The Apollo Cinemas are getting 4K projectors installed. So far there have been 11 locations who have received a Sony 4K digital projector.
A number of films are starting to be released in the 4K format which includes work from Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, Lee Unkrich, Tim Burton and Robert Rodriguez.
Originally, projectors had 24 frames per second pass by a light which resulted in some flicker along with dust and scratches. The new 4K projector brings 4 times the quality of regular digital projectors giving an even more crisp feel to the images.
When projecting 3D the large resolution allows both the left and right images to be projected at the same time. On smaller formats the left and right images are projected on every other frame leaving the brain to put the two together. By projecting both images at the same time it takes work away from the brain which supposedly makes you more immersed in the film.
Engadget recently went to check out ToyStory 3 which was showing in 4K 3D and reported that the results were quite impressive. Two of the team got in to see the film with one sat in the middle and the other at the edge. The one in the middle had the best experience saying that the 103 minute viewing was easy on the eyes while the one on the edge said it was a little more difficult with being off centre. The glasses also took a bit of vibrancy out of the images too.
On the whole, though, we have to say we came out of the cinema impressed. Sony's implementation of 3D using these 4K-capable projectors is manifestly better than what we've experienced so far -- eye strain seems to have been entirely nullified and sharpness is tangibly superior to what competing technologies are currently able to deliver. So long as you bear in mind that 3D comes with significantly narrower (ideal) viewing angles than the conventional stuff, we reckon this is the best choice for enjoying it.
Full review over at Engadget. More details at Apollo Cinemas.