It has a seating capacity of 17,500, with 10,000 of these seats being haptic, enabling guests to feel sound vibrations. The Sphere features a 160,000 square foot LED screen, the world’s highest resolution screen at 19,000×13,500 pixels.

Immersive Experience and Innovative Technology Touted as a “complete immersive experience,” The Sphere’s interior boasts a video screen that engulfs the audience, 20 times larger than the biggest IMAX screen. The creation of a custom camera system was essential for producing content that suits the arena’s scale and curved surface. The Sphere Studios in California, under Deanan DaSilva’s leadership, developed the Big Sky Camera System. This system combines 11 cameras into one seamless view, mimicking human vision.

The Big Sky Camera’s Unique Features The Big Sky Camera faces two main challenges for The Sphere’s screen: capturing wide angles and achieving super-resolution. It uses a large fisheye lens, approximately 12 inches in diameter, to produce a circular, linear image for wider angle capture. Paired with an 18K x 18K square sensor, this allows for detailed capture with no wasted pixels. The lens and sensor together create a clear, expansive view for The Sphere’s screen.

Shooting Techniques and Previews The camera’s field of view extends almost behind the lens, capturing a full view when tilted upwards, aligning the horizon for a natural 3D transformation from the audience’s perspective. The team uses VR headsets for live, simulated previews and a quarter-sized structure of The Sphere, called the Big Dome, for real previews.

Future Prospects and Creative Exploration Director Darren Aronofsky utilized the Big Sky Camera for “Postcard From Earth,” an exclusive film for The Sphere featuring immersive global scenes. As Sphere Studios continues to refine this camera, it opens possibilities for future creative explorations in this field.