ARRI just announced a major upgrade to its industry-standard ALEXA 35, targeting high-speed cinematography, a new codec and better pre-recording options: The ARRI ALEXA 35 Xtreme. Let’s dive in. ARRI has officially announced the ALEXA 35 Xtreme, a substantial upgrade to the widely adopted ALEXA 35 that promises to reshape high-speed cinematography workflows. The new camera system delivers frame rates up to 660fps while introducing ARRICORE, a next-generation codec designed to reduce data rates without compromising image quality. Sensor Overdrive mode: up to 660fps at 11 stops of dynamic range The headline feature of the ALEXA 35 Xtreme is its impressive high-speed capabilities. The camera can achieve frame rates up to 330fps while maintaining the full claimed 17 stops of dynamic range that have made the ALEXA series a cinematographer favorite – in our renowned Lab Tests, the ALEXA 35 came indeed out on top with a measured 16.3 stops of dynamic range (Databases link) at SNR=1. For even higher frame rates, a new “Sensor Overdrive” mode pushes performance to 660fps, albeit with reduced dynamic range of 11 stops. (We will try to get our hands on the ALEXA 35 Xtreme as soon as possible to test the new modes at higher frame rates as well.) This represents a significant leap from the standard ALEXA 35’s capabilities and positions the Xtreme as a potential game-changer for productions requiring high-speed footage: Like ARRI intends, this eliminates the need for secondary high-speed cameras like a Phantom Flex on most shoots, which could...
Published By: CineD - Yesterday