DRAMA K ITS
SPECIALIST OPINION
WHY IS SHOOTING ALEXA LF BECOMING A POPULAR CHOICE FOR TV PRODUCTIONS?
JAKE RATCL I FFE TECHN ICAL SPECI ALIST
to use them. ACs and DOPs know Alexa: they know how much they can push it, they know how their WCU-4 works with it, they know how to make a frame-rate change fast and they know that they can rely on it while on set to withstand anything and still keep rolling. The LF series is also Arri’s first accessible 4K camera system that gives productions that require 4K acquisition the option to use both 4K and the Alexa system. There are some brilliant large format cinema cameras on the market, but with these new formats and lens options popping up, it’s important to explore your options, test lens and camera combinations and try to think how and why you need to shoot large format.
lengths. This somewhat simple change will take some getting used to, but if used correctly can create stunning imagery. Other benefits of shooting full-frame include the sensor design differences that are possible when you increase sensor size, like more photosites and larger photosites. With the Mini LF joining the full-size Alexa LF a few months ago, you now have two different cameras to choose from depending on your shooting scenario that deliver different pros and cons. The Alexa LF was not the first full-frame cinema camera to the market, but Arri’s ecosystem, reliability and usability has been a major factor in why so many productions choose
The Alexa sensor is the industry standard for a reason. For years cinematographers have enjoyed how the Alexa captures images, because of its stellar dynamic range, brilliant colour and forgiving highlight roll-off. So when Arri released the large format updates to the Alexa and Alexa Mini, it was only a matter of time before it became popular for high-end TV and cinema productions. The simple way of explaining what it’s like to use larger sensors is that you can use longer focal length lenses and achieve wider field of views than you would with smaller traditional-size sensors, and can achieve shallower depth-of-field as you are using these longer focal
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DECEMBER 20 1 9 | DEF I N I T ION 69
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