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ARRI simply dropped their next-generation Tremendous 35mm digital camera – the ALEXA 35. This can be a large deal.
The most important information of this launch is that ARRI is utilizing the ALEV IV picture sensor, which is the primary new sensor tech the corporate has utilized in over a decade and, imagine it or not, brings the system into native 4K seize.
Past that, there are many different developments that make this launch extremely thrilling for cinematographers.
There’s a lot to unpack with any digital camera launch, however this is among the greater ones. If you’d like to try the ALEXA 35, the fellows at CVP put collectively an extremely detailed video.
Bettering on probably the greatest cameras of the last decade is not any straightforward feat. It has taken years of improvement to get up to now and one of the necessary facets is making one thing new that also appears like an ARRI digital camera.
Imaging Expertise Updates
Getting that picture wanting pretty much as good because it does requires lots of completely different applied sciences working collectively. The ALEV sensor used within the ALEXA collection is the core of that tech and has confirmed itself. An attention-grabbing angle ARRI has at all times taken is that they didn’t want 4K (the ALEV III was solely 2.8K). Larger pixels ship higher picture high quality.
Laborious to argue with ARRI’s outcomes there. With the ALEXA 35 they needed to make it possible for in the event that they have been pushing the decision as much as 4.6K that they weren’t dropping something within the course of. It additionally appears crucial in an age the place many streaming companies are demanding 4K acquisition.
It appears they lastly discovered their sensor. The 4.6K Tremendous 35mm ALEV IV (3:2 Open Gate: 4608 x 3164) gives that upgraded decision and nonetheless improves efficiency throughout the board. The upgraded processes helps with that and the sensor has a brand new OLPF stack.
ARRI does do manufacturing facility calibrations, referred to as the Superior Coloration Match (ACM) course of, as effectively to ensure that anybody utilizing one is aware of precisely what they’re gonna get. This course of permits ARRI to go in and alter the white steadiness of the sensor internally, one thing that wasn’t actually attainable earlier than.
ARRI managed to get extra dynamic vary out of this sensor, pushing as much as 17+ stops.
One nice change for everybody is that every one the capturing modes, together with anamorphic and excessive body charges, are going to be obtainable with the inventory license. These anamorphic modes are going to hit the required specs requested by streamers like Netflix as the three.3K picture nonetheless exceeds the whole pixel depend of a UHD 4K picture.
Picture Credit score: ARRI
REVEAL Coloration Science
Coloration was a key focus of the ALEXA 35 and ensuing within the improvement of REVEAL Coloration Science. That identify comes from ARRI’s want to point out extra of what the digital camera can truly seize. REVEAL has a brand new course of chain to make sure cinematographers calls for are met.
It begins with the ADA-7 debayer algorithm, heads by the ACE4 colour engine and ARRI Vast Gamut colour house, will get processed by a LogC4 curve, after which there may be an up to date set of LUTs to get right into a display-ready format. The result’s extra pure colour copy and pleasing pores and skin tones.
AWG4 is the most recent ARRI Vast Gamut colour house. It truly exceeds Rec.2020 by a small quantity to offer put up with extra flexibility with out ending up with colours which might be too far off the seen spectrum.
REVEAL is baked into any inside recording choices, like ProRes, in addition to the viewfinder picture, SDI out, and body grabs. For ARRIRAW you’ll have to use a devoted program that ARRI developed for processing by their REVEAL system and giving customers a bit extra management.
One of the best half is that this new software program can work with uncooked footage from the present era of ALEXA cameras in order that in multi-cam setups you’ll be able to guarantee the whole lot matches up.
Even in comparison with the ALEXA Mini and ALEXA Mini LF you’ll be able to see enhancements to paint. They name out higher accuracy in addition to extra natural-looking pores and skin tones. The occasional pink and inexperienced shifts seem like gone.
The debayer algorithm that runs contained in the ALEXA 35 gives some extra generalized advantages in creating the RGB picture information. Nonetheless, one particular enchancment was in creating cleaner edges, one thing you may be attention-grabbing in for inexperienced or blue display work.
Dynamic Vary
Whereas the dynamic vary ranking relies on extra technical evaluation and never real-world testing it may be straightforward to disregard the 17+ stops determine. ARRI has conventional been extra conservative than different producers and the present ALEXA Mini LF solely ever claimed to be 14+ stops. Meaning ARRI is asking the ALEV IV a complete 3 stops higher than the older sensor.
This upgraded sensor does have some shifts in performance because of this wider dynamic vary and improved Twin Acquire structure. For even distribution of the dynamic vary you’ll have to shoot at EI 400 – in comparison with 800 for the final gen.
Transferring as much as 800 offers you a cease further within the highlights and one much less within the shadows. Although, to make issues simpler, ARRI remains to be sticking with EI 800 for his or her basic advice.
Picture Credit score: ARRI
To utilize that further dynamic vary ARRI wanted to replace the log curve. That’s how we obtained LogC4. This profile is loads flatter than LogC3. Loads flatter. It additionally shifts the center grey all the way down to about 28% IRE. This can take some adjustment for colorists, however the brand new LUTs ought to assist with the brand new footage.
Working by a fast take a look at and comparability for dynamic vary proves that the ALEXA 35 is ready to maintain on to tons extra data in comparison with the older ALEXAs. Overexposure is extremely effectively dealt with. Below publicity can also be very effectively dealt with.
One other enchancment within the ALEXA 35 has been to stray gentle suppression. By eliminating any stray gentle hitting the sensor you’ll be able to seize a picture with deeper blacks and higher distinction. A few of this work is carried out in digital camera, although one of many extra necessary components are the newly designed mounts. ARRI has a ton of choices:
ARRI LPL (LBUS)
ARRI PL-to-LPL Adapter
ARRI EF (LBUS)
ARRI PL (LBUS)
ARRI PL (Hirose)
Codecs and Storage
One factor you received’t be lacking are recording codecs. The ALEXA 35 gives 19 completely different choices. For codecs you then have ProRes (422 HQ, 4444, 4444 XQ) and ARRIRAW internally.
You may be capturing and storing lots of information. ARRIRAW specifically is uncompressed and there aren’t choices for including compression or adjusting file measurement in any means. It’ll be the very best quality nonetheless because the digital camera does 18-bit linear processing and produces both a 13-bit log ARRIRAW file or a 12-bit LogC4 ProRes recording.
ARRI gives lots of flexibility on resolutions and recording modes. Customers will have the ability to work with completely different sensor areas and resolutions in addition to carry out correct downsampling for working with ProRes information for quicker supply.
Textures
Textures are a brand new setting within the ALEXA 35 which seems to supply some extra artistic appears in your photographs. Beforehand, the feel settings have been locked down by ARRI for what they believed would produce the perfect outcomes. These new profiles will change the quantity and character of grain in addition to the distinction at completely different ranges of element. That is going to require a good bit of testing since these will probably be baked into your ProRes information. If you wish to keep away from any unintentional use of textures you’ll be able to truly delete them from the digital camera.
ARRI has taken care to ship choices for a spread of productions. Whether or not you’ve got on a regular basis and finances on the earth and wish to effective tune photographs later utilizing uncooked or have some constraints that make utilizing built-in textures and processing to get your picture nearer to the ultimate look straight away.
Low-Mild Efficiency
As talked about earlier, regardless of the upper decision of the sensor it ought to have much less noise than earlier cameras. Naturally, the noise will probably be finer for the reason that decision is greater. It additionally has extra natural-looking luma noise than chroma noise. The unique ALEXA Mini might solely hit EI 3200. The ALEXA 35 can hit 6400.
A brand new Enhanced Sensitivity mode is accessible from EI 2560 as much as 6400 and can assist scale back noise in your picture. It really works by capturing a darkish body between every actual body and making use of sensible noise discount. You’ll have some choices, like body charges and shutter angles, on this mode. The advantages do appear to be price it.
Picture Credit score: ARRI
Basic Sensor Information
Much like older cameras, the ALEXA 35 doesn’t want consumer black balancing. An inside system maintains the temperature to maintain constant efficiency throughout a variety of environmental situations. For issues like scorching pixels there’s a mapping methodology that can be utilized to wash it up.
An up to date cooling core takes in cool air from the underside of the digital camera and has a fan at high to maneuver the recent air away. It ought to each enhance cooling and assist with climate resistance. Customers do have some fan management choices to reduce noise throughout recording.
Constructed-in ND filters are after all an choice right here. The system is much like earlier than with clear, 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 settings. The mechanism is quicker right here which is good.
Rolling shutter is okay. It seems similar to the unique Mini. Not a lot to be an issue, however there may be potential for some jello on quick panning pictures.
Why Tremendous 35?
One query folks could have is why ARRI would go Tremendous 35mm when many within the business have moved to large-format. RED’s V-RAPTOR VV and Sony’s VENICE 2 are good examples. Effectively, Tremendous 35mm does take a look that some folks desire and there are various extra lens choices obtainable for the system. Zooms specifically haven’t but caught up for the full-frame market.
An attention-grabbing tidbit is that an LF model, if even attainable for the reason that new sensor design does have some bodily limitations, is a protracted whereas off.
Up to date Workflow Apps
Software program has been up to date with ARRI consolidating many options right into a single app for streamlined workflows. The ARRI Reference Software now incorporates the identical performance because the ARRI Coloration Software, ARRIRAW Converter, and ARRI Meta Extract.
The opposite piece of software program is the ARRIRAW HDE Transcoder to assist scale back the file sizes of ARRIRAW information. Updates for the vital post-production instruments are on the way in which and ought to be prepared by the point the digital camera is accessible.
LUTs are getting a slight rework. The brand new ALF4 information now solely include the artistic choices as a substitute of each artistic intent and the show colour house conversion. Because of this customers can use their appears with any customary LogC4 LUT to work with any show colour house. Cinematographers can use this to create a glance that may be simply carried by into put up.
Picture Credit score: ARRI
Media Choices
Media is identical kind of Codex drive used with the ALEXA Mini LF. New is the 2TB choice which has the added pace to deal with the quicker body charges and better resolutions. The 1TB maxes out in ARRIRAW at 35 fps for 3:2 Open Gate 4.6K and 55 fps for 4K 16:9 and three.3K 6:5 anamorphic.
The 2TB will get open gate recording as much as 75 fps, the 4K 16:9 mode as much as 120 fps, and anamorphic at 100 fps. ProRes works flawlessly with both drive measurement.
Audio
A 6-pin LEMO enter remains to be round for audio equipment. ARRI additionally has a brand new AEM-1 2-channel audio module for including numerous I/O, together with a pair mini-XLR jacks and a few energy outputs. Two microphones can be found on the entrance of the physique for scratch tracks.
Energy
All these enhancements would require some further juice out of the battery and the ALEXA 35 is now a 24V system. It’s essential to push the processing so far as they want and can assist be certain that equipment are getting the facility they want. B-mount is the usual and one which ARRI has been pushing just lately. Adapters can be found for different powering choices.
B-mount is an enchancment over older V-mount batteries. The locking mechanism is way more safe and the usual is twin voltage so it could possibly work with 12V units as effectively. It additionally passes metadata. A cool instance is the power to stack batteries and get the battery ranges of every pack. Sizzling swapping turns into straightforward with that configuration as effectively.
Bodily Design
This can be a fully new and trendy design. It’s stable and scratch-resistant. It’s paying homage to the unique, full-size ALEXA as a substitute of the carbon fiber of the Mini. Particular person panels may even get replaced, which ought to make repairs cheaper for a digital camera that’s prone to be put by its paces.
ARRI is making the declare that the design has no compromises relating to high quality and sturdiness. Not that the Minis are dangerous, they only needed to trim down in paces to get the dimensions and weight to the “Mini” model. It’s small, however it’s designed to work in full productions.
It comes with LPL as customary, although there are interchangeable mounts as we mentioned earlier. The sensor is centered from the highest and backside which makes it simpler to mount issues like matte containers from both the highest or backside through acceptable rigging.
The EVF is identical because the one from the Mini LF. Completely no complaints there. One addition is a brand new 500-nit HDR viewing mode.
On the rear you will see an area for mounting the B-mount battery plate. It’s a surprisingly compact adapter plate so as to add. Exterior of which might be three different mounting factors to work with numerous modules which might be obtainable. Proper now that features a energy distribution plate and an audio extension module.
The highest has the large output for the fan. Round which might be ports for attaching the simply changed Wi-Fi antennas and different factors for attaching your high plate. There are some pins for as of but unnamed future equipment. These are totally weatherproof so that they don’t even must be lined.
On the left aspect of the digital camera is the place you will see the important thing show. It reveals off the menu and important settings for operators and the digital camera division. Some customized buttons can be found with virtually each choice you can need.
The opposite aspect has a large set of I/O. Principally, all of the important ports for manufacturing will probably be there. SDI, Genlock, energy, and many others. There’s loads.
Packages
At launch there are going to be a pair choices.
Light-weight Set: A extra stripped again set designed for run-and-gun configurations. The brand new high deal with is light-weight and sturdy with EVF mounting. A bracket is accessible for stabilizing rigs. There’s a baseplate as effectively.
Manufacturing Set: Designed for a extra conventional digital camera division. Related fast launch rigging to ALEXA Mini LF. New aspect brackets and high plates which can be utilized independently. New EVF bracket with further flexibility.
There are an infinite variety of choices relating to rigging.
ARRI appears to have nailed it with the ALEXA 35. It actually seems like a next-generation digital camera system from the a lot lauded firm. That is solely scratching the floor so in case you are you need to positively watch the total video.
What do you consider the ALEXA 35?
[source: CVP]
Order Hyperlinks:
ARRI ALEXA 35 Cinema Digital camera (B&H)
ARRI ALEXA 35 Cinema Digital camera Light-weight Set (B&H)
ARRI ALEXA 35 Cinema Digital camera 15mm Manufacturing Set (B&H)
ARRI ALEXA 35 Cinema Digital camera 19mm Manufacturing Set (B&H)
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