ARRI’s latest digital cinema camera, the Alexa 35, offers a wealth of new features to deliver the highest image quality. With over a decade of setting the bar for digital cinematography, ARRI has once again exceeded expectations with the Alexa 35.
The camera features a native 4.6 Super 35 Sensor and 17 dynamic range stops, capable of recording native 4K up to 120fps and boasts the smallest form factor of any full-picture production camera from ARRI.
The Alexa 35 represents the latest advancement in ARRI’s Alexa family and is a major step forward in sensor performance. If you’re looking for the next big thing in digital cinema, the Alexa 35 may just be the perfect choice for you. Discover the top features that make this camera stand out.
High Dynamic Range
The ARRI Alexa 35 boasts of an expanded High Dynamic Range (HDR) capability. HDR in photography refers to capturing details in a photo’s bright and dark elements. By combining several images of the same scene taken at different exposures, the resulting image has a correct overall exposure. Most cameras now have an in-built HDR feature, saving you the extra effort of combining images. HDR helps balance lighting in a photo and shows details in light and shadow areas, especially in landscape photography. The Alexa 35 provides 2.5 more stops of dynamic range compared to previous ARRI cameras, adding 1.5 stops to the highlights for a naturalistic roll-off, bridging the gap between film and digital mediums. HDR can also be used in low-light conditions and outdoor scenes with bright and dark areas. This improvement in the highlights can be termed as a step towards closing the gap between film and digital mediums, as well as a win in large-format analog shooting.
ProRes Recording
ProRes is a compressed video format/ codec designed to produce top-quality, high-performance files for video production and post-production without occupying unnecessary space. ProRes codecs offer an unparalleled combination of multi-stream, real-time editing performance, reduced storage rates, and impressive image quality.
Compared to other codecs, ProRes is a widely used codec optimized for smooth video playback in various editing software. It can compress videos into small files while retaining plenty of image quality and color.
In-camera down-sampling and anamorphic squeezing allow the ARRI Alexa 35 camera to provide a robust range of 19 ARRIRAW and Apple ProRes recording formats with varying resolutions, aspect ratios, data rates, etc. this suits the camera to a range of production styles.
ProRes was developed for use in post-production. They can ensure capturing of great video images and ensure an efficient post-production workflow. ProRes is often used in postproduction editing for high-quality image finishes.
Color Science
Color science is a term used to refer to how camera software chooses to render the colors in the final image from the originally captured information. Designed with the input of both colorists and cinematographers, ARRI Alexa 35’s REVEAL Color Science employs various factors to create enhanced color, sensitivity, contrast, and dynamic range. These factors include:
- A new ACE4 color engine converting RGB image data into the ARRI Wide Gamut color space (AWG4). This helps to improve color saturation and tracking as well as produces more colors.
- A new debayering algorithm combining with the ALEXA 35’s impressive processing power to create cleaner-edged images.
- A new Log-C 4 tonal curve allowing the ALEXA 35’s larger 17-stop dynamic range.
- Backward compatibility for intercutting with ALEXA, ALEXA Mini, and AMIRA images
- New LUTs utilized in the improved sensor, color space, and Log-C 4 to generate optimal shadow tonality, color-grading base, and color fidelity.
Color science is how a particular sensor changes the color it reproduces. It is often built into the camera’s sensors. Color science is generally what decides an image’s looks and what gives a camera its personality. ARRI Alexa’s color science has the ability to capture accurate and consistent colors. It can be used to give images color for high-quality cinematography.
Remote Control and Managing
The ARRI Alexa 35 camera has several remote control options and features, including:
- Camera Companion App
- MVF-2 viewfinder as wired remote control with 10m/33ft cable
- Web-based remote control via Ethernet & WiFi (beta version)
- ARRI Electronic Control System (ECS)
- GPIO interface for integration with custom control interfaces
- Camera Access Protocol (CAP) via Ethernet & WiFi.
The remote control features allow cinematographers to take high-quality images and videos conveniently and remotely. Remote shooting is particularly helpful in taking long exposure shots as well as hard-to-access photography and cinematography subjects.
Low Light Performance
The ALEXA 35 can shoot anywhere from 160 to 6400 ISO in terms of ISO. It also featured Enhanced Sensitivity mode, a special noise reduction mode that bakes noise reduction into an image, imparting image clarity. Since it is added to RAW footage irreversibly, there are limitations to the formats one can choose when in the Enhanced Sensitivity mode. Other dynamic range enhancements have also been included. These include Apple’s ProRes recording, upgraded from 10-bit LogC4 to 12-bit LogC4. This is in addition to an overall higher data rate compared to Alexa Mini LF, as well as an 18-bit linear processing in-camera.
Final Thoughts
The ARRI Alexa 35 camera is an enormous step forward for digital imagery. ARRI’s product team touched everything to enhance the camera’s imaging technology, leading to the development of a digital camera with top-of-the-line features to improve photography and cinematography.
Alexa 35’s features, such as HDR, enhanced color science, ProRes Recording, remote control and managing, and low-light performance, give the camera a competitive edge over other digital cameras in the industry. These features result in top-notch cinematography and photography on set and post-production.
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