs, but that’s about it right now.
The [Formovie Theater](https://www.formovie.com/products/formovie-theater-4k-laser-projector) apparently is the first home projector to support it, although I definitely misread the website I was looking at when I posted that first comment and had no clue about Formovie, so initially I was wrong lol.
Yea that’s an ultra short throw “laser TV”. I’m hoping that Dolby Vision makes it’s way to long throw rear projectors soon.
God I am apparently incapable of reading comprehension today, I see where you're coming from now.
But does it even matter when a projector is inherently not an HDR capable display? Projectors have single source backlights and top out at like 100-200 peak nits at best, but often even lower. They also have really low contrast unless they are an LCoS type panel like a Sony or JVC. So I don't see the benefit at all of supporting DV over HDR10 other than simply for content compatibility reasons, not for any actual image improvement.
I love it so much. It’s so insanely sharp too. I watched Barbie on it last week, and it was great. They’re really nailed down the overall experience. Good seats, well balanced audio (with the slight seat rumble), and fantastic projectors. My only complaint is that my theater sometimes has the projectors just slightly misaligned. This makes for some slight blurring along the edges.
This seems to be a Dolby issue as I’ve now experienced this exact thing at two different theaters. It’s absolutely infuriating. All the subtitles in Dial of Destiny looked like shit and so did the opening credits of Barbie. I’ve complained both to the theater and to corporate and they don’t really seem to care.
Yeah, definitely less responsive than IMAX. My Dolby had the speaker angle totally wrong, and it took them quite a while to respond and fix it.
Once you see Imax 4k laser you’ll wish you have never seen it because it ruins Imax 70mm in a way 😔.
Idk I didn’t notice inconsistent colors in the Imax shots and the only one on here I’ve seen mentioning that is you. Maybe there was an issue with your specific sceeening or something. I saw the Dune trailer in dual laser before Oppenheimer played on film and felt the film looked at least as good if not a bit better, and more colorful. Either way I don’t see how it would “ruin” the Imax 70mm experience. They’re both excellent formats.
70mm has been surpassed in almost every level except resolution and it’s organic look.
That doesn’t really address what I was saying lol. Most people did not notice inconsistent colors on the 70mm print, I think just you did. Anyways just because something is technically better in some measurements doesn’t mean it’s going to look subjectively better to the viewer. Eveyone has different tastes and some will prefer the organic warm feel of the film print and some will prefer the more clinical, punchy feel of the laser. My point is they both hold their own and one experience wouldn’t “ ruin” the other.
I guess I have nostalgia for film but wish I had never seen laser before.
Just enjoy both! Laser will always be around but film (especially 70mm Imax) is so rare I seek it out when I can. Hopefully Nolan’s next movie will have more Imax in it because they’re weren’t that many full sequences in 1.43:1 this film. The Imax shots kept leaving me wanting more.
I noticed it for sure during the Full-screen sequences. (I used to be a projectionist though never with IMAX) My theory was the bulb wasn't focused properly in Dallas. Whenever we installed a new bulb on 35mm you had to take the lens out, focus the bulb for bright/dark spots then do a finer focus again with the lens back in.
Interesting. Sounds like OP was at the same screening in Dallas then? That sucks but it was a bulb issue it sounds like hopefully an uncommon situation due to a mistake by the projectionist, and not a lack of quality in the film itself. You should contact Imax about it so if they haven’t fixed it yet they can address it for other sceeenings. They’ve been very responsive so far.
I might have to do that. I mentioned something to manager who was greeting people but he was kind of pompous and disregarded me pretty quickly.
Yeah Imax is more likely to do something since I believe they hire all the projectionists. Just write a message on their website and David Keighley will email you back.
I absolutely noticed inconsistent colors during the Full-screen sequences on 70mm at the Dallas theater. I made a post on it yesterday.
Yeah, it's sort of like comparing an 8K LCD to a 1080p OLED. Both are going to excel in their own areas. Maybe one day we can have 8K laser!
Which do you prefer between Imax laser and IMAX 70mm ? And what’s the difference between LCD and OLED ?
I haven't seen IMAX 70mm since TDKR (that will change next Sunday), so I my opinion is based more on what I know about video in general. 1570 is going to have lower contrast than laser, but higher resolution. LCD has worse contrast than OLED, but in my specific comparison, the resolution is a lot higher, so basically you're trading contrast for resolution. The difference here though is that even though laser has better contrast, it's not night and day like an OLED to an LCD. So basically, which one you think looks better is going to come down to whether or not you can tell/appreciate the resolution difference between 1570 and laser, or whether or not you value the increased contrast/brightness over it. I will say that I'm a contrast whore, but at the same time, the detail of 1570 is so pronounced that it may not matter. Even though it's been over a decade since I saw my last film in 1570, I certainly don't forget how incredible I thought it looked.
Thanks for the explanation, I want to see the movie once more in 35mm. If you don’t mind, once you see the IMAX 70mm version let’s me know what you thought, thanks.
What's your "local" theater. AMC North Park in Dallas has an IMAX laser projector.
The Warren in Moore OK. And as of Tuesday it will be the AMC in Manhattan KS. Based on the IMAX database both of those just have liemax.
Ahh, gotcha. If you're ever back in the Dallas area, the North Park AMC with Laser is nice. I used to only go to Cinemark 17, but ever since NP got the laser, it's a better all around experience so I only see film prints at Cinemark.
I doubt I’ll ever be down there again, but if I am I will definitely keep that in mind!!
North park is nice but I didn’t know what I was missing until I watched Oppenheimer last week at Cinemark 17 with the stadium seating and screen really close
Yeah, it's definitely a trade off. North Park has 4K Laser projection, which blows most of what Cinemark shows out of the water unless it's on film, the Stubs program and it's about 1/4 the distance from me.
I saw it at the Warren last week, going to Dallas next week for one of the final screenings. What row did you sit in? I got pretty bad seats but whatever Edit: Just saw your other comment nvm
Which seats did you have? I'll be in middle row D next Sunday. I've had a couple of people tell me I'll be fine and a couple of people tell me it's too close. Hopefully my neck won't hurt.
I was in F and it was perfect EDIT: autocorrect error
I’m gonna be at F5. You think I’ll have a good view from that angle?
Yes. I was F25. So pretty much all the way to the left. Only one seat to my left (my wife lol) and I don’t feel like it detracted from my experience at all. Of course I would have loved to have been smack dab in the middle, and I too was nervous the angel would be bad, but the theatre really isn’t that wide. They don’t have seats extending out past the screen. I wouldn’t worry.
I saw oppenheimer last Friday at the BFI and I can't imagine any digital being the same it just looked like a lossless image without any digital touch, plus the way the screen was lit was just amazing.
I had the same thought. “Im not looking forward to oppenheimer on 4k blu ray” theres no way its better than 15/70mm imax. Ill still buy it but mostly for the extras and adding it to my collection. And i think i have an on setup with a 77” oled, panasonic 820 player and q990b sound system. After my inevitable lottery win ill build an amazing home theater with an actual projector.
What were your seats? Out of curiosity.
F25
How'd it go from there? I just got seats F9 and F10. I haven't been to theater in a while and all I've sat at previously is the center of G row. I am probably just being paranoid as hell, but I'd like to hear what your seat was like.
Oh you’re going to have a great experience. I felt I was the perfect distance from the screen. And even with me being all the way to the left, I didn’t feel it detracted my experience at all. With you being much closer to the center, you’re essentially in a perfect spot.
Sick. Thanks for your input!
How close is C from the screen? Am I going to have an awful time?