Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!watdragon!rose!twgee From: twgee@rose.waterloo.edu (Thomas Gee) Newsgroups: comp.graphics Subject: Re: ShowScan vs. IMAX Message-ID: <11218@watdragon.waterloo.edu> Date: 2 Feb 89 22:20:28 GMT References: <74@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU> <17348@onfcanim.UUCP> Sender: daemon@watdragon.waterloo.edu Reply-To: twgee@rose.waterloo.edu (Thomas Gee) Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 23 When I was down in Texas this summer I saw an IMAX movie concerning the early exploration of the Grand Canyon. Although the show itself was fascinating, and the material gave the producers a great excuse for many breathtaking helicopter and ultralight based tours, I found that the pictures were badly distorted at the edges of the screen. The focal width and length of the IMAX method did not seem very large. Outside of the most central part of the picture, the images were blurry, as they were at the edges of the screen. Worse, the images at the very edges of the view were badly curved, somewhat similar to the effect of a fisheye lens. The scenes filmed from a helicopter flying over Dallas (part of the IMAX introduction) emphasized this effect by showing warped and curved buildings and streets. All in all, however, it was thoroughly enjoyable. 'Twould be nice to have such things here in the Great White North. Just think of what the hockey games would look like! :-) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Proctor was uttered by the alleyway like an | Thomas Gee untranslateable word. | CS Student, UW '90. -- James Blish, "Cities in Flight" | watmath!rose!twgee