Arri ALEXA User Manual
User Manual
ARRI ALEXA
For ALEXA Software
Update Packet 2.1
Printed on 29 November, 2010
All rights reserved.
This document is provided under a license agreement containing
restrictions on use and disclosure and is also protected by copyright
law. Reverse engineering of the system is prohibited.
Due to continued product development this information may change
without notice. The information and intellectual property contained
herein is confidential between ARRI and the client and remains the
exclusive property of ARRI. If you find any problems in the
documentation, please report them to us in writing. ARRI does not
warrant that this document is error-free.
Arnold & Richter Cine Technik
Tuerkenstr. 89
D-80799 Munich
Germany
mailto: service@arri.com
http://www.arri.com
Contents
1 Disclaimer 4
2 Scope 7
3 ALEXA Images 8
4 Introduction to ALEXA 10
4.1
About This Manual................................................................. 12
5 Safety Instructions 13
5.1
Explanation of Warning Signs and Indications ................... 13
5.2
General Safety Instructions ................................................... 13
5.3
Specific Safety Instructions ................................................... 14
6 General Precautions 16
6.1
Storage and Transport........................................................... 16
6.2
Electromagnetic Interference ................................................ 16
6.3
Condensation.......................................................................... 16
7 Power Supply 18
7.1
Power Management............................................................... 18
7.2
BAT Connector ....................................................................... 19
7.3
Mains Unit NG 12/26 R........................................................... 19
7.4
Cine-Style Batteries................................................................ 19
7.5
Onboard Batteries .................................................................. 20
7.6
V-Lock Batteries...................................................................... 21
7.7
Gold Mount Batteries............................................................. 22
7.8
Power Outputs........................................................................ 23
7.8.1 12 V Accessories..................................................................... 24
7.8.2 24 V Accessories..................................................................... 24
8 Installation of The Camera 25
8.1
Minimum Equipment Recommended For Operation ......... 25
8.2
Tripod and Remote Heads..................................................... 25
8.3
Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1 .................................................. 26
8.3.1 Viewfinder Cables .................................................................. 27
8.3.2 Viewfinder Mounting Bracket ............................................... 28
II Contents
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
8.10
Center Handle CCH-1 ............................................................. 30
Camera Side Handle CSH-1................................................... 31
Bridge Plate BP-12.................................................................. 32
Bridge Plate adapter BPA-1 ................................................... 33
Wedge Adapter WA-1 + Quick-Release Plate ...................... 34
Leveling Block LB-1 ................................................................ 34
Shoulder Pad SP-3 ................................................................. 35
9 Connectors 36
9.1
BAT .......................................................................................... 38
9.2
REC OUT 1&2.......................................................................... 38
9.3
RET/SYNC IN........................................................................... 38
9.4
MON OUT ............................................................................... 38
9.5
EXT .......................................................................................... 38
9.6
Ethernet ................................................................................... 39
9.7
EVF........................................................................................... 39
9.8
AUDIO IN................................................................................. 39
9.9
RS............................................................................................. 39
9.10
12 V .......................................................................................... 39
9.11
TC............................................................................................. 40
9.12
3.5mm TRS connector (Headphone Jack)............................ 40
9.13
SD Card ................................................................................... 40
9.14
SxS Slots ................................................................................. 41
10 Optics 43
10.1
Lens Adapter PL Mount LA-PL-1 (no LDS) ........................... 43
10.2
Lens Support .......................................................................... 44
11 Camera Controls 46
11.1
Main Controls ......................................................................... 46
11.1.1 Display..................................................................................... 47
11.1.2 Screen Buttons ....................................................................... 47
11.1.3 Function Buttons .................................................................... 47
11.1.3.1 TC (Time Code)....................................................................... 48
11.1.3.2 INFO......................................................................................... 50
11.1.3.3 USER........................................................................................ 52
11.1.4 HOMESCREEN........................................................................ 55
11.1.4.1 Lists and User Lists ................................................................ 57
11.1.4.2 FPS........................................................................................... 58
11.1.4.3 SHUTTER ................................................................................ 61
11.1.4.4 EI .............................................................................................. 63
11.1.4.5 WB ........................................................................................... 64
11.1.5 Menu........................................................................................ 67
11.1.5.1 Recording ................................................................................ 67
11.1.5.2 Monitoring .............................................................................. 71
11.1.5.3 Project...................................................................................... 75
11.1.5.4 System..................................................................................... 76
11.1.5.5 User Setups ............................................................................ 80
11.2
Operator controls ................................................................... 81
11.3
EVF Controls ........................................................................... 82
11.3.1 Viewfinder EVF menu ............................................................ 83
11.3.2 Viewfinder CAM menu........................................................... 84
12 Operation of The Camera 84
12.1
Recording ................................................................................ 84
12.1.1 Internal recording................................................................... 84
12.1.2 External recording.................................................................. 89
12.1.3 Parallel recording ................................................................... 91
12.2
Monitoring .............................................................................. 91
12.2.1 Framelines .............................................................................. 92
12.3
Using Time code .................................................................... 94
12.4
Syncing the Sensors of Two Cameras ................................. 96
12.5
Syncing the Settings of Two Cameras ................................. 96
Appendix 99
A.1
Appendix ............................................................................... 100
A.2
Camera Dimensions............................................................. 103
A.3
Connector Pin Outs .............................................................. 104
A.4
ALEXA Camera Accessory List ........................................... 108
A.5
Infos and Warnings .............................................................. 110
13 Index 115
4 DisclaimerAbout This Manual
1 Disclaimer
Before using the products described in this manual be sure to read and
understand all respective instruction.
The ARRI ALEXA is only available to commercial customers. The
customer grants by utilization that the ARRI ALEXA or other
components of the system are deployed for commercial use. Otherwise
the customer has the obligation to contact ARRI preceding the
utilization.
While ARRI endeavors to enhance the quality, reliability and safety of
their products, customers agree and acknowledge that the possibility of
defects thereof cannot be eliminated entirely. To minimize risk of
damage to property or injury (including death) to persons arising from
defects in the products, customers must incorporate sufficient safety
measures in their work with the system and have to heed the stated
canonic use.
ARRI or its subsidiaries do not assume any responsibility for incurred
losses due to improper handling or configuration of the camera or
other system components, due to sensor contamination, occurence of
dead or defective pixels, defective signal connections or
incompatibilities with third party recording devices.
ARRI assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this
document. The information is subject to change without notice.
For product specification changes since this manual was published,
refer to the latest publications of ARRI data sheets or data books, etc.,
for the most up-to-date specifications. Not all products and/or types are
available in every country. Please check with an ARRI sales
representative for availability and additional information.
Neither ARRI nor its subsidiaries assume any liability for infringement
of patents, copyrights or other intellectual property rights of third
parties by or arising from the use of ARRI products or any other liability
arising from the use of such products. No license, express, implied or
otherwise, is granted under any patents, copyrights or other intellectual
property right of ARRI or others.
ARRI or its subsidiaries expressly exclude any liability, warranty,
demand or other obligation for any claim, representation, or cause, or
action, or whatsoever, express or implied, whether in contract or tort,
including negligence, or incorporated in terms and conditions, whether
by statue, law or otherwise. In no event shall ARRI or its subsidiaries be
liable for or have a remedy for recovery of any special, direct, indirect,
incidental, or consequential damages, including, but not limited to lost
profits, lost savings, lost revenues or economic loss of any kind or for
any claim by third party, downtime, good-will, damage to or
replacement of equipment or property, any cost or recovering of any
material or goods associated with the assembly or use of our products,
or any other damages or injury of the persons and so on or under any
other legal theory.
In the case one or all of the foregoing clauses are not allowed by
applicable law, the fullest extent permissible clauses by applicable law
are validated.
Disclaimer About This Manual 5
ARRI is a registered trademark of Arnold & Richter Cine Technik GmbH
& Co Betriebs KG.
Note: This product and the accessories recommended by the manufacturer
fulfill the specifications of the European Directive 2004/108/EC (15th December
2004).
The ALEXA viewfinder EVF-1 contains proprietary technology owned by
Fourth Dimension Displays Limited and licensed by ARRI.
This product contains licensed technology from Linotype.
Quicktime and Quicktime logo are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Apple Computer, Inc., used under license therefrom.
Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 4444 and the ProRes logo are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., used
under license therefrom.
SxS and
are trademarks of SONY corporation.
This product meets CE regulations.
2 Scope
This instruction manual applies to the following hardware, software
and firmware versions:
ARRI ALEXA camera with ARRI EVF-1 electronic viewfinder
• Camera software update packet (SUP): 2.1
• EVF-1 software packet: 1.24
Document revision history
SUP ID drawing release/
revision
2.1 K5.72550.0 2031-00-00-00-99 FG5445 29th Nov 2010
date
8 ALEXA ImagesAbout This Manual
3 ALEXA Images
Figure 1: Camera right side
Figure 2: Camera left side
Figure 3: Camera top
ALEXA Images About This Manual 9
Figure 4: Camera bottom
Figure 5: Camera front
Figure 6: Camera back
10 Introduction to ALEXAAbout This Manual
4 Introduction to ALEXA
ALEXA is a 35 format film-style digital camera made by ARRI, the world
leader in professional cinematographic imaging. It combines leading
edge digital technology with film camera features that have been
refined over more than 90 years of ARRIs history. The result is a camera
that allows classic cinematographers to shoot digitally without the need
for a excessive training when transforming from film.
People who are used to shoot digitally will experience a camera like
they never did before, providing more powerful features than in any
other camera available today.
Handling
The camera is a true ARRI. It has a high-precision integrated housing
with an ergonomic design. It is rugged, reliable, flexible and sealed to
make it splash-proof. It also has mounting points for accessories, as
ALEXA integrates well with existing ARRI accessories. In addition, a
new range of accessories specifically designed for ALEXA is available.
Operation
ALEXA features a unique user interface, designed to make camera
operation easier than ever, while giving access to more controls than
any camera before.
There are three different control interfaces:
• The Main user interface on the right side gives access to every
camera parameter through a graphical display and a button
panel.
• The Operator user interface on the left side for basic control,
adjustable to the operator's individual needs by supplying
assignable buttons in addition to function buttons.
• The viewfinder user interface for adjusting the most important
image parameters with buttons on the viewfinder and the
interface graphics overlayed to the viewfinder image.
Power management
The camera accepts any input voltage from 11-34 V DC. Different power
sources can be connected to the camera simultaneously. The camera's
power management ensures that the power source with the highest
voltage level is used. Power sources are hot-swappable to minimize the
risk of sudden power loss. Switching power sources without the need
to reboot saves valuable time during a shoot.
Introduction to ALEXA About This Manual 11
ALEV III sensor
The ALEV III sensor has a horizontal pixel count of 3.5K resulting in true
2K resolution. It covers the full Super-35 format and it provides a
latitude of 14 stops at a base sensitivity of 800 ASA. The result is a
superior image quality.
The sensor temperature is kept stable by a Peltier element to ensure
optimum image quality under all operating conditions.
AIT - ARRI Imaging Technology
ARRI imaging technology ensures the most organic, film-like image
quality of any digital camera with natural color rendition and pleasing
skin tones.
Thermal concept
The camera electronics are fully sealed to protect them from dirt and
moisture. Camera heat is transported via heat pipes to a radiator which
is cooled by a fan. The fan itself is very silent, so the camera noise level
is below 20 dB (A)* - this is the same as with ARRI sync-sound film
cameras. If the fan noise level starts to increase due to fan aging, the
fan can be swapped in a matter of minutes by a trained technician.
*at 24 fps and ambient temperature < 25°C
EVF-1 electronic viewfinder
ARRI is redefining electronic viewfinders with LED lighting, high
resolution and a viewing experience that comes as close to an optical
viewfinder as possible.
Internal recording
ALEXA can internally record Quicktime movies with Apple ProRes
codecs to Sony SxS cards. The cards deliver high data rates and are
very robust. ProRes can be natively edited in FinalCutPro, eliminating
the need to transcode. ProRes 422 (HQ) and ProRes 4444 deliver
visually lossless compressed images with a color depth of 10 bit for
ProRes 422 and 12 bit for ProRes 4444.
12 Introduction to ALEXAAbout This Manual
4.1 About This Manual
It is recommended that all users of the ALEXA camera read the manual
front to back prior to the first usage. The manual's structure also
provides quick access for reference to experienced users. All directions
are given from an operator's point of view.
• Images: give a quick overview of the camera.
• Safety instructions / general precautions: very important - do not
skip this part.
• Power supply: overview how the camera is supplied with power.
• Installation of the camera: information on camera mechanics.
• Connectors: what goes into the camera and what comes out.
• Optics: how to get a good image into the camera.
• Camera controls: how to set up the camera.
• Operation of the camera: gives examples and recommendations
on camera operation.
Safety Instructions Explanation of Warning Signs and Indications 13
5 Safety Instructions
Any violation of these safety instructions or non-observance of
personal care could cause serious injuries (including death) to users
and affiliates and damage to the equipment or other objects.
5.1 Explanation of Warning Signs and
Indications
Indicates a possible risk of injury or damage to the equipment
Indicates the risk of electric shock or fire danger that could
result in injury or damage to the equipment.
Note: Indicates further information or information from other instruction
manuals
5.2 General Safety Instructions
• Always follow these instructions to ensure against injury to
yourself or others and damage to the system or other objects.
• This safety information is in addition to the product specific
operating instructions in general and must be strictly observed
for safety reasons.
• Read and understand all safety and operating instructions before
you operate or install the system!
• Retain all safety and operating instructions for future reference.
• Heed all warnings on the system and in the safety and operating
instructions before you operate or install the system. Follow all
installation and operating instructions.
• Do not use accessories or attachments that are not recommended
by ARRI, as they may cause hazards and invalidate the warranty!
• Do not attempt to repair any part of the system! Repairs must
only be carried out by authorized ARRI Service Centers.
14 Safety InstructionsSpecific Safety Instructions
5.3 Specific Safety Instructions
• Do not remove any safety measures from the system!
• Do not operate the system in areas with humidity above
operating levels or expose it to water or moisture!
• Do not cover the fan openings at the camera back top and
bottom!
• Do not subject the system to severe shocks!
• Do not place the system on an unstable trolley/hand truck, stand,
tripod, bracket, table or any other unstable support device! The
system may fall, causing serious personal injury and damage to
the system or other objects.
• Operate the system using only the type of power source indicated
in the manual! Unplug the power cable by gripping the power
plug, not the cable!
• Never insert objects of any kind into any part of the system if not
clearly qualified for the task in the manual, as objects may touch
dangerous voltage points or short out parts! This could cause fire
or electrical shock.
• Unplug the system from the power outlet before opening any
part of the system or before making any changes to the system,
especially the attaching or removing of cables!
• Do not use solvents to clean!
• Do not remove any stickers or paint marked screws!
• Always place a lens or a protective cap in the lens mount
receptacle!
• Changing camera lenses should be done in a dry and dust-free
environment. If this is not possible, take extra care that no dust
enters the camera while the lens is off!
• When no lens is attached to the camera, immediately place the
protective on the lens mount to avoid contamination of the
sensor cover glass!
• After changing lenses, always perform a dust check to make sure
no dust has settled on the sensor cover glass!
• Clean optical lens surfaces only with a lens brush or a clean lens
cloth. in cases of solid dirt or grease, moisten a lens cloth with
pure alcohol. Discard contaminated lens cloth after use! Never
attempt to clean a lens brush with your fingers!
• NEVER USE CANS WITH COMPRESSED AIR OR GAS TO BLOW
OFF THE DUST! This can severely damage optical elements.
Safety Instructions Specific Safety Instructions 15
• If the sensor cover glass has been contaminated by solid dirt or
grease, special optical cleaning kits should be used for dirt
removal under very high care! If the contamination cannot be
removed, the camera should be taken to an ARRI service center
for cleaning.
• NEVER USE METHANOL OR ACETONE TO CLEAN OPTICAL
SURFACES!
• NEVER TRY TO REMOVE THE SENSOR COVER GLASS!
• DO NOT POINT THE CAMERA INTO DIRECT SUNLIGHT, VERY
BRIGHT LIGHT SOURCES, OR HIGH-ENERGY LIGHT SOURCES
(e.g. laser beams)! This may cause permanent damage to the
camera image sensor.
• DO NOT POINT THE VIEWFINDER INTO DIRECT SUNLIGHT, VERY
BRIGHT LIGHT SOURCES, OR HIGH-ENERGY LIGHT SOURCES
(e.g. laser beams)! This may cause permanent damage to the
viewfinder display and optical elements.
16 General PrecautionsStorage and Transport
6 General Precautions
6.1 Storage and Transport
• To prevent damage to the optical filters and the sensor, a
protective cap must be on the lens mount receptacle while no
lens is attached.
• All cables have to be unplugged from the camera when it is
transported or stored inside a camera case.
• Do not store the camera in places where it is subject to extreme
temperatures, direct sunlight, high humidity, severe vibration, or
near strong magnetic fields.
6.2 Electromagnetic Interference
ALEXA meets EC regulations by fulfilling the specifications of the
European Directive 2004/108/EC (15th December 2004).
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate
the equipment.
6.3 Condensation
When moving the camera from a cool to a warm location or when the
camera is used in a damp environment, condensation may form inside
the lens compartment, on the sensor cover glass, between sensor and
its cover glass, and on internal or external electrical connections.
• Operating the camera in these conditions may result in personal
injury or damage to the equipment!
General Precautions Condensation 17
Condensation on the optical components may have a visible effect on
the output images. To reduce the risk of condensation:
• Find a warmer storage location.
• Attach the ARRI air-drying cartridge (silica bottle) to the PL-Mount
of the camera during storage (NOT during transport!)
• If camera needs to be stored in a place that is considerably cooler
than the location where it will be used, consider keeping the
camera powered from a mains unit in addition to using the airdrying cartridge.
• In ambient temperatures above 30°C/86°F and/or humidity above
60%, always attach the air-drying cartridge to the PL-Mount of the
camera when not in use. This not only applies to storage, but also
to shooting breaks and situations when the camera remains
without an attached lens for an extended time.
• MAKE SURE THE SILICA BOTTLE IS SECURELY FASTENED.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SPILL SILICA INTO THE LENS
COMPARTMENT!
18 Power SupplyPower Management
7 Power Supply
• Only use recommended power supply solutions.
• Manipulation of power supplies can result in severe damage to
the equipment and humans, including death.
ALEXA accepts an input voltage range from 11 to 34 V DC. The camera
can be powered through the BAT connector or can be quipped with
battery adapters accepting V-Lock or Gold Mount batteries.
The power supply should deliver an output of more than 90 W to power
the camera sufficiently. The power draw of the camera in basic
configuration is about 85 W.
Note: when powering accessories through the camera, the power draw of the
camera is increased by the amount of power drawn by the accessories.
7.1 Power Management
When using the BAT connector and one or more onboard battery
adapters simultaneously, the camera power management ensures that
the power source with the highest voltage level is used. When the
voltage level of one power source drops below the level of the other, or
a power source is disconnected from the camera, the power
management automatically switches to the other power source,
avoiding shutdown of the system.
So as an example, one could use a 12 V onboard battery as backup for
the main 24 V battery, or power the camera from the 24 V battery while
on a tripod and use the 12 V battery for fast switching to handheld
mode by just unplugging the power cable.
When using two onboard battery adapters with batteries in parallel,
they are treated as one source by the camera. This allows combining
small batteries with less load per item into one strong power source.
Power Supply BAT Connector 19
7.2 BAT Connector
The BAT connector of ALEXA is a Fischer 2-pin socket located on the
bottom back of the camera right side.
The socket accepts power cables KC-20S and KC-29S. The cables can
either be connected to the mains unit NG 12/26R or to 24V Cine-style
batteries with three-pin XLR outputs.
Figure 7: BAT connector
7.3 Mains Unit NG 12/26 R
Use of the mains unit is recommended for shooting in the studio and
when using electronic accessories with high power consumption.
• First check that the correct mains voltage is set on the mains unit
(fuse on back of unit).
• Connect the mains unit to AC mains power.
• Ensure that the camera power is turned off.
• Set the voltage switch on the mains unit to 26 V.
Plug the battery cable KC-20S or KC-29S (spiral cable) into the power
supply socket on the camera and into the 26 V socket on the mains unit.
Note: The NG 12/24 R was the original design that provided 12 & 24 volts
output – it was superseded by the NG 12/26 R, which outputs 12 & 26 volts. The
NG 12/24 R can easily be upgraded to NG 12/26 R specification at an ARRI
service center.
7.4 Cine-Style Batteries
Any Cine-style battery with level of 24 V and a three-pin XLR out can be
used to power the camera through a KC-20S or a KC-29S.
Available from ARRI is the battery CINE VCLX/2 battery (280 Wh) with
charger.
20 Power SupplyOnboard Batteries
To connect the battery to the camera:
• Ensure that the main switch on the camera is off.
• Plug the battery cable KC-20S or KC-29S (spiral cable) into the
power supply socket on the camera and the battery 28 V output
socket.
Note: When the battery voltage drops below the warning level, the BAT1 level
in the camera display will start flashing. A white "i" will appear, signaling more
information is available on the INFO screen.
Note: For more information on setting the low battery warning level, see
Menu>System>Power (on page 76).
Charging the battery
• Connect the charger to AC mains power.
• Plug the charger cable into the charge input socket of the battery.
• Once charged, batteries may be kept on the charger until
required.
Note: For more information on CINE VCLX/2 battery and charger, please check
the corresponding manual.
7.5 Onboard Batteries
The camera can be equipped with adapters for either V-Lock or Gold
Mount video-style batteries.
The following two adapters are currently available:
• BAB-G: Back-mount adapter Gold Mount batteries
• BAB-V: Back-mount adapter V-Lock batteries
Two further adapters will be available soon:
• BAT-G: Top-mount adapter Gold Mount batteries
• BAT-V: Top-mount adapter V-Lock batteries
Note: Adapters must be installed by a trained technician!
Anton Bauer Gold Mount batteries and ID-X V-Lock batteries transmit
their remaining capacity to the camera, which is displayed in percent on
the Homescreen of the camera display. For these batteries, the user
does not need to set the battery warning level due to the
communication between the camera and the battery.
Power Supply V-Lock Batteries 21
7.6 V-Lock Batteries
V-Lock batteries are available from a number of manufacturers. VLockbatteries from ID-X transmit information on their remaining
capacity to the camera. ALEXA displays the remaining capacity in
percent on the Homescreen of the camera display. For ID-X batteries,
the user does not need to set the battery warning level due to the
communication of camera and battery.
Attaching the battery to the adapter
• Place the battery with the V-shaped wedge into the adapter so
that the wedge sits right above its counterpart of the mount.
• Move the battery downwards until you hear a snap.
• Make sure it is connected correctly and sits tight.
Releasing the battery
• When facing the battery, press the button located on the mount
on the left side. Some batteries have an additional top-release
mechanism.
• Move the battery upwards and remove it.
Figure 8: ALEXA with BAB-V and V-Mount battery
22 Power SupplyGold Mount Batteries
Note: Not all V-Lock batteries deliver enough power to supply the camera. We
recommend to not use any batteries with a capacity of less than 90 Wh to
prevent damage to the battery and unpredictable camera behavior. Any
camera-battery combination should be tested prior to use, especially when
accessories are powered through the camera.
7.7 Gold Mount Batteries
Gold Mount is the battery mounting system of Anton Bauer batteries.
The batteries transmit information on their remaining capacity to the
camera. ALEXA displays the remaining capacity in percent on the
Homescreen of the camera display. For Gold Mount batteries, the user
does not need to set the battery warning level due to the
communication of camera and battery.
Attaching the battery to the adapter
• Place the battery with the three pins into the adapter so that the
pins sit in the corresponding holes of the mount.
• Move the battery to the right until you hear a snap.
• Make sure it is connected correctly and sits tight.
Releasing the battery
• When facing the battery, move the lever located on the left side of
the mount down.
Power Supply Power Outputs 23
• Move the battery left, then pull it towards you and remove it.
Figure 9: Camera with BAB-G and a Gold Mount battery
Note: Not all Gold Mount batteries deliver enough power to supply the camera.
We recommend to not use any batteries with a capacity of less than 90 Wh to
prevent damage to the battery and unpredictable camera behavior. Any
camera-battery combination should be tested prior to use, especially when
accessories are powered through the camera.
7.8 Power Outputs
The camera has three power outputs for accessories, 2x 24 V and 1x 12
V.
Figure 10: 24 V outputs (RS) and 12 V output
24 Power SupplyPower Outputs
7.8.1 12 V Accessories
The 12 V output is located on the right side of the camera. It has a 2-pin
LEMO connector and can supply a device with a current of up to 2.5 A,
depending on the camera power supply.
7.8.2 24 V Accessories
Two RS outputs are located on the right side of the camera. They have
a 3-pin Fischer connector. They can supply two devices with a
combined load of up to 2.5 A, depending on the camera power supply.
When the camera is powered from a source with a voltage below 24V,
they output 24V. If the camera's power source is supplying more than
24V, this voltage level is also present on the RS outputs.
Besides powering accessories, these sockets can also be used to send a
remote start+stop signal to the camera.
Installation of The Camera Minimum Equipment Recommended For Operation 25
8 Installation of The Camera
8.1 Minimum Equipment
Recommended For Operation
• ARRI ALEXA body including SxS module and lens adapter PL
mount (LA-PL-1)
• EVF-1 electronic viewfinder
• VMB-1 viewfinder mounting bracket
• KC 150-S viewfinder cable short 0.35m/1.2ft
• CCH-1 center camera handle
• BP-12 bridge plate with base plate, or BPA-1 with BP-5/BP-8
bridge plate and base plate, or WA-1 and quick-release base-plate
• SD card
• Compatible power supply
• Sony SxS-Pro card for recording
8.2 Tripod and Remote Heads
Tripod and remote heads used with ALEXA have to provide enough
load capacity to support the camera and attached accessories. The table
to the right shows the camera weight for different components.
Note: Check for the payload of remote heads and cranes.
• In applications where the camera mount is subject to high forces
(e.g. car or helicopter mounts) the camera must be additionally
secured with retaining cords. All fastening screws must be
tightened firmly with an appropriate screwdriver (not with the
commonly used coin!).
Camera weight lbs kg
ARRI ALEXA incl. SxS module, EVF-1, VMB-1,
CCH-1
ALEXA camera body including SxS module
16.85 7.65
13.79 6.26
EVF-1 1.65 0.75
VMB-1 0.55 0.25
KC-150S 0.26 0.12
26 Installation of The CameraElectronic Viewfinder EVF-1
Handle CCH-1 0.6 0.27
8.3 Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1
The EVF-1 employs an LCOS imaging device together with a
temperature stabilized LED light source to provide an accurate and
bright view of the sensor image under all operating conditions. The
viewfinder is calibrated to match the image of the camera's HD outputs.
The image area of the EVF-1 has a size of 1280x720 pixels. 32 additional
pixels each above and below the image provide two status bars for
displaying camera information. The EVF-1 can display the 10%
surround view area of the sensor to help the operator track unwanted
elements before they enter the recorded image area. Focus can be
checked by temporarily zooming into the image center with a
magnification of 2.25x. The low-latency interface of the EVF-1 has a
delay of less than 1 frame.
Installation of The Camera Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1 27
The viewfinder is connected to the camera with the mounting bracket
VMB-1.
Figure 11: Camera with EVF
Note: Do not point the viewfinder eye-piece at direct sunlight or bright light
sources, as this could damage the LCOS imaging device. If possible, cover the
eye-piece when not in use to prevent any damage.
8.3.1 Viewfinder Cables
The viewfinder cables are unidirectional with a male plug to connect to
the camera and a female plug to connect to the EVF.
Cables are available in the following lengths:
Model Length
(m / ft)
KC-150-S 0.35 / 1.2 For use of EVF-1 on camera left side in
KC-151-S 0.65 / 2.1 For use of EVF-1 on camera right side or
Purpose
handheld mode
when using Viewfinder Extension Bracket
VEB-1
KC-152-S 2.00 / 6.6 Longest possible length for use with
specialty rigs
28 Installation of The CameraElectronic Viewfinder EVF-1
Figure 12: EVF cables: KC-150S (center), KC-151S (middle), KC-152S
(outer)
8.3.2 Viewfinder Mounting Bracket
The viewfinder mounting bracket VMB-1 is attached to the camera with
two 3mm hex screws at the very front of the camera top. The
viewfinder is attached to the mounting bracket by sliding the dove tail
into the receptacle of the mounting bracket and then closing the lever
on the viewfinder.
The position of the viewfinder can be adjusted by loosening the levers
of the mounting bracket, adjusting the position as desired and closing
the levers.
It can be flipped over by first unscrewing the cap at the end of the side
adjusting rod, then removing the rod itself and inserting it into its
mount from the other side. Then reattach the cap.
Note: Camera right operation is not possible with the standard EVF cable KC150-S. Instead, the longer cable KC-151-S is needed.
Figure 13: VMB-1 on camera
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