THE KEIGHLEY.
The camera behind the first film shot entirely on IMAX.
02 — The format
15/70.
15-perforation 65mm film — “IMAX 15/70,” the largest format in cinema. It moves more than five feet of film every second.
That speed is exactly why it’s so loud.
03 — Exploded
A camera, taken apart.
Each component lifts away. Hover a part to inspect it.
04 — The noise problem
Still too loud.
Even 30% quieter than the old cameras, it was still too loud for dialogue. So IMAX built a soundproof housing — the “blimp.”
Fully rigged, the system weighs 300–400 lb and needs steel-plated dollies to move.
05 — Eyelines
A periscope for eye contact.
The blimp was so wide it blocked the actors’ eyelines. On tight two-shots between Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, Nolan and van Hoytema mounted a double-mirror periscope so the actors could hold eye contact through reflections — with the huge camera between them.
06 — The Odyssey
Spring 2024: Nolan challenged IMAX’s CEO to build a camera that could shoot an entire feature — dialogue and all. They delivered within a year.
“If ever there were a story where you want to do the whole thing on IMAX, this is it.”
— Christopher Nolan
The Odyssey is the first theatrical feature shot entirely on IMAX film.
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07 — Named
The camera is named for David Keighley — IMAX’s first Chief Quality Officer, five decades at the company, post-production on over 500 IMAX films — and his wife Patricia.
David died on August 28, 2025, at 77, days after finishing his review of the Odyssey dailies.