New Arri 35 has me obsessed

[Matthew W. Phillips]

I haven't posted here in awhile but I have been watching a ton of camera reviews lately. After discovering the new Arri 35 camera and downloading any samples I can from the camera, there is something about the image it produces that makes me want it so bad (and nothing else.) I really can't afford the camera but all of the cheaper alternatives all have something about them that sticks in my mind against this camera and I can't bring myself to consider those.

It might be the first digital cinema camera that I would prefer over a 35mm film camera with a wheel barrow full of film. 

My question is: What makes this camera so special? I know it has tons of DR but I also notice crazy color separation and such ease to sculpt it to whatever you want in post.

Also, my question is: is there anything at all that a mere mortal like myself can do to get my hands on it; even if only for a day or two?

P.S.- I cannot help but enjoy reading the salty comments on YT from Blackmagic fans who remark that their 4k/6k pockets are superior to this camera. Is this camera a "love it or hate it" thing? Because all I see is absolute amazement from it.

Nice to see you all again, by the way!

[Aapo Lettinen]

5 minutes ago, Matthew W. Phillips said:

I haven't posted here in awhile but I have been watching a ton of camera reviews lately. After discovering the new Arri 35 camera and downloading any samples I can from the camera, there is something about the image it produces that makes me want it so bad (and nothing else.) I really can't afford the camera but all of the cheaper alternatives all have something about them that sticks in my mind against this camera and I can't bring myself to consider those.

It might be the first digital cinema camera that I would prefer over a 35mm film camera with a wheel barrow full of film. 

My question is: What makes this camera so special? I know it has tons of DR but I also notice crazy color separation and such ease to sculpt it to whatever you want in post.

Also, my question is: is there anything at all that a mere mortal like myself can do to get my hands on it; even if only for a day or two?

P.S.- I cannot help but enjoy reading the salty comments on YT from Blackmagic fans who remark that their 4k/6k pockets are superior to this camera. Is this camera a "love it or hate it" thing? Because all I see is absolute amazement from it.

Nice to see you all again, by the way!

I am just working in a technical position on a show which is shooting on the Alexa35 and have possibility to watch materials.

Yes the image differs visually from the previous Alexa versions and there is "something different in the image" compared to older Alexas. Traditionally Alexas have had a certain way they handle colours and saturation compared to brightness levels but that has changed on this version and to me there is something "just a tiny bit newest-sony-ish but dialed down and more creamy" in the image which makes it pop up a bit more. Different colour science and Looks of course change it in addition to the new sensor itself.

--

If you don't have budget for it, then it is not the right camera for your project and should instead consider something which does not destroy the projects financially.... that would be just making bad movies shot with a "cool" camera, like being just camera tests instead of real movies ?

Anyway... a friendly rental house would surely let you test one for couple of hours and you could get test material from it no problem. No need to buy a camera for testing one and it might be cheaper to rent one for occasional projects than to burn tons of money and loans to try to purchase one for oneself. I mean, how many projects it would be used in, in a month and in a year? If it would pay itself back immediately you would already have financing for it, so owning one is more of a theoretical question I think ?

 

Comparing entry level Blackmagics to this camera is a joke though... even my Panasonic S5 + Atomos combo can wipe the floor with those Blackmagics and they are comparing pockets to something which is more of a hybrid between Alexa Mini and Venice2

[Jon O'Brien]

I like that it has a Super 35 size sensor, not so-called 'full frame'. Of course it doesn't really matter what the sensor size is, and really I suppose who cares, but I would go chasing after digital cinema cameras that have Super 35 sensors because I happen to feel most at home with that. Lenses are easy to get for it. Everything is cool about it in my humble opinion.