Cinematographer Brook Willard (SEAL TEAM) has tested the ARRI ALEXA 35 in various shooting environments while pairing it with the great Xelmus Apollo anamorphic lenses. The results demonstrate an ideal match between the ALEXA 35 and the Apollo. Watch them below.
ARRI ALEXA 35
The recently released ALEXA 35 can be defined as one of the most significant achievements of ARRI. The core of the camera is the newly developed sensor — the ALEV 4, which allows the privilege of 17 stops of dynamic range. Hence, the ALEXA 35 constitutes the cinema camera with the highest dynamic range available. Although it is ‘only’ a Super 35-sized sensor, quality-wise, the ALEXA 35 grants filmmakers the best image quality, overall. Furthermore, the ALEXA 35 will probably be the pricier Super 35 digital cinema camera ever. Note that the price has not been officially announced yet, but assumptions indicate $70,000 for the body. Personally, one of the most compelling tests I’d like to see is the paring of this beautiful expensive beast with the fine glass of Xelmus.
Xelmus Apollo Anamorphic: A hell of a glass
We wrote many articles on the full-frame anamorphic cinema lenses by Xelmus, which is the Apollo series, as we think that they grant a pure anamorphic look that dramatically excels compared to other similar alternatives. The first series of lenses titled Apollo was introduced in 2019 and was characterized by a full-frame coverage, 2X anamorphic ratio, and affordable price tags ($12,000 – however the price went up dramatically to $17,000). The Apollo series is compact, sharp, optimized for distortion correction, and has a very unique flaring that reminds us of a rare Panavision glass. There’s something about the Apollos that makes them special. It is like a beautiful manipulation of the sensor’s output. Thus, we’d appreciate exploring what the Apollo glass does to the ALEV 4 and vice versa. Luckily, cinematographer Brook Willard (SEAL TEAM) has done exactly that. Watch the two videos below that demonstrate the dynamic range capabilities of the AEXA 35 paired with the Xelmus Apollo (Unfortunately only the IG version is available) :
Also, here’re some stills:
Update:
Below you can watch the 4K version on Vimeo:
Shooting fire as a complex cinematic task (test)
“Fire and explosions are on the short list of circumstances that remain challenging for most modern digital cinema cameras. Balancing exposure between intensely bright flames and a night exterior is always a challenge, and under most circumstances I find myself negotiating with how much fire I’m willing to clip versus how much noise I’m willing to accept” says Willard in regard to one of his ALEXA 35 tests. Willard was lucky enough to get his hands on an ALEXA 35 with preproduction firmware installed. “Shooting fire with the Alexa 35 was perhaps my most personally anticipated test. I’ve shot many a scene around a fire pit and in most cases, I’m frustrated by the reality of the situation – I want to light only with the fire, and I want to split the exposure in the way my eyes do. The ALEXA 35 is the first camera I’ve used where I was not just happy but thrilled with the results” he adds. Willard elaborates that it’s not just about not *clipping* highlights, but managing the dramatic exposure split between fire and fire-lit subjects in the same frame. “What impresses me the most is not the *technical* achievement of the ALEXA 35 not clipping the brightest flames, but the *artistic* achievement to hold those flames and object’s face together”. Willard hasn’t posted the video yet, but meanwhile, we can get the impression by looking at the stills.
Closing thoughts
The ARRI ALEXA 35 and the Xelmus Apollo look like a perfect match. Although the Apollo is designed to cover full-frame, it seems that the Super 35mm ALEV 4 just sits on the sweet spot which is the center of the lens. This combination executes stunning imagery, a clean flare that is merged into the highlights and the shadows without eliminating any details.
Product List
Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- ARRI ALEXA 35 Body & ARRI PL Mount Set
- Y.M.CINEMA 65 – A Gift for Filmmakers
