HFR / High Frame Rate refers to frame rates of more than 24 frames per second.
For decades, a standard of 24 images per second (frames per second, “fps”) was specified in the cinema. This was initially maintained during the transition to the digital age.
The DCI Interop standard, which regulated the transition to the digital age, only allowed frame rates of 24 or 48 frames per second (48 for 3D films).
For some time now, there has been an SPMTE standard that also allows other frame rates. For example, it is now possible to show silent films in the original recording format of e.g. 18 fps or 3D films with up to 60 frames per second per eye (=120 fps) in the cinema.
Digital Cinema Mastering offers you the creation of DCPs / DCDMs with the following frame rates:
| 2k 2D | 4K 2D | 2K 3D (je Auge) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 fps | 16 fps | – |
| 18,18 fps | 18,18 fps | – |
| 20 fps | 20 fps | – |
| 24 fps | 24 fps | 24 fps |
| 25 fps | 25 fps | – |
| 30 fps | 30 fps | 30 fps |
| 48 fps | 48 fps | 48 fps |
| 60 fps | 60 fps | |
| 120 fps | – |
Die Abspielbarkeit im Kino hängt vom verwendeten System ab:
Grün: These frame rates can be played in all cinemas without any problems.
Orange: These frame rates can be played in cinemas with the latest projector / server firmware without any problems (SMPTE update).
Rot: These frame rates can only be played in special HFR-capable cinemas with the latest hardware.
Picture aesthetics:
Higher frame rates bring with them a change in image aesthetics and ergonomics. Shorter exposure times result in less motion blur in the image. Critics also see this as a loss of “cinematic look”, the picture looks more like a video recording (“soap opera effect”). However, HFR also offers better ergonomics, less flickering and, especially with 3D, a more relaxed viewing experience.
The spread of HFR:
Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” of 2012 was the first major release in HFR. When this film was released, several cinemas in Germany were already equipped with HFR-capable projectors / cinema servers, including Cinestar, KINOPOLIS, Cinemaxx, UCI Kinowelt and the Cineplex Group. Many cinemas with more than 3 screens now have at least one screen equipped with HFR-capable technology.