Fuzzy and out of focus cinema trailers

ethan · 5 Jul 2016 at 01:39

Noticed this on sunday for the first time at Telford Imax prior to watching Independence Day 2. Not sure why they were fuzzy but I suspect something similar to this was going on. They left a 3d lens on to display a couple of 2d trailers. The edges around peoples faces were blurred with purple fringing and not in focus. The trailers either looked like a low quality 3d to 2d conversion or the lens for the main feature, which was in 3d was left on to show the (2d) trailers:

So why aren’t theater personnel simply removing the 3-D lenses? The answer is that it takes time, it costs money, and it requires technical know-how above the level of the average multiplex employee. James Bond, a Chicago-based projection guru who serves as technical expert for Roger Ebert’s Ebertfest, said issues with the Sonys are more than mechanical. Opening the projector alone involves security clearances and Internet passwords, “and if you don’t do it right, the machine will shut down on you.’’ The result, in his view, is that often the lens change isn’t made and “audiences are getting shortchanged.’’

ZeroG · 5 Jul 2016 at 06:30

If that's true then sounds like a valid reason.

MatsyLR · 5 Jul 2016 at 10:21

People are complaining over not being able to see the trailers at the start of a movie they paid to see?
Yeah dont see an issue.

Steeps · 5 Jul 2016 at 10:46

Had an issue at a large cinema chain where they played a whole film (first part of a trilogy, so nearly everyone had seen it anyway) in 4:3 instead of 2.35:1 but still left the 3d filter in place ready for the next film in the trilogy (2d film first, 3d for the others). Not only did they have long faces but it was also a flickery mess. Since moving to digital projection cinemas seem to have become lazier where they will push play and walk away, not checking that the picture/sound is good quality.

Scam · 5 Jul 2016 at 11:54

Steeps said:
Since moving to digital projection cinemas seem to have become lazier where they will push play and walk away, not checking that the picture/sound is good quality.

Err, I think you'll find that nowadays there isn't even anyone there to push play and walk away. It's all programmed in advance and controlled remotely.