ARRI Releases ALEXA SXT

ARRI has announced the release of its new ALEXA SXT (Super Xtended Technology) cameras; the latest development in the ALEXA family.

ALEXA SXT cameras offer ProRes 4K recording, improved image quality, colour management and three fully independent HD-SDI outputs.

The latest models feature in-camera recording of ProRes 4K UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels) and ProRes 4K Cine (4096 x 2637 pixels), making them suitable for productions requiring 4K UHD TV or 4K DCI cinema deliverables.

The SXTs keep the 3.4K ALEV III sensor of previous ALEXAs and add the electronics behind the ALEXA 65. These high-performance electronics combine the latest generation of FPGA processors with an internal backplane and form the basis of a new image processing chain, advanced pixel correction and optional noise reduction. Like their XT predecessors, ALEXA SXT cameras retain the popular Open Gate, 4:3 and 16:9 sensor modes, which can be recorded in ARRIRAW or ProRes.

The latest release from ARRI uses the color management engine originally developed for the ARRI AMIRA camera. A new type of look file, the ALF-2 (ARRI Look File 2), contains an ASC CDL (Color Decision List) as well as a 3D LUT (Look-Up Table). The new colour management engine can match the look of current ALEXA cameras, but also provides the basis for new and different looks. Previewing of looks on set is improved, including the option to use the wide colour gamut of Rec 2020 gamma, while dailies creation is made more efficient and final grading made faster. ALF-2 files and the tools that create them are compatible between ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini and AMIRA.

ALEXA SXT cameras include three fully independent HD-SDI outputs. This allows, for example, a Log C image to be used to show the director an image with live grading, a clean Rec 709 image to be fed to video village, and a Rec 709 image with status information overlays to be displayed on the camera's on-board monitor.

The first ALEXA SXT cameras are planned for release around mid-2015. The full range will comprise ALEXA SXT EV, SXT Plus and SXT Studio models, replacing current ALEXA XT cameras (though the ALEXA Classic EV model will remain in the line-up). ALEXA XT cameras (except ALEXA XT M cameras) shipped between 1st Jan. 2015 and the first shipment of SXT cameras will be eligible for a full SXT upgrade, free of charge.

ARRI is also offering an SXR (Super Xtended Recording) Module upgrade to owners of existing ALEXA XT, XT Plus and XT Studio cameras. The SXR Module upgrade delivers all the features of the SXT cameras, although ARRo said it might not offer all the future upgrade potential.

www.arri.com

(IT/JP)