American WideScreen Museum Home Page
Specifications at a glance - Cinerama ®
Process Developer: Fred Waller - Cinerama, Inc.
Year of Introduction: 1952

NEGATIVE SPECS:
Film Gauge: Triple 35mm
Direction of travel: Vertical - six perforations - 26 fps / 24 fps for last two features
Camera Optics: 3ea. Kodak 27mm wide angle spherical lenses
Aperture Dimensions: 3 ea .996" x 1.116"
Max Aspect Ratio: 2.59:1

PRINT SPECS:
Film Gauge: Triple 35mm
Direction of travel: Vertical - six perforations - 26 fps / 24 fps for last two features
Projector Optics: Spherical - three projectors
Aperture Dimensions: .985" x 1.088" nominal
Max Aspect Ratio: 2.59:1 (Due to architectural limitations in some theatres, cinematographers were cautioned to protect their composition for a reduced height, yielding around a 2.65:1 ratio. Most theatres could handle the full height image.)
Sound Format: Magnetic Seven Track Stereo - L, LC, C, RC, R stage channels and two channel switchable surround that could feed one channel to the left and right walls and the other to the rear or it could feed one channel to the left wall and one to the right wall. Switching was done manually by the Cinerama theatre engineer.
Screen Design: 146 degree curve composed of 1,000-2,000 or more, depending on screen size, vertical perforated 3/4" wide strips to prevent cross reflections. The strips overlapped and all faced straight back to the rear of the theatre.

©1999-2004 The American WideScreen Museum