Filmmaking cameras
Film cameras and Lenses used for
'All quiet on the western front'
DP James Friend used the Arri Alexa 65 for the exterior shots paired with Arri Rental Prime DNA lenses and his own set of Tribe7 Blackwing7 lenses. The production was captured in LF Open Gate with spherical lenses although cropped to an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 in post. Just to a-be able to reframe things when needed. About the lens choice Friend adds: "We looked at large-format anamorphic lenses, but I was concerned about the action work on the battlefield. The weight of the lenses with the dynamic camera moves was a major consideration. So, we chose spherical."
Some low light scenes, with military flares, were shot at 2,500 ISO with the Sony’s Venice camera, using the Rialto system. The Alexa sensor is very sensitive, but they needed just a little bit more from the dual native ISO of the Venice.
CAMERAS
Sony Venice Rialto
The VENICE Extension System enables cabled separation of the VENICE camera body and image sensor block by up to 5.5m with no degradation in image quality.
The kit consists of a front panel cover, image sensor block case and a 2.7m (9 ft) cable with an additional 2.7m (9 ft) extension cable. The Extension System also has an HD-SDI output and a 24V output for powering accessories such as lens servo motors and monitoring. The Extension System is fully compatible with all existing and future VENICE cameras upgraded to V3 or higher firmware. Used for Top Gun Maverick, to mount six cameras in a jet fighter cockpit.
Arri Alexa 65
Offering a complete large-format solution for high-end motion pictures, the ALEXA 65 system comprises a 65 mm digital cinema camera, custom-designed prime and zoom lenses, and fast, efficient workflow tools. Interest in the system has spread rapidly, with leading filmmakers pressing to use it on major feature films and IMAX announcing that it has selected the ALEXA 65 platform as its digital option for 2D IMAX productions.
Available exclusively through ARRI Rental, the ALEXA 65 has already been supplied to numerous high-profile projects, some using it as the main unit camera throughout production and others using it as a specialist camera for sequences that require extreme levels of image quality.
"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," shot by Greig Fraser has been utilizing the ALEXA 65 as its main unit A, B and C-cameras. Before that, Stuart Dryburgh captured with ALEXA 65 on "The Great Wall," using it as his A and B-cameras on main unit.
Behind the ALEXA 65's latest system updates are pioneering technology advances that will also feature in ARRI's new-generation ALEXA SXT cameras. The updated ALEXA 65 now supports 2 TB SXR capture drives, offering over 40 minutes of recording time at the full 6560 x 3100 sensor resolution.
Arri Alexa Mini LF
The go-to camera for drama series, feature films and commercials.
Combining the compact size and low weight of the popular ALEXA Mini with the large-format ALEXA LF sensor, ALEXA Mini LF brings exciting new creative possibilities to ARRI’s large-format camera system. Featuring 16 recording formats, the Mini LF can be universally used for large format and Super 35 productions.
The ARRI ALEXA Mini LF camera native 4K recording, with ARRIRAW or ProRes recording in LF Open Gate, LF 16:9, or LF 2.39:1 mode. It combines large-format resolution with an optimal pixel size for excellent image quality producing vivid, nuanced images with natural skin tones.
Red Epic Dragon
The RED Epic camera model is equipped with a 6K ‘Dragon’ sensor. This is a 19 megapixel Bayer pattern 16-bit CMOS sensor.
Capable of capturing up to 75 fps at full resolution and 400 fps in 2K resolution. Impressive native exposure eclipse 35mm film in both latitude and image density.
Compatible with PL, Canon, Nikon, and even Leica M mounts. So use pretty much any cinema lense with confidence and bring the picture quality to an even higher level. This camera can be configured with a Pro I/O Module for professional audio and video I/O connectors.
LENSES
Arri Prima DNA
DNA is a completely new concept in lens development, pioneered by ARRI Rental in collaboration with visually ambitious cinematographers. Sourcing vintage optics from different historical periods, we embrace unusual image attributes that arouse an emotional response.
Selected optics are rehoused into modern lens casings, with the manufacturing carried out in-house at ARRI Rental. Each lens has its own personality, often customized for individual filmmakers, allowing stories to be told with a new visual boldness.
Blackwing7
Purpose-designed for large format motion picture imaging, BLACKWING7 lenses from TRIBE7 represent an entirely new range of tuned optics for contemporary film makers to use within their creative story telling.
BLACKWING7 optics exhibit unique imaging properties which arise from the introduction of controlled distortion during the development and manufacturing processes. This distortion is modular and allows a level of tuneability over key parameters which shape many creative characteristics of the lenses.
The lens range comprises a core set of 7 focal lengths – with three tuning options per focal length, configurable at point of manufacture.
BLACKWING7 lens tuning allows parameters such as sharpness, contrast, roll-off, spherical aberration, field curvature, edge halation and flare to be modified to provide sets of “curated” optics to suit the personality and intent of the owner.
Many of the design cues for BLACKWING7 primes originate in optics manufactured during the 1930 - 1960s, but the real inspiration behind the lenses lies in the evolutionary nature of experimental music and audio synthesis, and the process of creating distortion through sound amplification.
Arri Zeiss Compact Prime
With its full frame coverage and EF mount option the Compact Prime allowed DSLR shooters to become more professional, providing he features of real cine lenses.
Thanks to its performance and the fact that his mount is simple to change, able to pass from EF to PL easily, the Compact Prime lenses are now also used with professional cameras with PL mount, taking advantage of the quality Arri / Zeiss at a low cost.
Arri Fujinon Alura
The ARRI Alura Zooms combine the highest optical performance with an amazingly small size, weight and price. They are available as Studio zooms for use on a tripod or crane with a wider focal range, or as lightweight zooms which are significantly smaller and lighter in exchange for a reduced focal range.
All Alura Zooms' color characteristics, as well as their handling, are matched to existing prime lenses in ARRI's outstanding repertoire.