Melissa Forrester Nowadays, Dolby Cinema vs. Imax is the most well-liked film configuration watched at the auditorium by most people. One of the leading causes is that both supply great film-looking enjoyment so anyone could acquire them.
So, Dolby Cinema vs. IMAX, which is better? It is difficult to estimate which configurations are superior between Imax and Dolby Cinema.
But you don’t need to worry. We will help you by comparing the two through the most critical aspects. Keep reading to see more!
Contents
Introduction to Dolby Cinema
Dolby is known to many film enthusiasts, perhaps thanks to its unparalleled sound expertise. So if you visit Dolby’s website, you will see that it is an audio company more than anything else.
It is also one reason Dolby Cinema has unfair benefits in delivering the best cinematic experience to the audience.
Here are some main parts that make up the completely immersive experience of Dolby cinema that is not available in most theaters.
Dolby Audio
Dolby Laboratories released Dolby Atmos, its sound format, in 2012. There is no denying that it takes the sound systems of theaters to a new level.
It still utilizes a surround sound format that is popular in most theaters. Yet, instead of placing the speakers around a room, Dolby put more speakers above the audience to envelope them with anything occurring on the screen.
Dolby Atmos allows audiences to hear audio from 48 surround speakers, five in-screen speakers, and four subwoofers.
This excellent setup lets viewers hear one hundred two-eight audio tracks from sixty-four channels. It is so powerful that you feel like a bird flying around the room because of the sounds it offers!
Technology And Quality
Dolby vision refers to a visual technology that can change how theaters project the image on their screen. Instead of a traditional laser lamp projector, it uses dual 4K laser projectors to project movies that follow the high dynamic range of Dolby.
It uses lasers, not lamps, allowing viewers to get a wider color gamut, and blacks become real blacks rather than a dark gray color.
It uses dual projectors that project images at 4k resolution. That means you will get four times more resolution than digital or standard movie formats.
Moreover, it also features a contrast ratio that is 500x higher than the standard projector. And its color reproduction is so accurate that it is almost impossible not to see the difference between a standard format and Dolby Vision.
Comfort
Finally, Dolby Cinema also offers reclining chairs to bring the audience’s comfort to the next level while enjoying movies.
Viewers can listen to the sound emanating from the transducers in their chairs. These excellent transducers will detect low-frequency sounds before making seats vibrate to experience an explosion or crash.
Pros And Cons Of Dolby Cinema
Pros
- 64 Audio channels.
- Great Picture Quality.
- The surrounding Dolby Atmos sound.
- Higher picture resolution than IMAX.
Cons
- The screen size is smaller than IMAX
- No available as IMAX
An Overview Of IMAX
There is no denying that IMAX is the most popular movie format worldwide, including in the United States. So if you visit a theater with a premium offering, the chances are high that it is IMAX.
But not many people know that the original purpose of the IMAX was only for documentaries instead of Hollywood films.
IMAX is present in approximately 1,500 theaters in over 80 countries. It is more than any other premium movie delivery service available in the theaters.
There are many reasons why IMAX movies are so popular around the world. Let’s find out the reason for this.
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IMAX Screen
IMAX gives audiences a vast screen, one of the main things that make it superior to standard digital theaters.
In most cases, theaters typically have a screen of 4.6 to 15.2 meters (or 15 to 50 feet) tall. The fact is that a Dolby Cinema theater also delivers about the same.
But IMAX features an average height of around 75 feet, taking it to the next level.
IMAX even provides the largest theater screen, about 117 feet! That’s not all. IMAX cinema also offers a curved screen and allows the viewer’s seat to be placed closer to the screen.
So, it allows viewers to focus more on the movies instead of the screen’s edges. In addition, the curved screen can significantly enhance the whole experience.
IMAX Camera
IMAX movies come with 70mm film stock and 18,000 lines of resolution horizontally. Meanwhile, the horizontal resolution of 35mm film is 6,000 lines in standard movie formats.
Compared to watching a film on 35mm film, IMAX will provide a better experience. The only reason that movies don’t utilize IMAX cameras is that the device is heavier and comes with fewer mounting options.
Now, a question may arise in your mind, “Why does not every movie maker use an IMAX camera?” The answer is simple! An IMAX camera would be costly to replace, which is quite common when shooting a movie.
An interesting fact is that Avengers 3: Infinity War used the IMAX camera to shoot as it matches the storyline the crew wanted to tell.
IMAX Speaker
IMAX will complete your cinematic experience through a sophisticated speaker, which you cannot get in many theaters.
When you go to a cinema, the speakers will be behind a transparent screen in most cases. Yet, IMAX features a much larger screen, allowing them to put more and bigger speakers behind the screen.
Each IMAX theater features a different sound system, custom-built to fit the factors that may affect sound quality.
IMAX even allows optimizing the audio for every audience seat. It means you do not have to find the best spot. So no matter where you sit in the theater, you will get the same sound quality custom-built for your theater.
IMAX Projectors
IMAX movies would look great thanks to the powerful projectors and large screens in theaters, which are not available in digital or standard formats.
IMAX utilizes laser projection technology to deliver a wider color spectrum. In addition, you may also find a pair of 4k laser projectors in newer IMAX theaters, which replace dual 2k laser projectors.
The quality you can see on the screen would be better as it is a great combination of technology and placement.
An IMAX projector is typically closer to the screen, allowing the audience to receive clear, crisp, and smoother images.
Overall Experience
IMAX is popular for many reasons, and most movie lovers are familiar with it.
The IMAX movies utilize high-resolution films, projectors, cameras, and theaters. The critical difference between regular digital theaters and IMAX ones is the screen size.
You will get a better experience thanks to the beautiful combination of four vital features: the big screen, the projector, the speakers, and the camera.
Pros And Cons Of IMAX
Pros
- Bigger Screen Size.
- Compatible with both 2D and 3D
- Much more available than Dolby Vision.
Cons
- The aspect ratio is lower than Dolby Cinema.
- Picture quality doesn’t seem as good as Dolby Vision!
Dolby Cinema Vs. IMAX: Which Is Better?
Which is better for the movie viewing experience: IMAX or Dolby Theatre?
This question seems unanswered as both formats provide viewers an immersive experience that standard or digital formats could not.
So, the following quick comparison will help you decide which is right for you.
Image Quality
Dolby Cinema would deliver a better experience when it comes to image quality.
The screen projection is beautiful, and Dolby Vision’s projection tech goes beyond digital or standard projection.
You can expect the best image quality in a film with a 500 times higher contrast ratio with four times higher resolution.
IMAX is not inferior to Dolby Cinema, thanks to its proprietary dual laser projection tech. Yet, its theaters use 2K resolution in most cases.
Finding an IMAX theater that allows you to watch movies with the two 4k laser projectors is difficult. Even if you do, it only features three times more resolution than standard formats.
Image Format
This is where IMAX demonstrates its superiority to Dolby Cinema. IMAX displays movies with an aspect ratio of 1.90:1. It can show 26% more screen space than other formats, such as AMC prime, Dolby cinema, and ETX standard.
As a result, the viewer will get a more immersive experience. That is why many people like to watch short movies in IMAX theaters.
IMAX also comes with IMAX Laser and IMAX Dome, which allows you to get a fantastic experience and enhance the cinematic experience to the next level.
Audio
Dolby Cinema is the winner in this category thanks to its Atmos technology which is impressive enough. Applying Dolby Cinema transducers onto seats allows the audience to gain a life-like and shockingly realistic experience.
While IMAX can’t beat this originality yet, it gives you lots of clarity and power in its audio delivery by equipping bigger speakers. But the experience it offers is not quite as life-like.
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2D And 3D
If you want to watch a 3D movie, Dolby Cinema is not for you. Up to now, it does not have any plans to play 3D films. That leads to IMAX being the only option to watch movies in 3D.
However, watching a 2D film in IMAX theaters is not always as good as not all would provide audiences with the same immersive experience.
The fact is that IMAX theaters come in two types: the real IMAX and the fake IMAX (or LIE-MAX).
For “LIE-MAX” theaters, you will pay for an IMAX ticket to watch an enhanced digital or standard movie format, which is not great but still good.
Availability
In terms of accessibility, IMAX is the winner, with over 1,500 IMAX theaters available in 80 countries. Meanwhile, with only 197 Dolby Cinemas worldwide and 127 in the US through AMC, there are few options for you to experience Dolby cinema.
Cost
Adult IMAX movie tickets cost an average of $20, which means you only need to spend $5 more than the regular tickets to get a considerably enhanced experience.
Dolby Cinema tickets typically range from $20 to $25, which is slightly pricier!
Comfort Comparison
We call Dolby Cinema chairs the “first-class” of theaters for a good reason. If you visit any Dolby Cinema, you will get the same high-end chairs that are more comfortable and wider than any theaters have. It is not a feature available for IMAX.
Quick Comparison Table
| Specification | IMAX | Dolby Cinema |
| Aspect Ratio | 2.90:1 | 2.40:1 |
| Image Quality | Up to three times higher than the standard resolution | Up to four times higher than the standard resolution |
| Film Process | 2D and 3D | Only 2D |
| Audio Channel | 12 channels | 64 channels |
| Screen Size | 75 feet on average and up to 117 feet | From 15 to 50 feet |
| Availability | About 1500 IMAX theaters globally. | Available in about 197 cinemas around the world. |
| Comfortability | Nothing special than standard seats, just a bit more comfortable. | Better quality seats than standard ones with transducers and more space. |
Conclusion
Dolby Cinema vs. Imax: Which is right for you? The answer should depend on what you want.
IMAX will offer the best and biggest picture possible, while Dolby Cinema is superior when watching movies shot with traditional cameras.
Dolby Cinema is the way to go if you prefer to watch films shot by a conventional camera. Dolby Atmos will enhance your watching experience significantly.
On the other hand, if you want to enjoy movies that get shot by the IMAX camera, you’ll need to find an IMAX Cinema theater. Also, if your pick is a 3D movie, the IMAX is the only option you have.
Dolby Cinema is ahead thanks to the sound, picture quality, and comfort.
