Alexa 35

March 3, 2020 Videography

Arrived once again raises the bar for digital cinema capture with the ALEXA 35, a Super35-format camera boasting a new 4:3 4K.6 sensor that delivers 2.5 of additional dynamic range, improved performance in low light, and richer, more accurate color reproduction. This 15mm Studio ALEXA 35 Production Set combines the ALEXA 35 camera with a Cine License, both an LPL mount and a PL to LPL adapter, a B-mount battery plate, a PDM-1 Power Distribution Module, a cage-type set with 15mm studio and 15mm LWS rod supports, a baseplate, and a dovetail. Compact and easy to operate, the ALEXA 35 offers both MFX/ARRIRAW and MFX/Apple ProRes capture to 1 or 2TB Codex drives with resolutions up to 4.6K and frame rates up to 120p.

The ALEXA 35 expands your creative control options using the new REVEAL color science, color matching with existing ARRI cameras, and multiple Texture Files that bestow an ability to select looks akin to choosing a film stock, both during capture and in post-production. Although housed in a compact form, the ALEXA 35 camera incorporates a full feature set, including a left-side display, independent SDI outputs, audio inputs, motorized ND filters, two wireless radios, and 12/24V accessory ports.

4.6K Super35 ARRI ALEV 4 CMOS Sensor

Key to the ALEXA 35’s amazing image quality is a new 4.6K Super35 CMOS sensor offering 17 stops of dynamic range, which is a robust 2.5 stops greater than prior ARRI cameras. Those 2.5 stops are split between 1.5 stops at the top end, resulting in filmlike highlight roll-off, and 1 stop at the lower end to see even deeper into shadows without overexposing other areas. Ideal for HDR projects and any backlit setups, the ALEXA 35’s wide dynamic range can also be a boon when tweaking your images in post.

Video Recording Formats

In-camera down-sampling and anamorphic de-squeezing enable the ALEXA 35 to offer a robust array of 19 ARRIRAW and Apple ProRes recording formats with different resolutions, data rates, aspect ratios, and other factors, suiting the camera to a range of production styles. Recording resolutions include 4.6, 4, 3.3, 3, 2.7, and 2K options.

Stray Light Suppression

Stray-light suppression technology is used in both the camera and the new ARRI PL (Hirose or LBUS) lens mounts to deliver the full contrast range from your choice of lenses while eliminating any grayish tones.

High ISO Camera

With an EI of 160 to 6400, the ALEXA 35 offers higher sensitivity and lower noise than ever before in the ARRI lineup, even in low-light settings. An optional Enhanced Sensitivity Mode (EI 2560-6400) works with the camera’s wide dynamic range to produce nuanced images in darker environments and is ideal for impromptu or available-light capture.

Reveal Color Science

* A new debayering algorithm combines with the ALEXA 35’s impressive processing power to create cleaner-edged images that are perfect for compositing work.

* The new ACE4 color engine converts RGB image data into the ARRI Wide Gamut color space (AWG4), producing more accurate colors and improving color saturation and tracking, even with subtle tones and lower light levels.

* The AWG4 camera color space is larger than Rec. 2020 but bypasses “virtual” colors that are outside the human visual spectrum, providing faster grading, easier color space conversion, and compatibility with the ACES system.

* A new Log-C 4 tonal curve enables the ALEXA 35’s larger 17-stop dynamic range; note that the Log-C 4 look appears darker before conversion to Rec. 709 or another color space.

* New LUTs use the improved sensor, color space, and Log-C 4 to produce optimal shadow tonality, color fidelity, and color-grading base. These new LUTS must be used with Log-C 4; they do not offer the manual control that some used with Log-C 3.

* The ALEXA 35 offers backward compatibility for intercutting with ALEXA, ALEXA Mini, and AMIRA images, and the ALEXA Mini LF and ALEXA LF images may be processed via REVEAL to match your ALEXA 35 footage. Processed images will not offer the higher dynamic range nor ARRI Textures but will have cleaner edges, better color, easier grading, and ACES, Log-C 4, and new LUT compatibility.