"Shot with IMAX" and "Filmed for IMAX" sound like two ways of saying the same thing. They aren't. Shooting with IMAX film cameras describes the camera used to capture the movie, while "Filmed for IMAX" describes a broader production process built around an IMAX presentation. A "Filmed for IMAX" movie can be shot digitally, but IMAX also includes productions using its own film cameras.

Shot with IMAX means using IMAX film cameras to capture at least some of the movie. These machines utilize a 15-perf 65mm format that runs horizontally, creating the large, tall 1.43:1 image associated with IMAX film. The camera film is 65mm, while theatrical release prints are 70mm, which is why those screenings are advertised as IMAX 70mm.

Filmed for IMAX is a broader program that begins in pre-production. Filmmakers choose either IMAX film or IMAX-certified digital cameras, and post-production teams later work with them to optimize the movie for its theaters. The label alone doesn't tell you how much of the film will fill the taller screen, nor does it guarantee which screening is better.