Strength and agility through state-of-the-art materials
To maintain ARRI’s famously rugged build quality in a small and lightweight camera, a number of unique design solutions have been incorporated. These include highly integrated and sealed electronics, a lightweight carbon housing and a solid titanium PL mount that connects directly with the new internal sensor mount – also made of titanium – to ensure a super-stable flange focal distance, even when using large lenses. Nimble in use and hardy on set, the ALEXA Mini is a go-anywhere tool, easy to transport in backpacks or as carry-on luggage.
Versatile mounting and shooting options
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. Light enough to be comfortably held at arm’s length in a hand rig, its compact size and extremely quiet operation also make it ideal for tight shooting conditions.
The symmetrical design permits filming in any orientation, including upside-down and in portrait mode, while multiple accessory points enable highly creative mounting solutions. In addition, the ALEXA Mini’s interchangeable lens mount can be replaced with any of those designed for the ARRI AMIRA, allowing the use of B4 video and EF mount stills lenses.
Uncompromised image quality for specialized shots
The overwhelming advantage of the ALEXA Mini is that it marries such a compact and lightweight form factor with the same unparalleled image quality that has made the ARRI ALEXA system a gold standard for the industry. Combine the Mini with any other ALEXA camera and you will have perfectly matched images, even on anamorphic productions – thanks to the 4:3 sensor and automatic de‑squeeze function. Workflows will also be identical, with options to record ProRes or uncompressed ARRIRAW either in-camera to CFast 2.0 cards or to a specially-designed external Codex recorder.
Save time on set
With the ALEXA Mini, no extra time need be spent on set configuring third-party cameras previously required for specialized shots, or on wrangling the image files coming out of them. Multi-camera setups such as 360° plate shots will be made simpler and faster by the external Codex recorder, which can record image streams from up to four ALEXA Minis simultaneously. The camera’s maximum frame rate of 200 fps means it can also be used for stunning slow-motion cinematography, saving further time and money on set by doing away with the need for a separate high-speed camera.
Save time in post
In the past, productions combining small cameras from other manufacturers with an ARRI ALEXA shooting kit have encountered time-consuming difficulties in the grade, trying to match images from those cameras to ALEXA’s famously natural colorimetry and pleasing skin tones. With the ALEXA Mini these difficulties are eliminated because all images come from the same sensor and share the same color space. The ability to use CDLs and 3D LUTs in-camera for on-set color management will also reduce time and money spent in post.
Greater efficiency through integrated functions
An integrated lens motor controller allows new active lens motors to be connected directly to the titanium PL mount, so focus, iris and zoom settings can be controlled from ARRI hand units without an additional external box. Further operational settings can be made remotely when working with the ARRI WCU-4 hand unit.
Cost-saving camera and lens metadata
Integrated ARRI Lens Data System (LDS) technology brings the added value of frame‑accurate metadata about focus, iris and zoom settings. With these lens settings and exact depth‑of‑field displayed live on wireless hand units, precise adjustments can be made during a shot. The data also allows lens mapping to pre‑marked focus rings and reduces the time and expense involved in achieving complex visual effects in post.
Unsurpassed overall image quality
Like the ARRI AMIRA, the ALEXA Mini can record 4K UHD ProRes images, facilitating real-time 4K UHD output and simple pipelines for high-resolution deliverables. More important than this, however, is the fact that the Mini and all other ARRI cameras with the ALEV III sensor offer unrivalled overall image quality by focusing not just on spatial resolution, but also on other image quality parameters such as dynamic range.
Technical specifications
| 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 | Length: 185 mm/7.3″ Width: 125 mm/4.9″ Height: 140 mm/5.5″ (camera body with PL lens mount) |
|
| 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 | |
| Photo sites (with surround view) |
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)Exposure index EI 800 base sensitivityFilters Built-in motorized ND filters 0.6, 1.2, 2.1Lens mounts Titanium PL mount with L-Bus connector and LDS
EF mount
PL mount with Hirose connector and LDS
B4 mount with Hirose connectorRecording media CFast 2.0 memory cardsRecording 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 *Recording codec ProRes 4444XQ, 4444, 422 (HQ), 422, 422(LT), ARRIRAW *Recording frame rates
| Recording Format | Maximum Frame Rate in fps (1) | ||||
| Sensor Mode | Recording File Type | Recording Resolution (2) | Recording File Setting | Internal Recording | External Recorder |
| CFast 2.0 128 GB | Codex | ||||
| 16:9 | ProRes | HD | 422 | 200 | – |
| 422 HQ | 200 | – | |||
| 4444 | 200 | – | |||
| 4444 XQ | 120 | – | |||
| 2K Cine | 422 | 200 | – | ||
| 422 HQ | 200 | – | |||
| 4444 | 200 | – | |||
| 4444 XQ | 120 | – | |||
| 3.2K | 422 | 60 | – | ||
| 422 HQ | 60 | – | |||
| 4444 | 60 | – | |||
| 4444 XQ | 30 | – | |||
| 4K UHD | 422 | 60 | – | ||
| 422 HQ | 60 | – | |||
| 4444 | 60 | – | |||
| 4444 XQ | 30 | – | |||
| ARRIRAW** | 2.8K | 30 | 120 | ||
| 4:3** | ProRes | 2K Cine | 422 | 150 | – |
| 422 HQ | 150 | – | |||
| 4444 | 120 | – | |||
| 4444 XQ | 60 | – | |||
| ARRIRAW | 2.8K | Full | 30 | 60 | |
| 2.6K | Cropped | 30 | 60 | ||
** available with future SUP
(1) Minimum frame rate is always 0.75 fps
(2) The “recording resolution” determines the number of horizontal pixels that will be recorded (the number of vertical pixels is dependent on the recording file type and sensor mode)
Color output Rec 709, custom look or Log CLook control Import of custom 3D LUT, ASC CDL parameter (slope, offset, power, saturation)Adjustable image parameters Knee, gamma, saturation, black gamma, saturation by hueFocus and exposure control Peaking, zebra, false colorWhite balance Manual and auto white balanceSound level < 20 dB(A) at standard frame ratesEnvironmental -20° C to +50° C (-4° F to +122° F) @ 95% humidity max, non-condensing
Splash and dust-proof through sealed electronicsViewfinder Multi Viewfinder MVF-1 (OLED and LCD ) with flip-out LCD screen
and military-grade connector to cameraControl interface Soft buttons and OSD on SDI output,
integration of Transvideo StarliteHD touch interface *ARRI lens motor control Built-in radio interface for ARRI lens control
L-Bus motor output for daisy-chainable cforce lens control motorsWi-Fi remote control Built-in Wi-Fi interface and web-based remote control from phones,
tablets and laptopsCustom control Optional GPIO interface for integration with custom control interfacesPower input Lemo 8-pin, 10.5-34 V DCVideo outputs 2x HD-SDI out 1.5G and 3G: uncompressed HD video with embedded audio
and metadata, SDI-6G interface to external CODEX recorder *Inputs SDI-Genlock (optional activation through ARRI Service),
timecode (in and output)Other interfaces USB 2.0 (for usersets, looks etc.)
Ethernet
EXT accessory interface w. RS pin
* may not be available at product launch, but will become available as a software upgrade later in 2015
coming soon!
Description
ARRI Alexa Mini combines a compact and lightweight form factor with the same unparalleled image quality that has made the ALEXA system a gold standard for the industry. Designed for specialized shot-making, the ALEXA Mini perfectly complements a full ALEXA shooting kit and allows the crew to keep a single system that is trusted all over the world.
