Ultrawide formats#Ultra-Widescreen 3.6

{{Short description|Photo and video display formats}}

{{redirect|Ultrawide|the type of camera lens|Ultra wide angle lens}}

{{More citations needed|date=June 2023}}

File:Vector Video Standards8.svg]]

Ultrawide formats refers to photos, videos,[http://www.in70mm.com/news/2010/widescreen/ A History of Widescreen and Wide-Film Projection Processes] and displays[https://www.howtogeek.com/245935/all-about-ultrawide-monitors-the-latest-trend-in-gaming-and-productivity/ All About Ultrawide Monitors, the Latest Trend in Gaming and Productivity] with aspect ratios greater than 2. There were multiple moves in history towards wider formats, including one by Disney,p20, Sherlock, Daniel J. [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080309094629/http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/tips/WSMC20.pdf "Wide Screen Movies" Corrections], 1994–2004 with some of them being more successful than others.

Cameras usually capture ultra-wide photos and videos using an anamorphic format lens, which shrinks the extended horizontal field-of-view (FOV) while saving on film or disk.[http://www.red.com/learn/red-101/anamorphic-lenses Red Camera: Anamorphic lens intro]

Historic Ultrawide Cinema

{{Main|List of motion picture film formats}}

Historically ultrawide movie formats have varied between ~2.35 (1678:715), ~2.39 (1024:429) and 2.4. To complicate matters further, films were also produced in following ratios: 2.55, 2.76 and 4.

Developed by Rowe E. Carney Jr. and Tom F. Smith, the Smith-Carney System used a 3 camera system, with 4.6{{overline|945}} (1737:370) ratio, to project movies in 180°.[http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/smith-carney.htm Smith-Carney System] Disney even created a 6.85 ratio, using 5 projectors to display 200°. The only movie filmed in Disney's 6.85 ratio is Impressions de France.

Wide aspect ratios

Suggested by Kerns H. Powers of SMPTE in USA, the 16:9 aspect ratio was developed to unify all other aspect ratios. Subsequently it became the universal standard for widescreen and high-definition television.

Around 2007, cameras and non-television screens began to switch from 15:9 (5:3) and 16:10 (8:5) to 16:9 resolutions.

Extra-wide aspect ratios{{anchor|Univisium}}

Univisium is an aspect ratio of 2:1, created by Vittorio Storaro of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) originally intended to unify all other aspect ratios used in movies.

It is popular on smartphones and cheap VR{{clarify|date=May 2020}} displays. VR displays halve the screen into two, one for each eye. So a 2:1 VR screen would be halved into two 1:1 screens. Smartphones began moving to this aspect ratio since late 2010s with the release of Samsung Galaxy S8, advertised as 18:9.

Ultra-wide aspect ratios{{anchor|Ultrawide Cinema}}

21:9 is a consumer electronics (CE) marketing term to describe the ultra-widescreen aspect ratio of 64:27 (21{{frac|1|3}}:9) = 1024:432 for multiples of 1080 lines. It is used for multiple anamorphic formats and DCI 1024:429 (21.{{overline|482517}}:9), but also for ultrawide computer monitors, including 43:18 (21{{frac|1|2}}:9) for resolutions based on 720 lines and 12:5 (21{{frac|3|5}}:9) for ultrawide variants of resolutions based either on 960 pixels width or 900 lines height.

The 64:27 aspect ratio is the logical extension of the existing video aspect ratios 4:3 and 16:9. It is the third power of 4:3, whereas 16:9 of widescreen HDTV is 4:3 squared. This allows electronic scalers and optical anamorphic lenses to use an easily implementable 4:3 (1.3{{overline|3}}) scaling factor.

\tfrac{4}{3} \cdot \tfrac{4}{3} \cdot \tfrac{4}{3} = \tfrac{64}{27}

21:9 movies usually refers to 1024:429 ≈ 2.387, the aspect ratio of digital ultrawide cinema formats, which is often rounded up to 2.39:1 or 2.4:1

Ultrawide resolution can also be described by its height, such as "UW 1080" and "1080p ultrawide" both stands for the same 2560×1080 resolution.

class="wikitable"

|+ Ultra-wide (UW) resolutions

common name || aspect ratio || resolution
WFHD{{ratio|64|27}}2560×1080
WFHD+{{ratio|12|5}}2880×1200
WQHD{{ratio|43|18}}3440×1440
WQHD+{{ratio|12|5}}3840×1600
UW4K{{ratio|12|5}}4320×1800
UW5K (WUHD){{ratio|64|27}}5120×2160
UW5K+{{ratio|12|5}}5760×2400
UW6K{{ratio|12|5}}6144×2560
UW6K+{{ratio|43|18}}6880×2880
UW7K{{ratio|12|5}}7680×3200
UW8K{{ratio|12|5}}8640×3600
UW10K{{ratio|64|27}}10240×4320

class="wikitable"

|+ Ultra-wide (UW) aspect ratios

decimalsimple{{ratio|n|9}}
2.{{overline|370}}{{ratio|64|27}}{{ratio|21{{frac|1|3}}|9}}
2.3{{overline|8}}{{ratio|43|18}}{{ratio|21{{frac|1|2}}|9}}
2.4{{ratio|12|5}}{{ratio|21{{frac|3|5}}|9}}

Super-wide aspect ratios {{anchor|Ultra-Widescreen 3.6}}

In 2016, IMAX announced the release of films in Ultra-WideScreen 3.6 format,{{cite web |url=https://www.imax.com/news/voyage-time-imax-experience-ultra-widescreen | title=Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience in Ultra-Widescreen | publisher=IMAX.com | date=Dec 7, 2016 | access-date=April 27, 2018 }}{{failed verification|date=May 2021}} with an aspect ratio of 18:5 (36:10).{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/in-contention/terrence-malick-ultra-wide-voyage-of-time-re-release-1201933834/ |title='Ultra Widescreen' Version of Terrence Malick's 'Voyage of Time' Set for Release |publisher=variety.com |date=Dec 5, 2016 |access-date=April 27, 2018 | author = Kristopher Tapley}} A year later, Samsung and Phillips announced 'super ultra-wide displays', with aspect ratio of 32:9, for "iMax-style cinematic viewing".[https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-to-launch-worlds-largest-qled-gaming-monitor-at-gamescom-2017 super ultra-wide -Samsung News] Panacast developed a 32:9 webcam with three integrated cameras giving 180° view, and resolution matching upcoming 5K 32:9 monitors, 5120x1440.[https://www.vrfocus.com/2017/12/altia-systems-launches-new-panoramic-camera/ Panacast] In 2018 Q4, Dell released the U4919DW, a 5K 32:9 monitor with a resolution of 5120x1440, and Phillips announced the 499P9H with the same resolution. 32:9 Ultrawide monitors are often sold as an alternative to dual 16:9 monitor setups and for more inmersive experiences while playing videogames, and many are capable of displaying 2 16:9 inputs at the same time.

32:9 aspect ratio is derived from 16:9 being twice as large. Some manufacturers therefore refer to the resulting total display resolution with a D prefix for dual or double.

Super wide resolutions refers to that with aspect ratio greater than 3.

class="wikitable"

|+ Super-wide (SW) resolutions

common name || aspect ratio || resolution
DWXGA+{{ratio|16|5}}2880×900
DFHD{{ratio|32|9}}3840×1080
DFHD+{{ratio|16|5}}3840×1200
SWFHD+{{ratio|18|5}}4320×1200
DQHD{{ratio|32|9}}5120×1440
DQHD+{{ratio|16|5}}5120×1600
SWQHD+{{ratio|18|5}}5760×1600
16:5 5K{{ratio|16|5}}5760×1800
32:9 6K{{ratio|32|9}}6400×1800
18:5 6K{{ratio|18|5}}6480×1800
DUHD{{ratio|32|9}}7680×2160
DUHD+{{ratio|16|5}}7680×2400
18:5 8K{{ratio|18|5}}8640×2400

class="wikitable"

|+ Super-wide (SW) aspect ratios

decimalsimplen:9
3.2{{ratio|16|5}}{{ratio|{{frac|28|4|5}}|9}}
3.{{overline|5}}{{ratio|32|9}}{{ratio|32|9}}
3.6{{ratio|18|5}}{{ratio|{{frac|32|2|5}}|9}}

Ultra-WideScreen 3.6 video never spread, as cinemas in an even wider ScreenX 270° format were released.[https://filmmakermagazine.com/76652-introducing-screen-x-cinema-in-270-degrees/ Introducing Screen X, Cinema in 270 Degrees]

4:1 (36:9)

Abel Gance experimented with ultrawide formats including making a film in 4:1 (36:9). He made a rare use of Polyvision, three 35 mm 1.{{overline|3}} images projected side by side in the 1927 film Napoléon.

AT NAB 2019, Sony introduced a 19.2-metre-wide by 5.4-metre-tall commercial 16K display.{{cite web

|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/sonys-massive-new-microled-display-stands-17-feet-tall-and-packs-16k-resolution/

| title=Sony's massive new MicroLED display stands 17 feet tall and packs 16K resolution

| first=Ryan

| last=Waniata

| date=2019-04-10

| publisher=Digital Trends

| access-date=2019-10-17}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/13/sony-crystal-cinema-16k-home-theater/|title=Sony's Crystal cinema display supports 16K, but could cost millions|first=Steve|last=Dent|date=2019-09-13|website=Engadget|access-date=2019-12-18}} It is made up of 576 modules (48 by 12) each 360 pixels across, resulting in a 4:1, 17280x4320p screen.

Multi-Screen Theaters

Developed by CJ CGV in 2012, ScreenX uses three (or more) projectors to display 270° content, with an unknown aspect ratio above 4. Walls on both sides of a ScreenX theatre are used as projector screens.

Developed by Barco N.V. in 2015, Barco Escape used three projectors of 2.39 ratio to display 270° content, with an aspect ratio of 7.17. The two side screens were angled at 45 degree in order to cover peripheral vision. Barco Escape shut down in February 2018.

Comparison

class="wikitable sortable"
Decimal valueAspect ratioFormat nameResolutionsLens & Film
1.{{overline|185}}32:27DVCPRO HD640×540, 1280×10801x
1.255:4DV PAL720×576, 1280×1024, 1500×12001x
1.{{overline|3}}4:3Video Graphics Array320×240, 480×360, 512×384, 576×432, 640×480, 704×528, 720×540, 800×600, 960×720, 1000×750, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×960, 1440×1080, 1600×1200SDTV
1.53:2DV NTSC / laptops720×480, 1920×1280, 2160×1440, 2256×1504, 2400×1600, 3000×20001x
1.68:516:10 widescreen (PC only)1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600, 2880×1800, 3072×1920, 3840×2400-
1.{{overline|6}}5:3European Widescreen400×240, 800×480, 1280×768Super 16 mm
1.{{overline|7}}16:9Widescreen1920×1080, 2560×1440, 3840×2160, 7680×4320Anamorphic 1.5x on 32:27, HDTV
1.618

|16:10

|16:10 Tallboy

|640×400, 960×600, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600, 3840×2400

| -

1.8537:20"Flat" DCI2000×1080, 4000×21601x
1.8{{overline|962}}256:135"Full" DCI2048×1080, 4096×21601x
2.02:1VistaVision / Univisium2160×1080, 2400×1200, 2880×1440, 3200×1600, 3600×1800, 3840×1920, 4320×2160, 4800×2400, 5760×2880VR cameras (most)
2.3{{overline|468531}}1678:715{{cite web |url=http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/apertures.htm | title=Wide Screen Apertures and Aspect Ratios | publisher=The American WideScreen Museum | date=October 17, 2000 | access-date=November 2, 2018}}Cinemascope (1950s–1970s)analogAnamorphic 2x on 35 mm with optical audio
2.{{overline|370}}64:27"21:9" ultrawide2560×1080, 5120×2160, 7680×3240, 10240×4320Dashcam, Anamorphic 1.33x on 16:9, 1.25x on DCI 256:135, 2x on 32:27
2.{{overline|386946}}1024:429"Scope" DCI cinema format2048×858, 4096×1716, 8192×34321x
2.3{{overline|8}}43:18"21:9" ultrawide (PC only)3440×1440, 5160×2160, 6880×2880-
2.412:524:10 ultrawide2880×1200, 3840×1600, 4320×1800, 5760×2400, 6144×2560, 7680×3200-
2.5551:20Cinemascope 55analogAnamorphic 2x on 35 mm without optical audio
2.{{overline|6}}8:3Cinerama / 24:9 ultrawide (PC only)1280×480, 2880×1080, 3840×1440, 5120×1920, 5760×2160, 7680×2880, 10240×3840
2.7669:25Ultra PanavisionanalogAnamorphic 1.25x on 70 mm
3.216:532:10 super wide (PC only)2880×900, 3840×1200, 5120×1600, 5760×1800, 7680×2400, 10240×3200-
3.{{overline|5}}32:932:9 super wide (PC only)3840×1080, 5120×1440, 7680×2160, 10240×2880-
3.618:536:10 super wide (ultra-widescreen 3.6)4320×1200, 5760×1600, 6480×1800, 8640×24001x
4.04:1Polyvisionanalog / 3 images 4:3 projected side by side3x

See also

References