The Arri Alexa has been my favorite digital cinema camera since its release a few years ago, which is why I was so excited when their new camera, the Amira, was announced last year. Yesterday, Amira pricing was announced and it’s extremely competitive, priced well below many people’s expectations.
For a quick look at the Amira’s impressive specs, check out this short list:
- Super 35mm 16:9 sensor (same precise sensor as other 16:9 Alexa)
- 14.5 Stopping the dynamic range
- 2K/1080 Rec 709/Log C using ProRes LT, 422, 422HQ or 444 codecs
- Up to 200 frames/second
- Record to CFast 2.0 (new compact flash memory card standard)
- 1280 x 1024 OLED viewing window and separate LCD display
- Built-in ND filter
- 4-channel PCM audio: 48KHz 24-bit
- Can record optional 3D LUTs
- For documentaries, TV magazines, trailers, corporate, factual, live events
- Interchangeable lens mounts: PL, PL Broadcast, B4 and Canon EF
This is obviously an impressive list, and one that will feel very familiar to you if you’ve ever shot with Alexa. The biggest difference between Amira and Alexa is of course Amira’s ENG style body and Alexa’s ability to shoot RAW.
In terms of pricing, there are currently three models on the market, with prices as follows: $35,444, $39,537, $44,994. This camera isn’t cheap, but it’s much cheaper than the Alexa, and it doesn’t really require accessories, which makes the relative cost much lower as well.
Many of you may have seen this image online recently, showing that not a single RED camera is on this year’s Oscar nomination list, when in fact it’s all about the Arri:
Clearly, we can learn something from this. The vast majority of professional DPs chew on Alexa (or other Arri cameras) at critical moments. Of course, there are many examples of blockbusters shot on RED, but there is a very clear trend of high-end films moving away from RED and towards Arri. This is an interesting fact in itself, as Alexa (even in RAW) can only shoot in 2.8K, which shows that 4K isn’t important for most high-end productions.
The recent media coverage Arri has received, coupled with the new low-cost Amira, is sure to shake up the camera world. For example, on paper the Amira is still much more expensive than the RED Epic, but in reality it will cost less. Remember, the Amira works right out of the box and is designed like an ENG camera, making operation and setup extremely easy and cost-effective. Epic, on the other hand, requires a lot of gear, accessories, and peripherals, which makes the cost skyrocket. It’s not uncommon for Epic support packages to cost several times the camera body itself, So while the Amira may be more expensive, the actual cost of shooting with the Epic is much higher.
How will this affect independent films?
Currently, most budget independent films shot digitally use Epic. To date, it has been the most cost-effective way to shoot digital movies. Yes, there are a lot of great options out there, like the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, but the reality is that most movies on a budget will still choose the Epic because the feature set is richer and the camera is more powerful.
But Amira is about to change all that. Current RED productions typically don’t choose Epic because they like the look of it better than Alexa, and they do it to save money while still getting good results. But now that Amira will become an affordable option (especially if you rent), this will inevitably lead to a shift in the industry. I speculate that within a year of Amira’s release, most current RED projects will be transformed. After all, even if image quality isn’t a selling point for some producers/DPs, ease of use and cost still are. Using modular cameras like the Epic has its advantages, but they often waste production time.
The move to the Amira will also have an impact on other lower-end cinema cameras. I suspect we’ll start to see more manufacturers follow Arri’s lead and develop cameras that are more focused on ergonomics and dynamic range than modularity and resolution. Traditionally, camera manufacturers innovate based on what they sell, not what they think they will sell. As sales of Amira increase, it will have a very positive impact on the industry as a whole, as we will start to see some amazing new cost-effective options emerge. More cameras like the Blackmagic Cinema Camera are inevitable, and Blackmagic itself may take a page from Arri’s book and create a camera designed in the ENG format.
Only time will tell how this all plays out, but if nothing else, the Amira will be a great alternative to the Epic and C500, and will inspire some new ideas from other manufacturers.
For those who do need 4K or are at least interested in it, check out my article “2014: The Year of the 4K SLR Camera.”
