Solitaires were landmark devices of the mid nineties due to the outstanding duplicates they produced of digital images on film. They were used for Jurassic Park  (1993) and in the 3D version a decade later, as well as number of recent IMAX productions such as Avatar (2009) and Interstellar (2014). 

The exceptional sharpness and vivid colours of images film recorders create is due to the speed at which they transfer the image data. Solitaires use a cathode ray tube (CRT) to write an image directly to film, pixel at a time, through a series of filter wheel passes. Every exposure is repeated twice to transfer the composite layers of red, green and blue of every one of the thousands of pixels.  

The scan-line moves slowly, but the result is a high resolution duplicate (2-8K). With motion picture film the frame rate is particularly slow in comparison to tele-recording, a process in the past where film cameras captured television broadcasts in 'real-time'. But where the latter was fast in terms of turn around there was a marked deterioration in image quality.

Many of the cameras mounted on Solitaires have pin registration transports. The rock steady image that results from individual frames being pressed onto pins in the camera gate is another key factor in the production of an accurate film duplicate. 

The pin registration is also suited to making film duplicate of choreographed slideshows, where the exact positioning of the slide inside the mount is important - for example, in a slideshow which has dissolves and cross-fading, where images are overlaid on each other using a number of synchronised projectors.  

Camera negative of 50 ASA receives sufficient exposure with the CRT beam.  Direct transfer to print or intermediate films is not an option as the CRT beam has insufficient brightness for their lower ASA ratings. Colour separation negatives receive good exposure.