GEAR. ARRI ALEXA 35
Arri flexes its muscles with a new camera that harks back to the company’s formative years History repeats itself
C ast your mind back to Underground map was unveiled to the public and 21-year-old Erich Kaestner first walked through the doors at Arri. Kaestner joined as a product designer, and was tasked with penning a new model featuring a reflex viewfinder. In 1936, a working prototype was paraded, before a production version – the Arriflex 35 – was premiered at Leipzig a year later. The camera used a spinning mirror to provide WYSIWYG parallax-free viewing. But, of equal importance, 1933. Franklin D. Roosevelt became the 32nd US president, the London it was lightweight and portable. Revolutionary and revelatory in equal measure, the Arriflex 35 established a new standard. Fast-forward to 2022 and it’s no coincidence that Arri’s latest model – the Alexa 35 – bears a similar moniker to its 85-year-old
predecessor. Small, rugged and giving filmmakers more creative control, its compact dimensions no longer mean compromise. Previous Alexa models have been available in two flavours: one larger, fully specified, the other smaller, but with trimmed functionality. Not so here. The Alexa 35 is small in size, but packs a hefty punch. A veritable Floyd Mayweather Jr for the modern cinematographer. Like many companies in the 21st century, Arri bases at least some of its product development on user feedback. According to managing director Stephan Schenk, resolution was top of the list this time around, without any adverse effects on image quality, naturally. Other requested developments included more creative choices for the user and improved handling of highlights. If those were on your Arri wish list, you’ll be delighted to hear
TOTAL PACKAGE The compact, yet fully featured Alexa 35 hones in on resolution and dynamic range
22. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook