Ultrawide formats

"Ultrawide" redirects here. For the type of camera lens, see Ultra wide angle lens.

comparison of common display resolutions

Ultrawide formats refers to photos, videos and displays with aspect ratio greater than 2. There were multiple moves in history towards wider formats, including one by Disney, 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.

Historic displays

Before computer monitors became a separate product line, televisions were used as displays for computers such as Timex Sinclair 1000.

4:3

Main article: Standard-definition television

4:3 was the aspect ratio used by 35 mm silent films. By having televisions match this aspect ratio, movies originally filmed in 4:3 could be satisfactorily viewed on standard-definition television (SDTV). Monitors around the turn of the century would often use resolutions like 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 or 1200x900 in an 4:3 aspect ratio.

NTSC (480i)

Main article: 480i

National Television System Committee (NTSC) broadcasts were analogue and intended for analogue NTSC displays. The standard was developed and implemented by the NTSC in the United States in 1954. It also saw widespread international adoption by trade partners of the US. When converted to the Digital Video format, DV NTSC has a 3:2 aspect ratio, a resolution of 720x480i, and a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

PAL (576i)

Main article: 576i

Phase Alternating Line (PAL) broadcasts were analogue broadcasts meant for PAL analogue displays. The standard was developed in 1967 by the United Kingdom and Germany, and implemented in most countries. When converted to Digital Video format, DV PAL has a 5:4 resolution of 720×576i running at 50 Hz.

32:27

32:27 was originally developed for compressed video storage in cameras, meant to be displayed in anamorphic x1.5 as 16:9. 640×540i was such a 32:27 resolution running at 50 Hz and 100 Hz, meant for cameras.

Panasonic's DVCPRO HD with a resolution of 1280×1080i was latest in the line of 32:27 video formats for cameras. Hitachi's 42" and 50" 1280×1080i televisions, like the P50T501, were the last line of 32:27 consumer displays.

32:27 is derived from 4:3 aspect ratio.

${\tfrac {4}{3}}\cdot {\tfrac {4}{3}}\cdot {\tfrac {2}{3}}={\tfrac {32}{27}}$

Historic Ultrawide Cinema

Main article: List of motion picture film formats

Historically ultrawide movie formats have varied between ~2.35:1 (1678:715), ~2.39:1 (1024:429) and 2.4:1. To complicate matters further, films were also produced in 2.55:1, 2.76:1 and 4:1. Developed by Rowe E. Carney Jr. and Tom F. Smith, the Smith-Carney System used a 3 camera system, with 4.6945:1 (1737:370) ratio, to project movies in 180°. Disney even created a 6.85:1 format, using 5 projectors to display 200°. The only movie filmed in Disney's 6.85:1 format is Impressions de France.

Modern displays

Widescreen revolution

Main article: Widescreen

European widescreen

European widescreen format was a 5:3 (15:9) resolution of 800x480 and 1280x768 with progressive scan. Developed in 1969 by Rune Ericson, Super 16 mm was widely used in Europe, before the move to 16:9.

16:10

Main article: 16:10 aspect ratio

16:9

Main articles: 16:9 aspect ratio and High-definition television

Suggested by Dr. Kerns H. Powers of SMPTE in USA, the 16:9 aspect ratio was developed to unify all other aspect ratios. 16:9 was first adopted in the USA.

16:9 aspect ratio is 4:3 squared.

${\tfrac {4}{3}}\cdot {\tfrac {4}{3}}={\tfrac {16}{9}}$

Around 2007, cameras and screens began to switch from 15:9 and 16:10 to 16:9 resolutions. Aspect ratio of 16:9 is currently the worldwide standard for 'widescreen' and High-definition television.

Univisium revolution

Main article: Univisium

Univisium is an aspect ratio of 2:1, created by Vittorio Storaro of ASC in the USA, to unify all other aspect ratios. It is popular on Smartphones and cheap VR displays. VR displays half the screen into two, one for each eye. So a 2:1 VR screen would be halved into two 1:1 screens. Currently smartphones are moving to 2:1 aspect ratio, advertised as 18:9.

Ultrawide Cinema

Main article: 21:9 aspect ratio

21:9 is a consumer electronics (CE) marketing term to describe the ultra-widescreen aspect ratio of 64:27 (2.370:1) = 1024:432 for multiples of 1080 lines. It is used for multiple anamorphic formats and DCI 1024:429 (21.482517:9), but also for ultrawide computer monitors, including 43:18 (211⁄2:9) for resolutions based on 720 lines and 12:5 (213⁄5:9) 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 (1.33:1) scaling factor.

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

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

List of ultrawide monitor resolutions

Common name	Aspect ratio			Resolution
WFHD	64∶27	211⁄3∶9	2.370	2560 × 1080
WFHD+	12∶5	213⁄5∶9	2.4	2880 × 1200
WQHD	43∶18	211⁄2∶9	2.38	3440 × 1440
WQHD+	12∶5	213⁄5∶9	2.4	3840 × 1600
UW4K	12∶5	213⁄5∶9	2.4	4320 × 1800
UW5K (WUHD)	64∶27	211⁄3∶9	2.370	5120 × 2160
UW5K+	12∶5	213⁄5∶9	2.4	5760 × 2400
UW6K	43∶18	211⁄2∶9	2.38	6880 × 2880
UW7K	12∶5	213⁄5∶9	2.4	7680 × 3200
UW8K	12∶5	213⁄5∶9	2.4	8640 × 3600
UW10K	64∶27	211⁄3∶9	2.370	10240 × 4320

Ultra-Widescreen 3.6

In 2016, IMAX announced the release of films in 'Ultra-WideScreen 3.6' format, with an aspect ratio of 18:5 (36:10). A year later, Samsung and Phillips announced 'super ultra-wide displays', with aspect ratio of 32:9, for "iMax-style cinematic viewing". Panacast developed a 32:9 webcam with three integrated cameras giving 180° view, and resolution matching upcoming 5K 32:9 monitors, 5120x1440. 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.

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

List of super wide monitor resolutions

Common name	Aspect ratio		Resolution
DWXGA+	16:5	3.2	2880×900
DFHD	32:9	3.5	3840×1080
DFHD+	16:5	3.2	3840×1200
SWFHD+	18:5	3.6	4320×1200
DQHD	32:9	3.5	5120×1440
DQHD+	16:5	3.2	5120×1600
SWQHD+	18:5	3.6	5760×1600
16:5 5K	16:5	3.2	5760×1800
32:9 6K	32:9	3.5	6400×1800
18:5 6K	18:5	3.6	6480×1800
DUHD	32:9	3.5	7680×2160
DUHD+	16:5	3.2	7680×2400
18:5 8K	18:5	3.6	8640×2400

Ultra-WideScreen 3.6 video never spread, as cinemas in an even wider ScreenX 270° format were released.

4:1

Abel Gance experimented with ultrawide formats including making a film in 4:1. He made a rare use of Polyvision, three 35 mm 1.3:1 images projected side by side in Napoléon (1927 film).

Recently, Sony introduced a 64-foot-wide by 18-foot-tall commercial 16K display at NAB 2019 that is set to be released in Japan. It is made up of 576 modules(360x360p), in a formation of 48 by 12 modules, forming a 17280x4320p screen, with 4:1 aspect ratio.

Screen X

File:ScreenX concept.jpg

Screen X 270° cinema concept

Developed by CJ CGV, ScreenX uses three(or more) projectors to display 270° content, with an unknown aspect ratio above 4:1. Walls on both sides of a ScreenX theatre are used as projector screens.

Comparison

Decimal value	Aspect ratio	Format name	Resolutions	Lens & Film
1.185	32:27	DVCPRO HD	640×540, 1280×1080	1x
1.25	5:4	DV PAL	720×576, 1280×1024, 1500×1200	1x
1.3	4:3	Video Graphics Array	640×480, 960×720, 1440×1080, 1600×1200	SDTV
1.5	3:2	DV NTSC / laptops	720×480, 1920×1280, 2160×1440, 2256×1504, 2400×1600, 3000×2000	1x
1.6	8:5	16:10 widescreen (PC only)	1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600, 2880×1800, 3072×1920, 3840×2400	-
1.6	5:3	European Widescreen	800×480, 1280×768	Super 16mm
1.7	16:9	Widescreen	1920×1080, 2560×1440, 3840×2160, 7680×4320	Anamorphic 1.5x on 32:27, HDTV
1.85	37:20	"Flat" DCI	1998×1080, 3996×2160	1x
1.896296	256∶135	"Full" DCI	2048×1080, 4096×2160	1x
2.0	2:1	VistaVision / Univisium	2160×1080, 2400×1200, 2880×1440, 3200×1600, 3600×1800, 3840×1920, 4320×2160, 4800×2400, 5760×2880	VR cameras (most)
2.3468531	1678:715	Cinemascope (1950s–1970s)	analog	Anamorphic 2x on 35mm with optical audio
2.370	64:27	"21:9" ultrawide	2560×1080, 5120×2160, 7680×3240, 10240×4320	Dashcam, Anamorphic 1.33x on 16:9, 1.25x on DCI 256∶135, 2x on 32:27
2.386946	1024:429	"Scope" DCI cinema format	2048×858, 4096×1716, 8192×3432	1x
2.38	43:18	"21:9" ultrawide (PC only)	3440×1440, 5160×2160, 6880×2880	-
2.4	12:5	24:10 ultrawide	2880×1200, 3840×1600, 4320×1800, 5760×2400, 7680×3200	-
2.55	51:20	Cinemascope 55	analog	Anamorphic 2x on 35mm without optical audio
2.6	8:3	Cinerama / 24:9 ultrawide (PC only)	2880×1080, 3840×1440, 5120×1920, 5760×2160, 7680×2880, 10240×3840	-
2.76	69:25	Ultra Panavision	analog	Anamorphic 1.25x on 70mm
3.2	16:5	32:10 super wide (PC only)	2880×900, 3840×1200, 5120×1600, 5760×1800, 7680×2400, 10240×3200	-
3.5	32:9	32:9 super wide (PC only)	3840×1080, 5120×1440, 7680×2160, 10240×2880	-
3.6	18:5	36:10 super wide (ultra-widescreen 3.6)	4320×1200, 5760×1600, 6480×1800, 8640×2400	1x
4.0	4:1	Polyvision	analog / 3 images 4:3 projected side by side	3x

See also

• 14:9 aspect ratio
• Graphics display resolution
• Angle of view
• Field of view in video games
• Pixel pitch
• Pixel density