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[Robert Tur]

Blackmagic Design has an uncompressed 4k SSD recorder for $1,995 that can, if it were allowed, record Arriraw. The reality to my mathematical mind, is that the technology is here, capable of doing the job at under 2k.

Blackmagic also has on display at their booth, a 2.5k 13-stops of latitude camera that records to an internal uncompressed 12-bit RAW recorder for $2,995 that comes with a full copy of Resolve 9 that normally sells for $995. Both Red's Scarlet and Canon's brand-new and much hyped C-300 are rendered obsolete. Especially with a far better recording system now available that costs 90% less...

I think it's probably a good idea that Arri  provide the software code so we can output the full uncompressed data from our camera's SDI outputs, instead of it's limited 1920 x 1080. By next year we'll be competing with cameras that cost $1,995.

[Jumperjack]

The new Canon 4k camera is serious competition.

[Thomas Wright]

investing in cameras is going to become obsolete

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law

glass is where it's at

[robstiff]

There are a lot of great cameras out there.
Sometimes it is also easy to assume that a new item's hype or being first carries more value than what it really does...

Of all the cameras old and new at NAB 2012, there is nothing better than the Alexa, still.

ARRIRAW is a great option with new pricing & 3rd party options now, cost effective, making Alexa worth having as the leader in Digital Cinema!

[Michael Borenstein]

Robert,

There are several options to record ARRIRaw.  Codex, S2, Astro, Cineflow, and soon Convergent Designs Gemini.  So you do currently have the ability to capture and use the raw output.  Here's a link to those recorders that are already certified: http://www.arri.com/camera/digital_cameras/workflow/working_with_arriraw/recorders.html

In order for the Blackmagic recorder to be certified, they need to apply to have it certified through our ArriRaw partner program.  I am not sure if this has or has not been done yet, as Resolve has native ARRIRaw support already. 

We stand behind our products.  We value our commitment and partnership with our customers through the unsurpassed image quality and workflow that the line of Alexa Cameras delivers, our commitment to long product cycles, a reliable and robust system, and amazing customer service and support.

Regards
Mike

[Rodrigo Lizana]

You know it´s not only having a PL mount and 4k sensor.   Otherwise Red would have been ruling the world from their first camera. 

2k Prores 444 onboard recording is a great announcement.  I´m eager to see how good the image will look with the new debayer algorithm. 

Regards

[Robert Tur]

My point isn't a comparison of products, but a commentary on the way our Alexa camera's options are being marketed. For the record: My Alexa Plus is the finest camera in the known universe, BUT I'm less than impressed with the way it's being supported. Red , Blackmagic, among others, seems to offer better after sales support of their software. I'm not talking about fixing bugs, which Arri has done with Sup 6, but increased frame rates, anamorphic de-squeeze, and now, Arri's support for the new 2k Prores codec. When I bought the camera and paid extra for the Prores module, I was told that my camera would support Apple's Prores codecs. Now, I'm told that's not true, to get 60 fps requires the high-speed license. So Apple's new codec will cost several thousand dollars as a "paid option to get more than 24 fps.

I'm appreciative that Arri allows me to raise these questions in this forum. Is says a great deal about their integrity. I may touch a nerve, now and again, with readers of this forum, but someone needs to raise these questions. I just surprised that I'm the only one

[Guenter N.]

Robert,

If you have the faster 64GB Sony SxS Pro cards your ALEA should be able to shoot 60fps ProRes 4444 in standard mode.
No HS license is required for this!
If you want to shoot fom 61 to 120fps you will need to purchase a HS license.

[Rodrigo Lizana]

There´s no doubt that the Alexa is the best digital camera around and the new standard for digital cinematography.  Also one must appreciate Arri´s effort to make it robust and reliable as possible.   People often seems to undervalue reliability and for an industry where time is money, it´s a great deal.  Having this forum and the on-line service has a lot of value.   And I can go on with all the good things Arri includes as standard in all their products and sometimes we don´t appreciate because their products are so good we don´t get to service them often.

But that does not make one feel for what Robert is saying.   There were a lot of things I assumed and expected that didn´t happen the way I assumed or expected.   Speed ramping for instance.  Now that we are probably into the middle of the life cycle of this camera (life cycle being a top notch/state of the art camera I mean), there still no announcement for speed ramping.   Of course Arri didn´t make a written promise about it, but since it was on the early brochures I assumed it was going to happen one day.

Also I didn´t expect to see an Alexa Plus 4:3 shortly after getting my Alexa Plus and worst, to know that I cannot upgrade mine to 4:3.   Not even paying for it.  For my market the Studio (which is a lovely camera) doesn´t make sense business wise.   But the Plus 4:3 does.    Of course Arri didn´t say the Alexa and Alexa Plus were going to be upgradable to 4:3, but letting us know our sensor were 4:3 masked as 16:9 created hope that one day that might happen.   Instead the Plus 4:3 appeared and how this affect the value of the standard Plus ? (contradictory words those two to be used on the same model).   So now if you have an Alexa Plus and want to shot 2x anamorphic, you need a new camera.   Alexa Studio, Plus 4:3 or M.   If you go with the Plus 4:3 you´ll find that you need to get the DNxHD codec (a +5K feature), no matter if you want it or not !.   Those kind of things doesn´t make too much sense to me.   Overall, I still love Arri.

[Michael Borenstein]

Rob and Rodrigo, Thank you for your continued support.  We appreciate it.

Rodrigo, I understand your frustration, however, we have looked at the efficacy of providing this as an upgrade but we cannot make this a viable option.  If we could, we would.

Regarding ramping.  We made the choice to invest our R/D time and money into delivering the highest quality and most pristine images on the market so that the post programs that are designed to implement ramps, ie NLE's/VFX programs, can do this.  This is part of their core capabilities, ours is making robust and reliable cameras that provide industry leading image quality.  As in life, product development is a little about give and take.

Regards
Mike