So you have thought that when the ARRI ALEXA 35 will be launched then the price of its predecessor (ARRI Mini) goes down? Then you were wrong. It appears that this winning horse keeps its price pretty well. For now, the ARRI Mini can be defined as one of the best camera investments in the last 10 years.
ARRI Mini: Unprecedented achievements
The ARRI ALEXA Mini was introduced in 2015 (7 years ago) with an initial price tag of $33,000 USD. Since then the camera has won (and owned) unprecedented prizes and achievements. Until now, the ARRI Mini is the preferred camera by many filmmakers with any level of professionalism and budget of production. From independent film festivals to Oscars, the camera dominates without a question the Super 35mm market. ARRI has invented the Mini to be utilized as a B-Cam combined with its bigger sisters. However, it appears that the ARRI Mini has transformed into the weapon of choice as the main and only camera on production from all sizes and levels.
Price has not changed much
Take any other cinema camera— and you’ll notice a significant price reduction over the years. Even within the ALEXA models, you can find a full set of the Classic for under $6,000. It goes the same for other camera manufacturers as well. However, when examining the price of the ARRI Mini, the delta is barely noticed. Why? because filmmakers are keeping their Mini, as they know that it will get them the best overall imagery, and most promising reliability within the 4K-Super 35 segments. For instance, you can find some Mini for sale on eBay priced at around $30,000. However, there’s a very limited number of units, as again, owners want to keep them close to their hearts.
Prices: Mini vs. ’35’
As we thought that Mini owners would eagerly sell their cameras after the introduction of the ALEXA 35 — that hypothesis appears to be completely inaccurate. It must be noted that there’s a huge difference in prices between those two Super 35 cameras, as feature-wise the delta is much smaller. The ARRI Mini owns an ALEV III and the ALEXA 35 has an ALEV 4 sensor with more dynamic range and a bit more resolution. There’re more differences as well, but the major one is the price. The price of an ALEXA 35 set circulates around $75,000. This makes it the most expensive digital Super 35 camera on the market. Hence, it costs nearly twice compared as the ALEXA Mini. And what about CPO?
ALEXA Mini in the CPO program
We’ve been looking at what the CPO offers regarding the ALEXA Mini. As we thought that we’ll find there a decent amount of Minis, we’re completely wrong. There’re only 3 ARRI Mini cameras listed in the CPO. Just a reminder, CPO stands for Certified Pre-Owned. What does a thorough check of CPO cameras mean? The cameras’ parameters, including image sensor quality, recording functions, connectors, flange focal distance, audio system, and ARRI Lens Control System are rigorously tested. The overhaul also includes an update to the latest Software Update Package (SUP) of the respective model. CPO products go through the same final function test that is required for new equipment. This ensures that every piece offered for resale meets the high standards expected of it. Cameras offered by this program are significantly more expensive compared to, let’s say, eBay. However, the CPO allows you to buy your ALEXA and sleep well at night. Currently, 3 Mini cameras are listed as a full set. For instance, one with four hours of operation (operating hours reset after part exchange), and the other with 0 hours of operation which the sensor was replaced (new sensor, prev. at 7057). As explained, the prices are notably steeper than the platform and circulate around $40,000 USD for a full production set. That means, if you bought an ALEXA Mini back then in 2015, now you can sell it and ask for the same price you bought it.
Summary
We can sum it up with a piece of bad news and good news. The bad news is for non-ALEXA Mini owners — which is the fact that the price is not going to go down soon. The good news is for ALEXA Mini owners, especially for those who bought the camera a few years ago, and hence, made one of the best camera investments in the last decade. The ALEXA Mini can be considered the best camera ARRI has developed that left a huge mark on the filmmaking industry.
