ARRI has announced a major upgrade to its Alexa 35 Cinema Camera. The new ALEXA 35 Xtreme is designed to offer superior image quality, ease of use, and reliable operation along with the ability for much higher frame rates. Along with the camera announcement, comes a new highly efficient codec that reduces data rates, which also makes for much longer pre-recording times, lower power consumption, and significantly improved WiFi capabilities. ALEXA 35 Xtreme is available as a new camera or as an upgrade to existing ALEXA 35 cameras.

The new model is able to deliver frame rates of up to 660 fps, removing the need for a secondary high-speed camera on most shoots. This can streamline production workflows, save both time and money, and ensure that high-speed footage matches seamlessly with standard-speed shots in post production. These benefits are enabled by a powerful new main processor, equipped with more and faster on-board memory. Frame rates up to 330 fps retain the camera’s full 17 stops of dynamic range, while a new Sensor Overdrive mode allows frame rates up to 660 fps at a dynamic range of 11 stops.

The new ARRICORE RGB codec is designed to deliver the camera’s full image quality at a more accessible cost by reducing data rates. At the same time, flexibility in post is assured, since sensitivity, white balance, and tint are not baked in. Switching to ARRICORE is easy because on-set and post workflows remain consistent with existing ALEXA 35 codecs and drives. The ARRI Look File ALF4, ARRI Textures, metadata, the MXF wrapper, and audio will behave in a familiar way. ARRICORE is launching in beta to actively engage users and drive rapid enhancement of its capabilities through direct feedback. Most third-party tools that already support the current ALEXA 35 codecs will also support ARRICORE.

Pre-recording times are now five times longer with the ALEXA 35 Xtreme; the ALEXA 35 Xtreme pre-recording time is 30 seconds when shooting 24 fps Apple ProRes 4444 in the highest resolution (4.6K Open Gate), or a full five minutes when shooting 24 fps Apple ProRes 422 HQ in HD. These are the longest pre-recording times available in any cinema camera.

The ALEXA 35 Xtreme will be available in sets that include either a Base license or a Premium license. Existing feature licenses for the ALEXA 35 Base can also be applied to the ALEXA 35 Xtreme Base, offering additional functionality on a weekly, monthly, yearly, or permanent basis. The pricing for ALEXA 35 Xtreme sets and licenses will remain consistent with current ALEXA 35 prices.

To protect customer investment, ARRI will upgrade any ALEXA 35 Base, ALEXA 35 Premium or ALEXA 35 Live camera to an ALEXA 35 Xtreme for €15,900. The upgrade can be carried out at selected ARRI Service Centers and will retain any installed licenses. ALEXA 35 Xtreme cameras and upgrades will be available from August 2025.

To learn more about the ALEXA 35 Xtreme camera system, visit www.arri.com/alexa35xtreme