The difference between Shot with IMAX and Filmed for IMAX

IMAX’s two marketing labels - "Shot with IMAX" and "Filmed for IMAX" - describe different production paths, and the distinction matters for US moviegoers choosing where to see a film. A movie can carry both labels, as Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey does, since it was captured entirely with IMAX film cameras and is also part of the "Filmed for IMAX" program. The "Shot with IMAX Film Cameras" phrase is literal: it means at least some footage came from IMAX’s large-format film cameras. Those cameras use a 15-perf 65mm format, with film running horizontally and each frame spanning 15 perforations, producing the tall 1.43:1 image tied to IMAX film. The 65mm camera film is distinct from the 70mm theatrical prints, which is why those screenings are advertised as IMAX 70mm.

Not every "Shot with IMAX" movie uses the cameras for its entire runtime. Oppenheimer, for example, was filmed partly with IMAX film cameras, with those sequences expanding to the taller image in compatible theaters. The Odyssey goes further, as IMAX states it is the first feature shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, aided by a newly engineered camera enclosure that made synchronized dialogue scenes practical at that scale. That makes The Odyssey a clear case of what people usually mean by "shot in IMAX": every frame came from an IMAX film camera. Viewing it from an IMAX 70mm print still requires a theater equipped for that format.

The "Filmed for IMAX" label is broader, covering both film and digital productions. In 2020, IMAX launched a certification program for digital cinema cameras from manufacturers including ARRI, Panavision, RED and Sony - cameras not built by IMAX but approved for the "Filmed for IMAX" workflow. Dune illustrates the digital side: Denis Villeneuve did not use IMAX film cameras for the 2021 film, instead capturing it with IMAX-certified digital cameras composed for IMAX presentation. In select theaters, parts of Dune expanded to 1.43:1, showing more image above and below than the wider theatrical cut.

Other "Filmed for IMAX" releases show how much the on-screen result can vary. F1: The Movie was shot with IMAX-certified digital cameras and presented entirely in the 1.90:1 aspect ratio. Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning also used certified cameras, but only certain sequences expanded to 1.90:1, totaling over 45 minutes. In short, the "Filmed for IMAX" badge does not guarantee how much of a film will fill a taller screen.

The capture format is only part of what determines the theater experience. Not every IMAX auditorium can display the full 1.43:1 image; IMAX 70mm theaters can project that taller frame from film, while some IMAX with Laser auditoriums also support 1.43:1. Other IMAX presentations may use the wider 1.90:1 format instead. That means two theaters showing the same "Filmed for IMAX" movie can offer noticeably different presentations, and a film containing 1.43:1 footage may not show that full frame unless the specific auditorium supports it. US audiences should check the individual screening for IMAX 70mm or confirmation that an IMAX with Laser location supports 1.43:1 before buying a ticket, rather than relying on the badge alone.

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