Arri Alexa SUP 6.1 Pocket Guide

Pocket Guide

SUP

6.1

ALEXA Pocket Guide

Table of Contents

2

ALEXA Overview 4

Table of Contents

Introduction 4
Meeting the family 5

ALEXA Operation 6
Home Screen Soft Buttons 7

ALEXA Studio Icons 7
Home Screen Center Bar 8
Menu Settings & Button Functions 12

ALEXA Outputs 26
Output Overview 26
Output Overview / ProRes Recording 28
Output Overview / DNxHD Recording 29

ALEXA Recording 30
ARRIRAW 30
Gamma in the ALEXA 31

Look files in the ALEXA
Look files in a non-destructive workflow
Legal and Extended Range 40
p and psf 41
Exposure Index 42
ND filters with ALEXA 44
False Color Exposure Check 45
Metadata Overview 46
Licenses 48

Rec 709 31
Log C 31
Shooting in Log C 32

36

38

ALEXA Pocket Guide WebApp

www.arri.com/alexa/apg

New!

ALEXA Preshoot Checklist 50
General considerations 50
Recording on SxS PRO cards 51

Camera Setup 51
SxS Card Rotation 52

Recording High Speed 54

Camera Setup 54
SxS Card Rotation 55

Recording ARRIRAW 56

Camera Setup 56
Recorder Setup 57

ALEXA in a 3D Sync configuration 58

Camera Setup 58

ALEXA M fiber maintenance 59

ALEXA Specifications 60
Camera Types 60

ARRI Lenses 76
ARRI/ZEISS Master Prime lenses 76
ARRI/ZEISS Ultra Prime lenses 78
ARRI/ZEISS LDS Ultra Prime lenses 80
ARRI/FUJINON Alura Zooms 82
ARRI/ZEISS Master Macro 84

ALEXA Resources and Contacts 86
ARRI Sales Contacts 86
ARRI Service Contacts 88
ARRI Digital Workflow Solutions 90
Online Resources 91

Table of Contents

3

4

ALEXA Overview

Introduction

Welcome to the Pocket Guide for the ALEXA family of

ALEXA Overview

cameras, which contains important preproduction and
production information for an ALEXA shoot. The ALEXA
platform has been designed with ease of use and user­friendliness in mind; the menu and controls are simple
and intuitive, and the best way to learn ALEXA is to get
your hands on the real thing. However, carrying using
guide and combining it with other resources such as the
ALEXA manual at
www.arri.com/alexa/downloads or the interactive
ALEXA Camera Simulator at www.arri.com/alexa/tools
will ensure your readiness to take full advantage of the
camera’s unique and versatile features.

ALEXA – the original

Meeting the family

ALEXA Plus – the allrounder ALEXA M – the specialist ALEXA Studio – the flagship

ALEXA Overview

5

6

ALEXA Operation

ALEXA Operation

Home Screen Soft Buttons

The soft buttons lead to screens where the respective
settings can be changed. In the home screen, the
following info is displayed:

FPS: Set sensor frame rate
AUDIO: When audio is active, audio levels are

shown. Audio can also be switched
OFF, or DISABLED (when the sensor is
not running at sync-sound speed)

SHUTTER: Set shutter angle (and turn mirror

shutter on/off for ALEXA Studio)

EI: Set exposure index (and insert internal

ND filter for ALEXA Studio)

COLOR: Set gamma for REC OUT and SxS

image paths. If REC and/or SxS icons
have a blue background, a look is
active on this image path.

WB: Set white balance, consisting of a Kelvin

value for red-blue correction and a
CC shift for green-magenta correction
(shown as exponent).

ALEXA Studio Icons

Name Icon Description

Mirror
Shutter

View
Position

Gate
Position

ND filter ND filter active

M

S

V

G

ND

Flashing Icon when the

Mirror Shutter is spinning.

Mirror Shutter in View position

Mirror Shutter in Gate position

ALEXA Operation

7

Home Screen Center Bar

8

TC Displays current timecode including

source (INT=internal or EXT=external
source). Frames are not displayed,

ALEXA Operation

MASTER Camera is set to Ext sync: MASTER

SLAVE Camera is set to Ext sync: SLAVE

Settings sync is active

BAT 1 Voltage level of power source present

instead the time base of the timecode
is shown in small digits.

at BAT connector, or percentage of
remaining capacity of attached battery
if it transmits this information.

BAT 2 Voltage level of battery attached to

top and/or back onboard battery
adapter, or percentage of remaining
capacity of attached battery if it
transmits this information.

REEL Identifies current reel. Consists of

camera index and reel counter.

CLIP Identifies current clip. Consists of

clip index and clip counter.

DUR Duration of current clip during

recording or length of last recorded
clip during standby. Shown as
h:mm:ss.

Home Screen Center Bar

CARD section

SxS 1 10MIN Remaining capacity of active card in

Green capacity bar showing

Grey if card slot is empty.
Red if card cannot be recorded.

< Marks the active card.

Displays capacity information of

SxS PRO cards.

minutes.
Calculated for the set frame rate and
codec.
Note: these are only approximate
values.

remaining capacity as a percentage.

• STBY The camera is in standby and

ready to record.

• REC The camera is recording.

• ERROR An error occured. Recording is not

possible. Press the INFO button
for more details.

If nothing is shown (neither the

red/green bar), the camera works
properly, but no SxS PRO card is
present for recording.

ALEXA Operation

9

Name Icon Description

Name Icon Description

10

General Important information
Warning waiting on the info
screen. Press the INFO
button for more details.

ALEXA Operation

General An error occurred.
Error Press the INFO
button for more details.

Temperature Slight sensor
Warning temperature offset.
Image quality might
be affected.

Temperature Great sensor
Error temperature offset.
Image quality might be
affected seriously.

Lock Camera is locked.

SD Card SD Card present.
Turns orange during
card access.

Grab Stil frame is being captured
to the SD card. A new still
frame can only be captured
when this is completed.

Tropical Sensor is in tropical
Mode mode (=40° C sensor tem­ perature). Should be used
in very humid conditions.

WRS Radio WRS radio is active.
Only on ALEXA Plus
and Studio.

11

ALEXA Operation

ALEXA Operation

Peaking (Off/On) >>

Peaking (On/Off)

Peaking level (Low/Off)

Anamorphic desqueeze*

ANAMORPH

(Off/1.3x/2.0x/2.0xmag)

Menu Settings & Button Functions

MENU

RECORDING menu

)

DNxHD

SxS Cards >>

SxS Recording (Off/ProRes/DNxHD*

Codec (ProRes 422 Proxy/422 LT/422/422 HQ/4444)

(DNxHD 115/120/145 or DNxHD 175x/185x/220x)

HS Codec (ProRes 422 Proxy/422 LT/422/422 HQ)

(DNxHD 115/120/145 or DNxHD 175x/185x/220x)

Dual Recording (On/Off)

Quick format SxS Card 1

Quick format SxS Card 2

Erase SxS Card 1

Erase SxS Card 2

REC OUT >>

Framerate (23.976/24/25/29.97/30/48/50/59.94/60fps)

HD-SDI format (422 1.5G SL/422 1.5G DL/422 3G SL

444 1.5 DL/444 3G SL/444 3G DL

ARRIRAW 1.5G DL/ARRIRAW 3G SL

ARRIRAW 3G DL)

Scan format (psf/p)

Output range (Legal/Extended/Raw)

REC OUT fps sets sensor fps (On/Off)

SDI remote (On/Off)

Vari flag (On/Off)

MONITORING menu

Electronic viewfinder >>

Brightness (1-5)

Rotate image (On/Off)

Smooth mode (On/Off)

Surround view (On/Off)

Frame lines + status info >>

Frame lines (On/Off)

Surround mask (Black line/Color line/Mask 25%/50%/75%)

Center mark (Off/Dot/Cross)

Status info (On/Off)

Electronic level (On/Off)

LDS info (On/Off)

12

ALEXA Operation

Peaking (Off/On) >>

Peaking (On/Off)

Peaking level (Low/Off)

(Off/1.3x/2.0x/2.0xmag)

ANAMORPH

Anamorphic desqueeze*

Zoom position (Centered/Eye level)

MON OUT >>

Framerate (23.976/24/25/29.97/30/48/50/59.94/60fps)

Scanformat (psf/p)

Surround view (On/Off)

Frame lines + status info >>

Frame lines (On/Off)

Surround mask (Black line/Color line/Mask 25%/50%/75%)

Center mark (Off/Dot/Cross)

Status info (On/Off)

(Off/1.3x/2.0x/2.0xmag)

ANAMORPH

Electronic level (On/Off)

LDS info (On/Off)

Show reel + clip number (On/Off)

Peaking (Off/On) >>

Peaking (On/Off)

Peaking level (Low/Off)

False Color (On/Off)

Anamorphic desqueeze*

Frame lines >>

Frame line 1 (choose/add/delete; Off)

Frame line 2 (choose/add/delete; Off)

User rectangles >>

User rectangles (Off/Rect 1/Rect 2/Rect 1+2)

Set rect 1/2 >>

Top, Bottom, Left, Right (0 — 1000), Reset

Color (Red/Green/Blue/Yellow/Black/White)

Intensity (1-4)

RET IN path (EVF, MON OUT, EVF+MON)

Electronic level sensitivity (1x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x)

False color index >>

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

13

ALEXA Operation

Channel selection (Auto/Manual)

Channel >> (select channel in manual mode)

Authentication (Open/Shared Secret/PSK/LEAP/PEAP/MSCHAP V2)

Encryption (None/WEP 64/WEP 128/TKIP/AES CCMP)

Menu Settings & Button Functions

MENU

SYSTEM menu

Sensor >>

Sensor temperature (Standard/Tropical)

Mirror image horizontal (On/Off)

Power >>

BAT1 (Plug) warning (10.0-30.0V; 21.0V)

BAT2 (Onboard) warning (10.0-30.0V; 12.0V)

External sync >>

Eye index (R/L)

Sensor sync (Off/EXT master/EXT slave)

HD out phase (+/-30 clocks; 0 clocks)

Send HD sync trigger >

Settings sync (Off/ETH master/slave)

Test signal >>

Color bar (On/Off)

Enable test tone (On/Off)

Test tone level (0 dB(fs)/-9 dB(fs)/-18 dB(fs)/-20 dB(fs))

Display + beeper >>

Display button brightness (1-8)

Button brightness (Off/Low/Medium/High)

Run beeper mode (Off/Start/Stop/Start+Stop)

System time + date >>

set date, time, timezone and daylight saving time

Fan >>

Fan mode (Regular/Rec low)

SD card >>

Format + prepare SD card

Prepare SD card

WNA-1 >>

WNA state (shows WNA-1 status)

WiFi power (On/Off)

Mode (Ad Hoc/Access Point Client)

SSID (set SSID name)

Password (set Password)

IP Address (adjust IP address)

Subnet (adjust subnet mask address)

Frequency band (2.4 GHz/5 GHz)

14

Channel selection (Auto/Manual)

Channel >> (select channel in manual mode)

Authentication (Open/Shared Secret/PSK/LEAP/PEAP/MSCHAP V2)

Encryption (None/WEP 64/WEP 128/TKIP/AES CCMP)

Firmware >>

Select update file >>

Licensed features >>

install/delete licenses; save hardware info

Project frame rate (23.976/24/25/29.97/30fps)

Camera index (A-Z)

Next reel count (001-999)

Production info >>

PROJECT menu

Director

Cinematographer

Location

Production

User info 1

File format (Jpeg/Tiff/Dpx/Ari)

Compare grab to live image >>

User info 2

load grab

FRAME GRABS menu

Options Compare Options >>

Compare mode (Toggle/Interleave)

Active on EVF (On/Off)

Active on MON OUT (On/Off)

Grabbed images inherit REC OUT settings!

Ari only possible, when REC OUT = ARRI RAW

USER SETUPS menu

Save current setup

Load setup

Factory reset

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

ALEXA Operation

15

ALEXA Operation

AUDIO

adjust CH1+/- (level +20/-10; unity)

adjust CH2+/- (level +20/-10; unity)

; 24fps)

HS

(boot ALEXA to HS mode; 60-120fps)

HS

(0.75 fps-60fps /120fps*

(On/Off)

STUDIO

(LOOK ON/OFF FOR REC709, DCI P3)

}

16

Menu Settings & Button Functions

HOME

FPS

COLOR

SET LOOK

choose/delete/load look from SD

set COLORPATH

EVF (LOOK ON/OFF FOR REC709, DCI P3)

MON OUT (LOOK ON/OFF FOR REC709, DCI P3)

SxS

REC OUT

GAMMA

COLOR > GAMMA >>

SxS (REC709, DCI P3, LOGC)

REC OUT (REC709, DCI P3, LOGC, ARRIRAW)

MON OUT (REC709, DCI P3, LOGC)

EVF (REC709, LOGC)

SxS CODEC (MENU > RECORDING > SxS CARDS)

SxS INFO (INFO > SxS CARDS)

SDI FPS >>

REC OUT (23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30)

MON OUT (23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30)

EI

set exposure index (160ASA - 3200ASA; 800ASA)

set sensor speed

add/delete value

HIGHSPEED/EXIT HS*

ND FILTER*

LOG C film matrix (On/Off)

adjust CH1+/- (level +20/-10; unity)

AUDIO

adjust CH2+/- (level +20/-10; unity)

AUDIO OUT

set AUDIO OUT

Phones Level (+/-)

OPTIONS

AUDIO OUT > OPTIONS >>

Left out (CH1, CH2, CH1+2, None)

Right out (CH1, CH2, CH1+2, None)

Audio OUT level (Manual, Unity max.)

OPTIONS

AUDIO IN > OPTIONS >>

ALEXA Operation

HS

(On/Off)

STUDIO

Record (On/Off)

Channel 1/2 level (Manual/Unity)

Channel 1/2 source (L/R in)

Soundroll (=Tape) (edit name)

SHUTTER

set shutter angle (5.0° - 358.0°; 172,8°)

in highspeed mode (5.0°-356.0°)*

add/delete value

see calculated exposure time

MIRROR*

set WHITEBALANCE (2000K - 11000K, Auto WB; 5600K;

and CC SHIFT)

add/rename/delete value

WB

press BACK while turning the jogwheel

to change the display brightness

BACK & JOGWHEEL

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

17

ALEXA Operation

PLAY

set Button 4, 5

None

MON OUT surround

MON OUT gamma

MON OUT frame lines

MON OUT status info

MON OUT false color

MON OUT peaking

Return in active

Frame lines color

Toggle SxS

Format Card1

Format Card2

False color index

18

Menu Settings & Button Functions

USER

USER BUTTON ASSIGNMENT

set Button 1, 2, 3

None

MON OUT surround

MON OUT gamma

MON OUT frame lines

MON OUT status info

ANAMORPH

MON OUT false color

MON OUT peaking

MON anam. desqu.*

Frame lines color

EVF surround

EVF gamma

EVF frame lines

EVF status info

EVF zoom

ANAMORPH

EVF false color

EVF peaking

EVF anam. desqu.*

Grab still frame

Return in active

Toggle SxS

STUDIO

Check last clip

Circle clip

Auto WB

ND filter active*

!

PLUS & STUDIO

ALEXA Operation

PLAY

start Playback of last clip (press wheel)

CLIPLIST

OPTIONS

PLAY Options >>

Clip end action (Stop/Pause/Loop)

Show frame lines (On/Off)

Status info on MON OUT (On/Off)

STEPSIZE (1 frame/1 second)

SxS PLAYBACK screen

CIRCLE CLIP

LOCK

locks HOMESCREEN, MENU, PLAY, INFO, GRAB and TC;

also locks the buttons on EVF and WRS*

BUTTON LOCK

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

19

ALEXA Operation

20

Menu Settings & Button Functions

INFO

SYSTEM INFORMATION screen

LIVE INFO

SAVE TO SD

VERSION

SxS CARDS

SYSTEM

FPS INFO

TC

TIMECODE screen

PROJECT (Menu > Project)

save Framegrab to SD Card

FRAME GRAB TRIGGER

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

SET TC (SET TO TIME/RESET/MANUAL)

GRAB

OPTIONS

Timecode Options >>

Source (Int TC/Ex t LTC)

Mode (Rec run/Free Run)

Generator (Regen/Jam Sync)

User bit source (Internal/ LTC in UB)

USERBITS (set Userbits)

21

ALEXA Operation

ALEXA Operation

ZOOM CLM

CLM STATUS

displays TYPE, DIRECTION and

TORQUE(1-4; only CLM-3)

Menu Settings & Button Functions

ALEXA Plus & ALEXA Studio

WRS

RADIO

STATUS

Channel: 0

Units: 0

Ready/Off

WRS > RADIO >>

WRS radio power (On/Off)

WRS radio channel (0-7)

IRIS CLM

CLM STATUS

displays TYPE, DIRECTION and

TORQUE(1-4; only CLM-3)

IRIS CLM

set DIRECTION

set TORQUE (only CLM-3)

CALIBRATE/CALIBRATE ALL motors

CAM LEVEL

STATUS READOUT FROM SENSORS

Tilt: 0.0°

Roll: 0.0°

CAM LEVEL > CALIBRATE

use to reset your null balance

22

ZOOM CLM

CLM STATUS

displays TYPE, DIRECTION and

TORQUE(1-4; only CLM-3)

ZOOM CLM

set DIRECTION

set TORQUE (only CLM-3)

ALEXA Operation

Status

LENS DATA

LDS READOUT

LENS DATA

displays FOCAL LENGTH, IRIS,

FOCUS and DoF close/far

LDS OPTIONS

Lens distance unit (Metric, Imperial, Default Unit)

Circle of confusion (0.013/0.025/0.035/0.050mm)

Inverse iris scale (On/Off)

Inverse zoom scale (On/Off)

Inverse focus scale (On/Off)

CALIBRATE/CALIBRATE ALL motors

LDA available when non-LDS lens in use

FOCUS CLM

manage lens data for non-LDS lenses

CLM STATUS

displays TYPE, DIRECTION and

TORQUE(1-4; only CLM-3)

FOCUS CLM

set DIRECTION

set TORQUE (only CLM-3)

CALIBRATE/CALIBRATE ALL motors

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

23

24

E

V

F

ALEXA Operation

Menu Settings & Button Functions

HS

*

; 24fps)

HS

(0.75 fps-60fps /120fps*

C

A

M

ZOOM

FPS

set sensor speed

SHUTTER

set shutter angle (5.0° - 358°; 172,8°) in High Speed Mode 5.0°-356.0°)

EI

set exposure index (160ASA - 3200ASA; 800ASA)

WB

set white balance (2000K - 11000K, Auto WB; 5600K; and CC SHIFT)

magnify EVF image 2.25x (toggle mode)

Electronic Viewnder EVF-1

EXP

false color exposure check (toggle mode)

ALEXA SUP 6.0 underlined values represent the factory reset.

ALEXA Operation

F

E

V

VIEW

switch to VIEW-mode (Operator sees an image)

Brightness (0-5)

Rotate Image (On/Off)

Smooth Mode (On/Off)

EVF menu

Surround View (On/Off)

Surround Mask (Black line/Color Line/Mask 25%/50%/75%)

Status Info (On/Off)

Frame Lines (On/Off)

Select Frame Lines 1 (choose from list)

Select Frame Lines 2 (choose from list)

Center Mark (Off/Dot/Cross)

User Rectangles (Off/Rect 1/Rect 2/Rect 1&2)

Edit User Rectangles (only when User Rectangles active)

Frame Lines Color (Red/Green/Blue/Yellow/Black/White)

Frame Lines Intensity (1 - 4)

press 2x for spinning mirror

GATE

switch to GATE-mode (sensor & all video outs “see” an image)

press 2x for spinning mirror

Mirror Control - ALEXA Studio

25

ALEXA Outputs

26

ALEXA Outputs

Output Overview

2x REC OUT

1x MON OUT

2x SxS Cards

T-Link

HD-SDI

HD-SDI

QuickTime

MXF

2880 x 2160 ARRIRAW 4:3, 12 bit

2880 x 1620 ARRIRAW 16:9, 12 bit

1920 x 1080 4:4:4 RGB, 10 bit

1920 x 1080 4:2:2 YCbCr, 10 bit

1920 x 1080 4:2:2 YCbCr, 10 bit

1920 x 1080 ProRes 4444, 12 bit

1920 x 1080 ProRes 422 (HQ), 10 bit

1920 x 1080 ProRes 422, 10 bit

1920 x 1080 ProRes 422 (LT), 10 bit

1920 x 1080 ProRes 422 (Proxy), 10 bit

1920 x 1080 DNxHD 145, 8 bit

1920 x 1080 DNxHD 220x, 10 bit

ALEXA Outputs

27

Output Overview / ProRes Recording

ALEXA Outputs

28

Codec

ProRes 422
(Proxy)

ProRes 422 (LT)

ProRes 422

ProRes 422 (HQ)

ProRes 4444*

* Even though the official name of this codec (pronounced “ProRes four by four”) contains four fours, ALEXA records three (444). The fourth four stands for an

alpha channel that can be used in post but has no relevancy for image capture in the camera. ProRes 4444 is not available in High Speed mode.

Color

Coding

Depth

YCbCr 10 36 Mb/s 1 h 23 min 60/120 fps

YCbCr 10 82 Mb/s 37 min 60/120 fps

YCbCr 10

YCbCr 10

RGB 12

Bit

Data

rate

(24fps)

117

Mb/s

176

Mb/s

264

Mb/s

Min. rec. time
(on 32GB SxS

PRO card at 24fps)

25 min 60/120 fps

17 min 60/120 fps

11 min 40/60 fps

Max. fps

(on 32GB/64GB

SxS PRO card)

Application

On-set monitoring and proxy editing
while the master is captured with an
external device.

Same as above when a higher image
quality is desired.

Basic television applications if images do
not require adjustments in postproduction

High quality television applications requir­ing color correction and special effects
high speed shots at higher frame rates.

High quality television or cinema applica­tions requiring color correction and/or
compositing.