ARRI goes compact: the ALEXA Mini

Firmly indicating its intention to disrupt the compact digital film camera market, ARRI has announced the new ALEXA Mini, a lightweight camera that is designed to complement its own ALEXA range and offer more versatile shooting such as on drones or other gimbal rigs – one of its distinctive functions is a built-in Wi-Fi interface and web-based remote control from phones, tablets, and laptops.

Jason Wingrove will be taking a look at the Mini in our next RC podcast – check back soon.

The Mini with active lens motor on a Freefly MOVI M15 rig.
The Mini with active lens motor on a Freefly MOVI M15 rig.

The Mini is contained in a carbon housing with a solid titanium PL mount that connects with a new internal sensor mount – large lenses can still be utilized. It comes with a 4:3 sensor, an automatic de-squeeze mode for anamorphic productions and frame rates of 0.75-200 fps. It records ProRes or uncompressed ARRIRAW either in-camera to CFast 2.0 cards or to a specially-designed external Codex recorder that can record image streams from up to four ALEXA Minis simultaneously.

The ALEXA Mini can be operated in a number of ways: by wireless remote control, as a normal camera with the ARRI MVF-1 multi viewfinder attached, or with an on-board monitor and controlled via the user button interface on the camera body.

Below, check out The Balloonist which was captured with the ALEXA Mini (and directed by MINDCASTLE), and then see the behind the scenes.

Here are some tech specs:

Camera type: 35 format film-style digital camera with lightweight and compact carbon body, 4:3/16:9 switchable active sensor area, support for ARRI MVF-1 viewfinder, built-in remote control capabilities via ARRI Electronic Control System and Wi-Fi, support for cforce motors, built-in motorized ND filters, interchangable lens mounts and ARRI Lens Data System

Dimensions (camera body with PL lens mount): Length: 185 mm/7.3″ | Width: 125 mm/4.9″ | Height: 140 mm/5.5″

Weight: ~ 2.3 kg/5 lbs (camera body with titanium PL lens mount)

Sensor: 35 mm format ARRI ALEV III CMOS with Bayer pattern color filter array

2015-02-12-ALEXA-Mini-0013Photo sites:
16:9
HD: 2880×1620 (3168×1772)
2K: 2868×1612 (3154×1764)
3.2K: 3200×1800 (3424×1926)
4K UHD: 3200×1800 (3424×1926)
4:3
2K: 2867×2150 (3168×2160)

Shutter: ​Electronic shutter, 5.0° to 356.0°

Exposure latitude: 14+ stops over the entire sensitivity range from EI 160 to EI 3200 as measured with the ARRI Dynamic Range Test Chart (DRTC-1)

Lens Mounts:
Titanium PL mount with L-Bus connector and LDS
EF mount
PL mount with Hirose connector and LDS
B4 mount with Hirose connector

Recording formats:
HD 1920×1080
2K Cine 16:9 2048×1152
2K Cine 4:3 2048×1536
3.2K 3200×1800
4K UHD 3840×2160
ARRIRAW 2.8K 16:9 2880×1620
ARRIRAW 2.8K 4:3 2880×2160

 

The ARRI ALEXA Mini is scheduled to begin shipping in May 2015.

You can find more info over at www.arri.com/alexamini.