$55,000 Arri Alexa 35 Xtreme Brings Wild Speed to Cinematic Filmmaking
Professional cinema company Arri announced a significantly faster and more powerful Alexa 35 camera, the Arri Alexa 35 Xtreme.
At the heart of the Alexa 35 Xtreme is a significantly more powerful image processor and memory. These, alongside a new Arricore codec, enable faster frame rates, longer recording times, and new sensor modes. The new codec promises higher image quality while simultaneously reducing data rates.
The new camera still sports a Super 35 format Arri Alev 4 CMOS image sensor with Bayer pattern color filter array. The camera’s 27.99 x 19.22mm sensor captures 4608 x 3164 video in 4.6K open gate. Arri says that in standard modes, the sensor can deliver 17 stops of dynamic range.
However, where the Xtreme separates itself from the standard Alexa 35 is through its speed. While maintaining its full dynamic range, the camera can record at up to 330 frames per second, while the new codec and “Sensor Overdrive” mode can double that frame rate to 660 fps, albeit at the cost of dynamic range. When shooting at 660 fps, the camera’s dynamic range dips to a claimed 11 stops.
A significant draw of an Arri Alexa camera is its dynamic range performance, so it will be interesting to see how filmmakers balance that performance metric against their need for speed.
Compared to the standard Alexa 35, the Xtreme is much faster across the board. In 4K Open Gate, for example, the Alexa 35 tops out at 75 frames per second, while the Alexa 35 Xtreme can do 120 fps without compromising dynamic range. With Sensor Overdrive enabled, it’s possible to capture 4.6K Open Gate footage at 165 fps. Alexa 35 Xtreme owners can also shoot at 3.8Kp240 with 17 stops of dynamic range. Achieving the Alexa 35 Xtreme’s top speeds requires dipping the camera down to a 2K 16:9 S16 sensor mode.
Even though the Alexa 35 Xtreme looks the same as the Alexa 35, much of its performance has changed. The new camera can pre-record five times longer, uses 10% less power, and has improved Wi-Fi thanks to a new antenna.
The Alexa 35 Xtreme will replace the venerable and extremely popular Alexa 35 in Arri’s cinema camera lineup, and existing Alexa 35 owners can send their camera in for upgrading to the Xtreme at an Arri service center.
Pricing and Availability
As a professional cinema camera, the Arri Alexa 35 Xtreme is “extreme” in more ways than one. The Alexa 35 Xtreme starts at $54,590 in its “base entry set,” which includes the camera with a base license, LPL mount and PL-LPL adapter, 7-inch monitor, top handle, and numerous plates and adapters.
There are many more kits, including Premium Production sets that cost $86,270.
Image credits: Arri
