In honor of the 10th anniversary of ALEXA, ARRI reveals some interesting facts, including the next ALEXA model which is a Super 35 4K camera that will be launched in 2021. Read below about the history (and future) of one of the world’s famous cinema camera: The ARRI Alexa.

It all began in 2008

According to ARRI, the concept of developing a digital solution for cinematographers was born due to the 2008 financial crisis. At that time, nobody had money to make movies or buy cameras. Furthermore, there was a threatened strike of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) that never happened, but it forced productions to use AFTRA actors. SAG actors needed to be used when film cameras were used, but AFTRA actors could be used when the cameras were not film-based. That means shooting digital was the sole option. From that time, ARRI has abandoned the R&D regarding the high-speed version of its 435 that was designed to run at 250 FPS 3-perf (ARRIFLEX 435 High-Speed – see the prototype in the picture below), and focused on the creation of digital cinema camera, which was the ALEXA. By the way, ALEXA is a code name for the engineering slot in the development process of the camera, and ARRI has decided not to change it.

First commercial shoot with the ALEXA prototype

Check out The Violin Maker, which is the first commercial video by ARRI which demonstrated the capabilities of the brand new first ALEXA prototype. The video was shot by DP Tom Faehrmann. According to ARRI, the team has arrived with a truck full of lighting equipment but ended up shooting with only what he found in his workshop: two 100 W desk lamps. The video shows one of the advantages of the ALEXA which is true and completely noise-free imagery at ISO of 800. Explore it below:

Anonymous: First film shot on ALEXA

Anonymous is a Sony Pictures release directed by Roland Emmerich and shot by Director of Photography Anna Foerster. It was the first major full-length international motion picture to be shot with the ALEXA camera, which was actually a prototype before the official release.

Watch the video below where Foerster describes lighting a scene with actors Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Hogg, Xavier Samuel, and Sam Reid.

The three major advantages of the ALEXA

The ALEXA has three strengths: Image quality, reliability, and intuitiveness. As explained by ARRI, the mission is to achieve the best overall image quality, which is derived from the sensor’s design. The intuitiveness is another crucial factor. ARRI said that the ALEXA was designed as film cameras, which means minimal, clear, and logical interface to enhance simplicity regarding user experience. The third is reliability and robustness. Check out the images below which show ALEXA cameras after harsh productions under tough shooting environments. Those ALEXA are still very much usable.

The next ALEXA

What about a new camera? The most recent ALEXA is the Mini LF. However, according to ARRI, a new camera is on the horizon. In the last Q&A section of the ARRI Tech Talk Live: 10th Anniversary of ALEXA video (see above), Marc Shipman-Mueller, Product Manager at ARRI, says that the company is currently developing a new camera which will probably be released next year (2021). The next ALEXA will be armed with a super 35 4K sensor. The camera will be about the size of the Mini LF. It will use the same viewfinder as the Mini LF and will be able to accept the same media as the Mini LF. As stated by ARRI: “We at ARRI believe in Super 35. Not everybody will shoot Large Format/Full Frame. Many productions, in particular on TV, will remain with Super 35 for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we are also working on a dedicated Super 35 4K camera (not LF), further increasing the choices for cinematographers”.

We at ARRI believe in Super 35. Many productions, in particular on TV, will remain with Super 35 for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we are also working on a dedicated Super 35 4K camera.

ARRI

ARRI Certified Training for Camera Systems

In case you are eager to dive deeper into the ALEXA world, we highly recommend taking the ARRI Certified Training for Camera Systems course which is an online intensive 10-hour class loaded with technical details, fascinating facts, and vast knowledge regarding ARRI cameras and ecosystem. Make sure to check our review. 

Have you been shooting with ALEXA cameras? Feel free to share your experience and insights in the comments section below.