MUNICH—ARRI has unveiled the Alexa 265, its next-generation 65-milimeter camera, which combines a small form factor with a revised 65-mm sensor.
The Alexa 265, designed based on feedback from users of the Alexa 65, delivers improved image quality through 15 stops of dynamic range and enhanced low-light performance, ARRI said.
The camera features the same LogC4 workflow, REVEAL Color Science and accessories as the ARRI Alexa 35 and offers a new filter system. The Alexa 265 makes 65 mm as easy to use as any other format, the company said.
The Alexa 265 camera body is based on the compact Alexa 35. But even though it contains a sensor three times as large as the Alexa 35, the new camera is only 4 mm longer and 11 mm wider. Using this body design means Alexa 265 is less than one-third of the Alexa 65’s weight—7.27 pounds vs. 23.15 pounds (3.3 kilograms vs. 10.5 kilograms)—and employs ARRI’s latest cooling and power-management technologies. While the camera’s small size and weight allow it to be used in ways never imagined for 65 mm—from drones and stabilizers to the most space-constrained locations—its efficiencies make it faster to work with on set. Boot-up time and power draw have been improved and compatibility with the Alexa 35 accessory set enables more rigging options, ARRI said.
Feedback from Alexa 65 users revealed the desire for a reduced form factor and that filmmakers wanted to retain the 6.5K resolution and large pixel pitch, but were interested in higher dynamic range and better low-light performance. As a result, ARRI began a comprehensive revision of the 65-mm sensor, which resulted in increasing dynamic range from 14 to 15 stops and sensitivity from 3200 to 6400 EI (ISO/ASA) for crisper blacks, greater contrast and a lower noise floor, it said.
The camera supports a simple, efficient workflow using ARRI’s new-generation LogC4 workflow and 3D Lookup Tables (LUTs) introduced for ALEXA 35. It records ARRIRAW in-camera to the Codex Compact Drives used in all current ARRI cameras, it said.
Standard drive readers and docks can be used, as can Codex HDE (high-density encoding), reducing file sizes by up to 40% without diminishing image quality. On-set monitors can be set up in HD or ultra HD, displaying SDR (standard dynamic range), HDR or both. ARRI is updating its SDK to ensure that Alexa 265 images are compatible with all major third-party software tools, it said.
More information is available on the company’s website.
