ARRI has unveiled a surprise major upgrade to the ALEXA 35 in the shape of the ALEXA 35 Xtreme, a re-engineered camera with a faster processor that delivers frame rates up to 660 fps.
It's not just an upgrade either, it's a wholesale change. ARRI says the new ALEXA 35 Xtreme 'revises and replaces the industry workhorse ALEXA 35'.
Available as a new camera or as an upgrade to existing ALEXA 35 cameras, it provides higher frame rates, a next-generation high-quality codec that reduces data rates, much longer pre-recording times, lower power consumption, and significantly improved WiFi capabilities.
That's quite a list.
Some of this is down to the introduction of a powerful new main processor, equipped with more and faster on-board memory. Frame rates up to 330 fps retain the camera’s full 17 stops of dynamic range, while a new Sensor Overdrive mode allows frame rates up to that arresting headline 660 fps at a dynamic range of 11 stops.
Pre-recording times are now five times longer than with the ALEXA 35, ALEXA 35 Xtreme giving you 30 seconds when shooting 24 fps Apple ProRes 4444 in the highest resolution (4.6K Open Gate), or a full five minutes when shooting 24 fps Apple ProRes 422 HQ in HD. The company claims these are the longest pre-recording times available in any cinema camera.
Additional improvements include 10% power savings over the ALEXA 35, as well as better wireless connectivity to accessories and tools like the ARRI Camera Companion App through compatibility with the WiFi 5 GHz band, WiFi roaming in a mesh network, and auto-reconnect to previously known networks.
The ALEXA 35 Xtreme is also complemented by the release of ARRICORE, ARRI’s next-generation RGB codec designed to deliver the camera’s exceptional image quality at a more accessible cost by reducing data rates. What's more, sensitivity, white balance, and tint are not baked in, giving more flexibility in post.
ARRI says that switching to ARRICORE is easy because on-set and post workflows remain consistent with existing ALEXA 35 codecs and drives. The ARRI Look File ALF4, ARRI Textures, metadata, the MXF wrapper, and audio will behave in a familiar way. ARRICORE is launching in beta to actively engage users and drive rapid enhancement of its capabilities through direct feedback. Most third-party tools that already support the current ALEXA 35 codecs will also support ARRICORE.
Form factor remains the same, as well as all connectors and mechanical interfaces, meaning it should be compatible with whatever it was compatible with before and should slot seamlessly in.
The ALEXA 35 Xtreme will be available in sets that include either a Base license or a Premium license. Existing feature licenses for the ALEXA 35 Base can also be applied to the ALEXA 35 Xtreme Base, offering additional functionality on a weekly, monthly, yearly, or permanent basis. The pricing for ALEXA 35 Xtreme sets and licenses will remain consistent with current ALEXA 35 prices.
New cameras start at $57,330 for the base spec model.
To protect customer investment, ARRI will upgrade any ALEXA 35 Base, ALEXA 35 Premium or ALEXA 35 Live camera to an ALEXA 35 Xtreme for €15,900 ($ pricing to come). The upgrade can be carried out at selected ARRI Service Centers and will retain any installed licenses. ALEXA 35 Xtreme cameras and upgrades will be available from August 2025.