ARRI has introduced a new camera system to be known as the ALEXA 35.  It features a new 4K Super 35 sensor said to deliver a whopping 17 stops of dynamic range, better low light performance, and richer colors. A new color science they have named “REVEAL” is designed to take full advantage of the sensor’s image quality.  At 17 stops of dynamic range, (1.5 stops more in the highlights and one stop more in the shadows,)  the ALEXA 35 is said to provide 2.5 times more exposure latitude than the original Alexa sensor which was first released 12 years ago.  With low noise and sensitivity settings ranging from EI 160 to EI 6400, ALEXA 35 is 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.

The REVEAL Color Science is the collective name for a suite of new ACES compatible 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 color space for faster grading, new LogC4 encoding to contain the increased dynamic range, and new LogC4 LUTs (Look Up Tables) for improved color fidelity.  REVEAL Color Science is also backwards compatible for ARRIRAW footage captured by ALEXA LF and Mini LF cameras so that the ALEXA 35 and ARRI’s large-format cameras can be combined on set and can also share LogC4 LUTs in post.

ALEXA 35 is ARRI’s smallest fully-featured production camera ever.  It is compatible with 1TB and 2TB Codex Compact Drives and the MVF-2 viewfinder, now with HDR. It offers a total of 19 recording formats, incorporating efficient in-camera down-sampling and anamorphic de-squeezing, allowing productions to optimize data rate, resolution, and other parameters, based on their individual needs. Mixed reality and virtual productions 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.

ARRI has crafted a new line of ALEXA 35 accessories to expand the camera’s capabilities and ensure maximum speed and versatility on set. Closely integrated electronic accessories offer additional power outputs or extended audio features. A complete new set of mechanical support items provides flexible options for any shooting situation, scaling quickly and easily from a small and lightweight setup to a full-blown production configuration.  The ALEXA 35 is supported by ARRI’s full suite of online tools, as well as free-of-charge standalone apps like the iPhone/iPad Camera Companion App, ARRI Reference Tool, and ARRIRAW HDE Transcoder.

Deliveries are expected to start in July with prices starting at $75,100US for the “Lightweight Set” and $77,940US for the “Production Set.”  A Codex HS Media Bundle including 3 x 2TB drives and a TB-3 Dock will run another $13,100US.  To learn more about ALEXA 35, visit www.arri.com/alexa35