Where Should You Sit in an Imax Theater

I saw TREK 11 in IMAX last week, and sat in the back, where my friend suggested we sit. Then I heard dudes saying its best in the front, four rows back....
Well..what is it? Going back to see it in IMAX again this friday...

Rob
That's a good question. I sat in the middle both times I went. When I went the first time, the people behind me were talking about how they saw Dark Knight while sitting in the very front row and it looked fine (no disorientation or distorted image).
Mr. B Vice Admiral Admiral

In a real IMAX theater you're best off about 3/4ths of the way up, although the top rows are pretty decent too.
I was told by the IMAX staff that the center offers the best view.
Is the IMAX 'experience' only the image on the screen? Or is it also the audio system as well? Because if you sat in the back, would it negate the 'surround' sound of the movie?
By the way. I think the first movie I saw with speaker behind me as well as to the side and front, was the Last Dragon with Sean Connery. I remember this scene where the dragon flies of behind camera and you year go SWOOOSH around the back and it scared me for a moment..I was like, What the hell was that?

Rob
If the IMAX "theater" is actually a planetarium, get a seat as close to the projector as possible.
If you don't the spherical distortion gets annoying.
AG, who won't see another movie at the Science Museum of Richmond again, IMAX or no.
I would try to sit as close to the exact center as possible. I've done that almost every time I've seen an IMAX (dome and flat, but both true IMAX), and the picture and sound was the best.
When I saw Star Trek, due to the show being sold out (and me getting there 20 mins. prior to showtime), I had to sit almost all the way to one side. It was still amazing, but didn't quite look right to me.
I guess I should clarify.
I have not seen Star Trek on IMAX.

The theater I was referring to was actually the Science World OmniMAX dome (the giant golfball in Vancouver, BC).
In an OmniMax dome you want to be as close to the projector as possible - right above it is actually the best spot.
Dale Vice Admiral Admiral

Fourth row center has been my moviegoing mantra for many years.
Center seat in the third to last row.
GNDN Commodore Commodore

Saw this in Atlantic City at a flat-screen IMAX. Sat a bit toward the back, but in retrospect would have preferred to be closer to be more immersed in the experience.
Still a great way to see the movie (third screening, first in IMAX) incredibly clear, awesome sound, yet not overwhelming. Unfortunately, not a crowded showing at all (heard that another IMAX, dome-style was SOLD-OUT for the same evening, about an hour away in a more residential area)
Lucky
Nearest IMAX to me is about 3 hours away. I still be tempted If my car wasn't wrecked.
I sat in the second row about 1/4 of the way in from the left... It was distorted and bothered me for the whole film... It was the first time I haven't sat dead center at a movie, that's what I always try to do... This time I got there late though. When I saw Dark Knight in IMAX I sat about 1/3 of the way up from the front and in the center of the row and I didn't notice any distortions or anything.
AlanC9 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

I was right next to the projector and things near the edge of the screen were badly distorted. This was very noticeable in the scene where the drill beam is seen as cadets run from the building. The whole beam was obviously curved. Perhaps the top row would have been better.
There are also a lot of scenes where I couldn't see everything going on at once, since you ca't see both the extreme left and right simultaneously.

I really thought that IMAX made the film worse, not better.
Cyrus Vice Admiral Admiral

I saw Dark Knight in IMAX front row and it was a bad experience. Center of the theater makes sense as the best spot.
I just came back from a 10:00pm showing of IMAX Star Trek (which was absolutely packed).
I sat in the middle section three rows back and close to the middle. I agree withh Cyrus....the center is best. Sit any closer and you'll risk straining your neck.
I like the very back but OMG don't sit in the front your neck will be killing you.
I too went to an IMAX last night. We arrive about 15 minutes early, and ended up near the center (I was about 2 or 3 seats to the right) and the second from the top row. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There was wonderful audio and visual clarity. It would have been nice to be maybe two or three rows lower, so I could sit back, but as it was, it was a wonderful experience and all my friends that I took loved it, despite being non-Trekkies!!
These domes are crap as they were never meant for IMAX and a cheap way to bring in people. A proper purpose built IMAX screen is always the best, but they are very rare. The ones in most movie theaters are like a IMAX-lite. The screen is not that much bigger than a regular screen but is placed closer to the audience to create the illusion of a much larger screen. It is like sitting closer to your HDTV. They are still very good and they map out the sound system so almost all the seats have great audio. When I saw it (IMAX-lite) the sounds was slightly louder than the regular screen I saw it on , but much clearer.