ARRI has announced the release of its ALEXA 35 Xtreme camera system.
Available either as a new camera or an upgrade to the existing ALEXA 35, the system has been revised to meet the evolving demands of filmmakers.
A new main processor with more and faster onboard memory enables the delivery of frame rates up to 660 fps, reducing the need for secondary high-speed cameras and streamlining production workflows. The camera’s full 17 stops of dynamic range are retained for frame rates up to 330 fps and a Sensor Overdrive mode extends to 660 fps with 11 stops dynamic range.
Complementing ALEXA 35 Xtreme, the company is beta-launching ARRICORE RGB codec which it said reduces data rates to provide high image quality at an accessible cost. On-set and post workflows are consistent with existing ALEXA 35 codecs and drives, simplifying the switching process. The ARRI Look File ALF4, ARRI Textures, metadata, the MXF wrapper, and audio will behave in a familiar way, said the company.
At 30 seconds when shooting 24 fps Apple ProRes 4444 in the highest resolution (4.6K Open Gate), or a five minutes when shooting 24 fps Apple ProRes 422 HQ in HD, pre-recording times are five times longer with ALEXA 35 Xtreme, which ARRI said is the longest available in any cinema camera.
Wireless connectivity with accessories and tools has been improved and power savings of 10 per cent over ALEXA 35 are available. Retaining its compact housing and all connectors and interfaces, ALEXA 35 Xtreme is compatible with the ARRI ecosystem of electronic and mechanical accessories including modules, lens mounts, brackets, handles and more.
Users can select either Base or Premium licences, with existing feature licences for the ALEXA 35 Base able to be applied to the ALEXA 35 Xtreme Base to provide additional functionality on a weekly, monthly, yearly, or permanent basis.
