No sooner had ARRI ALEXA Mini LF arrived than users clamored for Super35 recording formats. And now, ALEXA Mini LF SUP 7.0 provides Super35 in addition to its existing Full Frame / Large Format sensor modes.
Until now, if you had traded in your beloved ALEXA Mini for a new Mini LF and then landed a Super35 job, of course you could have set Super35 framelines. You could put Mini LF into 16:9 sensor mode (31.68 x 17.82 mm, 3860 x 2160) and then crop in post.
(In DaVinci Resolve, go to the COLOR Page. Click on the sizing tab. Adjust with the Zoom slider. Automate with a node.)
The new Software Update Package SUP 7.0 provides your ALEXA Mini LF with identical recording formats as an ALEXA Mini. As an added bonus, maximum frame rates are faster in S35 and recording data rates are lower for the two new LF formats.
But please note that Super35 formats on ALEXA Mini or Mini LF are still not approved for Netflix 4K. If it’s a Netflix nod for 4K one wants, LF Large Format will fulfill.
New Super35 formats on ALEXA Mini LF are:
3.4K S35 3:2 3.4K 3424 x 2202 60 fps max.
3.2K S35 16:9 3.2K 3200 x 1800 75 fps max.
2.8K S35 4:3 2.8K 2880 x 2160 75 fps max.
2.8K S35 16:9 HD 2880 x 1620 100 fps max.
ALEXA Mini LF SUP 7.0 Beta Additional Features
▶ New LF Recording Formats:
- MXF/Apple ProRes 4.3K LF 16:9 – UHD 4320 x 2430 downsampled to 3840 x 2160.
- MXF/Apple ProRes 4.3K LF 16:9 – HD 4320 x 2430 downsampled to 1920 x 1080.
▶ Expanded Recording Format Names are more descriptive and include Recording Codec, Horizontal Photosites, LF or S35, Aspect Ratio and Recording Resolution. So, for example:
- ARRIRAW 3.4K S35 3:2 – 3.4K
- Apple ProRes 3.8K LF 16:9 – 2K
▶ Magnification (for focus) is now indicated by icons in the monitor status area on the left side instead of distracting orange lines around the image.
▶ Framelines, Aspect Ratios, Anamorphic Desqueeze: • Up to 256 framelines in the menu (previously 100).
- LF and S35 Open Gate default aspect ratios: 1.33:1, 1,78:1, 1.85:1, 2.00:1, 2.39:1
- Desqueeze ratios: 1.25x, 1.3x, 1.5x, 1.65x, 1.8x and 2x
▶ Support for the Signature Zoom Extender 1.7x
ALEXA Mini LF, ALEXA Mini, and ALEXA LF Comparison Chart
See ARRI’s ALEXA Mini LF SUP 7.0 site for complete details.
Artwork courtesy of ARRI.
Very disappointed with the S35 resolutions provided. Again 3.2K to fill UHD frame! Wasn’t that the reason behind not listing Alexa mini among Netflix approved cameras for their originals? I bet it is a challenge for Arri and us who had acquired huge number of S35 Lenses