How long before we can shoot IMAX quality footage with our phones?

[pc747]

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With the recent announcement that Avengers Infinity War will be shot entirely in IMAX format this have me wondering how long before the technology progress to phones. We have seen phone tech increase rapidly to the point we wonder if there is any room for the tech to expand. Of course we still need the tv tech to fully take advantage of the IMAX format but I believe that is a matter of a few years.

If the technology was available would you buy a phone that could shoot IMAX quality film?

Which company do you see bringing the technology to consumers first Samsung, LG, Apple, other (list the other)?

 

[FoxKat]

There's no doubt that if it were available people would migrate towards it...

The real question is, is it possible to attain such a high level of quality with such tiny optics. In larger cameras, the lens is the key to quality images. Multiple elements, aspheric lenses, coatings, etc., all play a role in the quality of the image. But most important of all is the collection of light. The larger the optics, the more light it will gather, and therefore the greater the definition.

The tiny optics in these phone cameras gather such a small fraction of the light that a typical, even mid-line 35mm SLR lens does, that it's hard to believe that the level of definition in such cameras could ever reach that level.

Light is actually a moving particle and it can be reduced to each photon of light that is received. When light reflects off of an object its wavelength color is changed to match or reflect the exact spot that it is reflected from, and at the intensity of that subject. If the camera can only gather a miniscule amount of that light, the photons coming from the subject, then it's entirely possible that there aren't enough photons captured to give a full map of the subject in reflected wavelengths of color and intensity.

 

[droidprincess]

I honestly don't see why people would need that tech on a phone.....just my thoughts...

sent from my fabulous Note 4♡

 

[pc747]

There's no doubt that if it were available people would migrate towards it...

Look at where we are at now. We have phones that can shoot 4K quality video yet YouTube was not able to support it for a time and majority of the people with those phones did not have 4K TVs.
I could truly see a company throwing out that as a feature 'imax camera' knowing only 2% of their customers would have the means (imax TV) to verify its authenticity and only 1% out of the 2% would know how or care.
So the reality is Samsung could come out tomorrow and say the note 5 will have an IMAX camera and people would flock to it and brag about having it and yet not have the means to see the imax videos.

 

[pc747]

I honestly don't see why people would need that tech on a phone.....just my thoughts...

sent from my fabulous Note 4♡

Those with imax TVs could see family video in the highest quality. They already have the tech (image in my op) it is a matter of time before it trickles down to where the average Joe can afford it. And you know that people are going to want to view family videos in that quality. I say about time we get to the second part of infinity war we will see IMAX TVs at an affordable level.... By affordable I mean at the cost of where 4K TVs are now.

 

[cr6]

Even if the tech is available, content has yet to catch up outside of home videos. Sure Netflix is working on releasing 4K content, as are the movie studios, but there still isn't enough 4K content available at an affordable price point to justify the cost of a 4K tv....and how often do we shoot and watch home video content? (On a regular basis)
The issue the consumer is facing now is with streaming media. And while manufacturers have already come out with 4K BluRay players, 8K tvs have also been shown to be right around the corner. All this new tech needs to catch up with the higher resolution content, which in turn needs to be affordable to the average consumer. Until everything begins to align and be readily available at an affordable price, it's all just window dressing for spec hounds IMO.

S5 tap'n

 

[pc747]

Even if the tech is available, content has yet to catch up outside of home videos. Sure Netflix is working on releasing 4K content, as are the movie studios, but there still isn't enough 4K content available at an affordable price point to justify the cost of a 4K tv....and how often do we shoot and watch home video content? (On a regular basis)
The issue the consumer is facing now is with streaming media. And while manufacturers have already come out with 4K BluRay players, 8K tvs have also been shown to be right around the corner. All this new tech needs to catch up with the higher resolution content, which in turn needs to be affordable to the average consumer. Until everything begins to align and be readily available at an affordable price, it's all just window dressing for spec hounds IMO.

S5 tap'n

Great point @cr6, with gigafiber coming online we are getting to the point we can stream 4k. IMAX though may prove challenging for streaming yet could boost DVD sales again. As we are at a point now with streaming tech where we are abandoning DVDs for the convenience of streaming. So what way to usher in the power of IMAX than with gaming systems and video players that can capture the movie quality experience in the comforts of our living room. And at the end of the day all the sound bars and large TV purchases are so people can still enjoy that movie going experience at home, especially for those on a budget or with young children where it may not be feasible to get a babysitter.

Think we all agree it will be here it is a matter of when and what form. Personally if I already had the set up (IMAX TV and surround sound) I probably would be one to buy a phone that can shoot IMAX quality video. Not because 'I need it' but I would want it for the holidays to gather the family around the fire and watch family videos and then throw in an IMAX family movie.

 

[hammerhead13]

I dont see this being practical till we start seeing TB Storage on these Devices which would be amazing but do we really need this. 1 hour of 4K footage (4096 x 2160) equals around 42 GB. This would exceed probably most of the phones out and still seriously impact the ones with 64GB. Even with a 128GB MicroSD it would be like storing 1 3hr movie on the whole card. Until Flash Storage gets to a Affordable TB Range I really don't see this happening any time soon. Even if the Video was in 2K to match the newer Phones with the QHD Displays you are still looking at huge file sizes. Personally Id be fine with 1080p. Although with Compression this could help make the end product file sizes more manageable. Just my 2 cents.

 

[FoxKat]

I dont see this being practical till we start seeing TB Storage on these Devices which would be amazing but do we really need this. 1 hour of 4K footage (4096 x 2160) equals around 42 GB. This would exceed probably most of the phones out and still seriously impact the ones with 64GB. Even with a 128GB MicroSD it would be like storing 1 3hr movie on the whole card. Until Flash Storage gets to a Affordable TB Range I really don't see this happening any time soon. Even if the Video was in 2K to match the newer Phones with the QHD Displays you are still looking at huge file sizes. Personally Id be fine with 1080p. Although with Compression this could help make the end product file sizes more manageable. Just my 2 cents.

It's really not that far out. 1TB chips are coming. See this: A terabyte on a postage stamp RRAM heads into commercialization Computerworld

It's a 3D storage chip that can yield 1TB in the space occupied by a postage stamp. How much longer before this moves from the initial production to a phone near you?

 

[mountainbikermark]

I honestly don't see why people would need that tech on a phone.....just my thoughts...

sent from my fabulous Note 4♡

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[hammerhead13]

It's really not that far out. 1TB chips are coming. See this: A terabyte on a postage stamp RRAM heads into commercialization Computerworld

It's a 3D storage chip that can yield 1TB in the space occupied by a postage stamp. How much longer before this moves from the initial production to a phone near you?

I don't doubt the Tech is coming soon but at what Price. A 128GB MicroSD is still ~$100 so it would be a While before they will reach a acceptable cost for most users.

 

[jstafford1]

This will go the way 3D TVs. A flash in the pan. They pushed them but nobody bought into it. I see the same with this.

 

[PereDroid]

Well as someone said I can already shoot 4K video. Now ask me how many times I have?
I shoot video of my kid eating an ice cream sandwich, or talking to me about his favorite Transformers. I love my son more then anything on planet Earth and I just do not need his video in 4K.

 

[FoxKat]

I don't doubt the Tech is coming soon but at what Price. A 128GB MicroSD is still ~$100 so it would be a While before they will reach a acceptable cost for most users.

@hammerhead13 , I tend to agree with your comment. Obviously the price of micro SD cards is still relatively high for the larger volume cards like the 128 gigabyte as you mentioned. The thing is though that once technology like the one I mentioned above ( for any one of a number of competing technologies) takes hold it drives the price of everything below it Down

So we may not see one terabyte SD cards anytime soon, but its not unrealistic to see a 500 gigabyte card being priced in and around where the 128 gigabyte card is now in just a relatively short period of time, possibly as little as two years.

 

[PereDroid]

and in 2 years only LG and HTC will still offer SD.

Although I am optimistic the Note 5 will have SD.... don't let *everyone* down Sammy...