The new camera from ARRI is called the ALEXA 35, and according to ARRI, this 4K Super 35 camera will elevate digital cinematography to unprecedented heights. As stated n the leaked brochure; “ARRI’s first new sensor for 12 years builds on the evolution of the ALEXA family over that period, delivering 2.5 stops more dynamic range, film-like highlight handling, better low light performance, and richer colors”. Furthermore, the new REVEAL Color Science takes full advantage of the sensor’s image quality and provides a fast, simple workflow, while ARRI Textures enhance in-camera creative control. ARRI states that: “Easy operation, robust build quality, new electronic accessories, and a completely new mechanical support system round out the ALEXA 35 platform”. These are the main highlights as described in the ALEXA 35 brochure:
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ALEXA 35 measures at 17 stops of dynamic range (exposure latitude), far more than any other digital cinema camera. Filmmakers gain 1.5 stops in the highlights and a stop in the shadows over previous ALEXA cameras while retaining the naturalistic, film-like highlight roll-off. Sophisticated stray-light suppression ensures that the full character and contrast range of each lens is captured. Together, the increased dynamic range and stray light control make it easier to handle any lighting conditions on set, increase flexibility in post, and provide the best possible source for HDR (High Dynamic Range) projects. Now, we know ARRI. These 17 stops are not ‘marketing stops’, so expect stunning imagery with maximum details.
ARRI defines the ALEXA 35 as a “High ISO” camera. An optional Enhanced Sensitivity Mode can be applied to settings between EI 2560 and EI 6400, producing an even cleaner image in low light. This exceptional sensitivity, combined with the wider dynamic range and truer contrast, allows ALEXA 35 to capture the most delicate nuances of light and shadow in a wider range of shooting situations. Filmmakers can work with available light in real locations, safe in the knowledge that even at extreme ISO values, any noise will have a pleasingly film-like structure.
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Introduced alongside the ALEXA 35 is REVEAL Color Science, which is the collective name for a suite of image processing steps that, along with the new sensor, help the camera to record more accurate colors with subtler tonal variations. Skin tones of all types and colors are rendered in a flattering, lifelike way. Highly saturated colors such as those in neon signs or car brake lights are captured with incredible realism, as are typically challenging colors like cyan, burgundy, and pastel shades. Overall, the true-to-life color fidelity and amazing sensor resolving power make for beautiful, immersive images. That’s how ARRI defines its new color science implemented in the ALEXA 35.
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ARRI Textures provide a new and unique way for cinematographers to exert greater creative control on the set. A texture defines the amount and character of grain in an image, as well as the amount of contrast at different levels of detail, perceived by the viewer as sharpness. Previous ALEXA cameras were pre-programmed with a default texture. Still, with ALEXA 35 you can choose from an evolving menu of custom ARRI Textures, either to suit a specific shooting environment or to hone your look. This allows you to fundamentally alter the way the camera records images, much like selecting a film stock.
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With its Super 35 4:3 native 4K sensor, ALEXA 35 can be used with the vast global inventory of existing lenses—modern and vintage, anamorphic and spherical, Super 35 and large format. Filmmakers wanting to shoot with ARRI cameras while having 4K mandates now have an immeasurably broader lens choice. A total of 19 recording formats, incorporating efficient in-camera downsampling and anamorphic de-squeezing, allow productions to optimize data rate, resolution, and other parameters, based on their individual needs. Mixed Reality Productions (MRP) will benefit from the camera’s ability to record lens metadata in all common standards and output real-time streaming metadata to ARRI’s Live Link Metadata Plug-in for Unreal Engine.
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ARRI’s discussions with filmmakers and careful review of the image pipeline have led to significant image quality enhancements and a faster, easier workflow. REVEAL Color Science is a suite of new image processing steps used by ALEXA 35 internally and also available through leading third-party postproduction tools for ARRIRAW processing. It includes an improved debayering algorithm for cleaner compositing, a new color engine for more accurate color reproduction, a new wide gamut native color space for faster grading, new LogC4 encoding to contain the increased dynamic range, and new LogC4 LUTs (Look Up Tables) for enriched color fidelity.
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ARRI emphasizes that the ALEXA 35 is the smallest fully-featured ARRI production camera ever, packing the features and processing power of a larger ALEXA into a Mini-sized body. Crews will be intuitively familiar with the simple menu structure; support for 1TB and 2TB Codex Compact Drives; and MVF-2 viewfinder, now with HDR. Fast and easy operation is assured through usability improvements such as a new left-side display and additional user buttons. Temperature resistant, splash and dust-proof, and conceived with future hardware and software updates in mind, “ALEXA 35 is the best A-camera, B-camera, and drone or gimbal camera on the market, all rolled into one” ARRI adds.
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ARRI has crafted a new line of bespoke ALEXA 35 accessories that expand the camera’s capabilities and ensure maximum speed and versatility on set. Closely integrated electronic accessories over additional power outputs or extended audio features. A completely new set of mechanical support items provides flexible options for any situation, scaling quickly and easily from a small and lightweight setup to a full-blown production configuration. ALEXA 35 is available in sales sets that group together components suitable for different shooting styles and production types, with further accessories and system options facilitating countless setups.
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ALEXA 35 utilizes the B-Mount battery interface, an open industry standard endorsed by ARRI and the wider industry. Providing high-capacity 24 V power, but also able to support 12 V, B-Mount offers more efficiency and improved data communication over previous systems. Cross-compatible with the camera, lighting, and stabilizer equipment from manufacturers worldwide, it enables productions to streamline their power requirements.
This is gonna be pretty huge. DPs have always loved Arri color science over everything else and most only shoot on other platforms like RED and Sony if the production needs to be in 4K. The Alexa LF delivered 4K but not every production calls for a Vista Vision-sized sensor, especially if you want to shoot on zooms.
But perhaps most importantly, this is the first 4K s35 sensor in the world that's got a 4:3 aspect ratio making it completely compatible with the massive ecosystem of 2x anamorphic lenses out there, most of which cannot cover the LF sensor. So we will be getting true 4K deliverables shot on classic Panavision, Cooke, Hawk, etc anamorphics. Expect to see a LOT of anamorphically shot Netflix shows and movies in the next few years.
This definitely won't change Nolan's mind. Nor PTA's. Nor Tarantino's. Nor Scorsese's. Nor Spielberg's. Nor Abrams'. Nor Wes Anderson's. Nor Parker & Stone's. Nor Wright's. Nor Phillips'. Nor...
This definitely won't change Nolan's mind. Nor PTA's. Nor Tarantino's. Nor Scorsese's. Nor Spielberg's. Nor Abrams'. Nor Wes Anderson's. Nor Parker & Stone's. Nor Wright's. Nor Phillips'. Nor...
They’re in the minority. Film is still around for now, but it’s all over but the crying at this point.
Nolan is all in on 65mm and IMAX film now so this probably doesn't impress him.
35mm film is often scanned in 4K-6K so 65mm is theoretically 8-12K and IMAX film is basically three 65mm frames stacked on top of each other.
RED has some 8K sensors and Blackmagic has a 12K sensor but neither completely stack up against film in terms of color rendering and dynamic range, and neither are tall enough to do 1.43:1 IMAX without cropping.
So yeah Nolan is probably never going digital. The camera that lives up to the theoretical amount of detail you can pull from IMAX is unlikely to exist in our lifetime.
It doesn't matter to him that 99.99% of people will be viewing his films in 4K or lower. He wants real IMAX for the handful of theaters around the globe that can still run it. I think at this point it's a little indulgent but if studios keep footing the bill, who cares honestly.
Personally I am fine with the images from the Alexa LF, Alexa 65, Panavision DXL2, Sony Venice, and RED Monstro for IMAX and Dolby 4k projection. The new Alexa 35 is sure to join those ranks easily.
Still take film over digital no matter how much progress they make. Just more sterile, more lifeless.
The Batman and Dune part 1 both shot digitally and printed out to film and look gorgeous, especially The Batman.
Film is still nice for some projects but I think some directors and DPs cling to it for sentimental reasons and not because it makes their projects better. I mean on IMAX film the grain is so fine you can't see it anyway. 35mm and 16mm still have that magic look if you push them a stop or two to let the grain out but movies like The Batman are showing that even that can be "faked" in post very convincingly.
I’ve seen movies shot in both formats with stunning visuals. I just would like the director to have the choice of preferred format, and with the financial struggles of film right now, it sounds like we’re rapidly reaching a point where that’s impossible, sadly.
The Batman and Dune part 1 both shot digitally and printed out to film and look gorgeous, especially The Batman.
Film is still nice for some projects but I think some directors and DPs cling to it for sentimental reasons and not because it makes their projects better. I mean on IMAX film the grain is so fine you can't see it anyway. 35mm and 16mm still have that magic look if you push them a stop or two to let the grain out but movies like The Batman are showing that even that can be "faked" in post very convincingly.
I wish more directors would go through the process of printing the movies out on film in post.
But as with everything, some directors and DPs do incredible things even with digital, others will deliver something flat and sterile.
Film had the advantage of, even if the movie was on the flatter side, at least giving it that celluloid texture, colors and contrast.
If you're filming digitally on the cheap and without doing the right things, the risk is that it'll end up looking like a cellphone video.
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Meet the Next Evolution in Digital Cinematography: the Alexa 35
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