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ARRI ALEXA User Manual

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User Guide
ARRI ALEXA
Printed on 21 June, 2010

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  • Page 1 User Guide ARRI ALEXA Printed on 21 June, 2010...
  • Page 2 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.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    1 Disclaimer 2 Scope 3 What's New In This Version 4 ALEXA Images 5 Introduction to ALEXA How to Read This Manual ............. 11 6 Safety Instructions Explanation of Warning Signs and Indications ....12 General Safety Instructions ........... 12 Specific Safety Instructions ...........
  • Page 4 Contents 9 Installation of The Camera Minimum Equipment Recommended For Operation ..24 Tripod and Remote Heads............. 24 Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1 ..........25 9.3.1 Viewfinder Cables ..............26 9.3.2 Viewfinder Mounting Bracket ..........26 Center Handle CCH-1 ............. 29 Camera Side Handle CSH-1........... 30 Bridge Plate BP-12..............
  • Page 5 EVF UI ..................70 12.3.1 Viewfinder EVF menu ............71 12.3.2 Viewfinder CAM menu............72 Appendix 12.4 Camera Dimensions............... 73 Camera Accessory List............74 12.5 ARRIRAW ................77 ALEXA Frame Lines ............... 78 ALEV III Sensor Specification ..........81 13 Index...
  • Page 6 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.
  • Page 7 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. 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).
  • Page 9 Scope This instruction manual applies to the following ARRI ALEXA hardware, software and firmware versions: ARRI ALEXA basic camera with ARRI EVF-1 Camera software packet: 1.0 What's New In This Version As it is the first version - everything!
  • Page 10 8 ALEXA ImagesHow to Read This Manual ALEXA Images Figure 1: Camera right side Figure 2: Camera left side Figure 3: Camera top...
  • Page 11 ALEXA Images How to Read This Manual 9...

  • Page 12: Introduction To Alexa

    10 Introduction to ALEXAHow to Read This Manual 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 the more than 90 years of ARRIs history.

  • Page 13: How To Read This Manual

    The fan itself is very silent, so the camera noise floor is below 20 dB (A) - this is the same noise level as with ARRI sync- sound film cameras. If the fan noise level starts to increase, the fan can be swapped in a matter of minutes by a trained technician.

  • Page 14: Safety 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.

  • Page 15: Specific Safety Instructions

    Safety Instructions Specific Safety Instructions 13 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! •...
  • Page 16 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. •...

  • Page 17: General Precautions

    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...
  • Page 18 16 General PrecautionsCondensation • 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.

  • Page 19: Power Supply

    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-Mount or Gold mount batteries.

  • Page 20: Bat Connector

    18 Power SupplyBAT Connector 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.

  • Page 21: Onboard Batteries

    Power Supply Onboard Batteries 19 Available from ARRI is the battery CINE VCLX/2 battery (280 Wh) with charger. 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.

  • Page 22: V-Mount Batteries

    V-Mount batteries are available from a number of manufacturers. V- Mount batteries 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.

  • Page 23: 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.
  • Page 24 22 Power SupplyGold Mount Batteries • 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. • Move the battery left, then pull it towards you and remove it. Figure 6: Camera with BAB-G and Gold Mount battery Note: Not all Gold Mount batteries deliver enough power to supply the camera.

  • Page 25: Power Outputs

    Power Supply Power Outputs 23 Power Outputs The camera has three power outputs for accessories, 2x 24 V and 1x 12 Figure 7: 24 V outputs (RS) and 12 V output 8.8.1 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 3 A, depending on the camera power supply.

  • Page 26: Installation Of The Camera

    • SD card 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.

  • Page 27: Electronic Viewfinder Evf-1

    Installation of The Camera Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1 25 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.

  • Page 28: Viewfinder Cables

    26 Installation of The CameraElectronic Viewfinder EVF-1 9.3.1 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 Purpose...
  • Page 29 Installation of The Camera Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1 27 It can be flipped over by first removing 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. Note: This is not possible with the standard EVF cable KC-150-S.
  • Page 30 EVF further back. It can be attached to a tripod head for use with geared heads or greater comfort when using fluid heads. The VEB-1 has a standard attachment point for the ARRI eyepiece leveler EL-3. Figure 11: EVF extension bracket...

  • Page 31: Center Handle Cch-1

    Installation of The Camera Center Handle CCH-1 29 Center Handle CCH-1 The center handle CCH-1 is attached to the camera top with 3 screws, two at the front and one at the back. Make sure the screws are well tightened with a 3mm allen key. The center handle extension mounts to the front end of the CCH-1 and adds one more focus hook to the camera.

  • Page 32: Camera Side Handle Csh-1

    Make sure the screws are tightened firmly with a 3 mm allen key. Figure 13: CSH-1 Figure 14: Camera with CSH-1, side view Bridge Plate BP-12 The bridge plate BP-12 has been newly developed for ALEXA. It mounts directly to the camera housing with two screws.

  • Page 33: Bridge Plate Adapter Bpa-1

    Bridge Plate adapter BPA-1 The bridge plate adapter BPA-1 can be used to attach a BP-5/BP-8 to ALEXA. First attach the BPA-1 to the camera with the two screws. Then attach the BP-5/BP-8 to the adaptor with its two screws. Make sure the screws are tightened firmly with a screwdriver.
  • Page 34 32 Installation of The CameraShoulder Pad SP-3 Note: The SP-3 can only be used with a BP-12 and 19 mm rods or with 15 mm rods and a WA-1+quick-release base plate. When using the BPA-1 with a BP- 5/BP-8, the bridge plate has to be removed prior to attaching the SP-3. Figure 15: SP-3 shoulder pad Figure 16: SP-3 below camera...

  • Page 35: Connectors

    Connectors Shoulder Pad SP-3 33 Connectors Camera back Figure 17: Connectors at back From top to bottom: MON OUT, RET/SYNC IN, EXT, REC OUT 1&2, BAT, ETHERNET Camera right Figure 18: Connectors on right side From left to right, top to bottom: 2x RS (24 V) out, AUDIO OUT, TC, 12V out, AUDIO IN, SD CARD (camera bottom)
  • Page 36 34 ConnectorsShoulder Pad SP-3 Camera left Figure 19: Camera left: SxS slots Top to bottom: SxS slot 1, SxS slot 2 Camera front Figure 20: Camera front connector EVF connector...

  • Page 37: Bat

    The EXT connector is a multi-pin accessory connector. It carries signals for communication with various accessories. Cables are currently available for: • Connecting a UMC-3 remote motor controller • Connecting two ALEXA cameras for synchronized operation The connector is located on the camera back mid right.

  • Page 38: Ethernet

    10.9 RS The two RS connectors either supply external accessories with 24 V power and combined load of up to 3 A. The sockets also accept an ARRI remote start/stop trigger button. They are located on the camera right lower front.

  • Page 39: Mm Trs Connector

    Note: Always keep the slider door closed during operation to prevent dirt and moisture from entering the camera. On the SD card, the following folder structure should be created by the user prior to first use of the card: • ARRI ALEXA Setups Firmware Framelines...

  • Page 40: Sxs

    38 ConnectorsSxS 10.14 SxS The SxS slots on the left side of the camera are currently not in use. Make sure the door is always closed to prevent dirt and moisture from entering the camera.

  • Page 41: Optics

    11.1 Lens Adapter PL Mount LA-PL-1 (no LDS) The lens adapter LA-PL-1 is the standard lens mount delivered with ALEXA. It can be used to attach any PL-mount lens to the camera. Attaching a lens to the camera • Twist the bayonet ring handle anti-clockwise as far as it will go.

  • Page 42: Lens Support

    40 OpticsLens Support Figure 21: PL mount LA-PL-1 with index pin 11.2 Lens Support Heavy lenses may require additional lens support. This guarantees that the flange focal depth is not influenced by the lens weight and reduces stress on the lens mount. To support a lens, use 15mm or 19mm rods and a fitting lens bridge.
  • Page 43 Optics Lens Support 41 When the bridge is in the right position on the rods, it is fixed with the screw or lever on its side. It is attached to the lens support ring with its center screw. The lever on the back of the lens bridge fixes the height of the center screw.

  • Page 44: User Interface

    42 User interfaceLens Support User interface Structure The camera user interface consists of three parts: • Main UI: Located on the camera right side. Consists of a 3" LCD- screen with screen buttons changing their behaviour depending on the screen content, a jogwheel to navigate through menus and adjust parameters and a range of function buttons with dedicated behaviour.

  • Page 45: Main Ui

    User interface Main UI 43 12.1 Main UI The main UI can be used to set all camera parameters. Figure 23: Main user interface 12.1.1 Display The LCD display on the right side has a diameter of 3" and a resolution of 400x240 pixels.

  • Page 46: Function Buttons

    44 User interfaceMain UI Operations that cannot be reversed and can result in the loss of data require the simultaneous pressing of two buttons to prevent them from accidental use. 12.1.3 Function Buttons The following function buttons are available on the main UI: •...
  • Page 47 TC count and continues counting on its own. Due to a highly precise crystal oscillator in ALEXA, the internal counter will count accurately for 8 hours. After that period, the camera has to be resynced to avoid any TC offset.

  • Page 48: Info

    Note: Saving a system log is only necessary if the camera is showing unnormal behaviour. It can then be sent to the ARRI camera service for analysis. The log is not human-readable and can only be analyzed by the ARRI camera service.

  • Page 49: User

    User interface Main UI 47 Version Info • Firmware: version number of the camera firm- and software packet • EVF serial number • EVF firmware: version number of the EVF firmware. Figure 26: Version info screen 12.1.3.3 USER By pressing the USER button the User screen is loaded where the screen buttons can be assigned with user defined functions.

  • Page 50: Homescreen

    48 User interfaceMain UI By pressing the lower mid EDIT screen button, a screen opens where the functions can be assigned to the buttons. Figure 27: User screen Assign functions to the buttons by using the jogwheel. Figure 28: Edit User Button assignment 12.1.4 Homescreen Figure 29: Homescreen The Homescreen is the default screen of the main UI.
  • Page 51 1/(360*Fps/Angle) • Exposure Index: Currently set exposure index rated in ASA. ALEXA has a base sensitivity of 800 ASA, the camera rating can be adjusted from 160-1600 ASA. Note: ASA rating is identical to ISO rating. Note: Exposure Index is not applied to Arriraw signals.

  • Page 52: Lists And User Lists

    50 User interfaceMain UI 12.1.4.1 Lists and User Lists The Homescreen screen buttons FPS, SHUTTER, WB (White Balance) and EI (Exposure Index) open lists that contain preconfigured values for the respective setting. Except for EI, all lists are user lists where the user can store a selection of his preferred settings for quick access.

  • Page 53: Fps

    User interface Main UI 51 12.1.4.2 FPS Pressing the FPS screen button opens the Fps user list. It contains the default framerates 23.976, 24.000, 25.000, 29.970, 30.000, 48.000, 50.000, 59.940 and 60.000 fps. The user can store a selection of his preferred fps settings for quick access.
  • Page 54 52 User interfaceMain UI Note: It is not possible to delete a list completely. When the last list entry is reached, deletion is disabled. Figure 32: Delete fps list entry If the sensor fps is linked to the REC OUT frame rate, a message appears instead of the list.
  • Page 55 10 fps and the REC OUT is set to 30 fps, every image is output 3 times, resulting in two duplicate frames following every active frame. Note: ALEXA does currently not support Variframe recording! The recorder would record these duplicate frames, which have to be removed in post.

  • Page 56: Shutter

    54 User interfaceMain UI • All frame rate settings should be correct now. 12.1.4.3 SHUTTER Pressing the SHUTTER screen button in the Homecreen opens the Shutter user list. By default, shutter angles 11.2, 22.5, 45, 90, 172.8, 180, 270 and 358 are contained in the list. Figure 34: Shutter list To add a new entry to the list, press the ADD button.
  • Page 57 Note: The Exposure Index list has a fixed content, meaning that it cannot be changed by the user. ALEXA has a basic sensitivity of 800 ASA. This means that the dynamic range is evenly distributed above and below neutral grey with very low noise in the blacks and a very screen clipping behaviour in the whites.
  • Page 58 56 User interfaceMain UI At high ASA ratings like 1600 ASA, the images behave the opposite way. Noise is increased, which makes it important to judge the dark parts of the image, while the clipping behaviour will be even smoother. Figure 37: Exposure Index screen 12.1.4.5 WB White Balance adjusts the color balance of the camera according to the...
  • Page 59 WB value if necessary and press the wheel. This adds the new entry to the list. Note: CC values are kind of arbitrary. For this reason, a translation of ARRI CC values into Kodak and Rosco values is displayed in the screen.
  • Page 60 58 User interfaceMain UI White balance and color compensation should be adjusted only with the help of appropriate equipment. This can either be a color meter or a vectorscope together with a calibrated grey card. List values no longer required can be deleted by pressing the DELETE screen button.

  • Page 61: Menu

    User interface Main UI 59 12.1.5 Menu The menu contains parameters for the basic camera setup. It has a tree structure and the current path in the menu is displayed in the top section of every screen. To access a new menu level, select the group with the jogwheel and press the jogwheel.
  • Page 62 60 User interfaceMain UI Figure 43: MENU>RECORDING REC OUT The camera has two HD-SDI outputs that carry the camera image to be recorded with external recording devices. • HD-SDI format: Select the format that is used to transmit images. See following table for format details. Format Links Image...

  • Page 63: Monitoring

    User interface Main UI 61 Legal: Uses values 64-960. − Extended: uses values 5-1019. Results in about 10% more − steps. Note: Check which mode your recorder supports. If you set the camera to extended, but your recorder only supports legal, you will end up with clipped images! •...
  • Page 64 • Frame lines: Frame lines are a reference for framing that typically consist of an image frame, a center cross and an aspect ratio reference. See the appendix for more information on the ALEXA frame line format. • Status info: At the upper and lower edge of the EVF, right outside the active image area, additional status info can be displayed.
  • Page 65 User interface Main UI 63 Figure 46: MENU>MONITORING>EVF MON OUT The MON OUT is a 422 1.5G single link HD-SDI output. The output range is fixed to legal range. • Frame rate: The MON OUT frame rate can be set to 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97 or 30 fps.
  • Page 66 Frame lines are an image overlay that can be applied to either the EVF image, the MON OUT image, or both. ALEXA frame lines are stored as XML files containing definitions what the frame lines look like. The camera contains default frame lines for 1.33:1, 1.78:1, 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 aspect ratios.
  • Page 67 SD card to the camera. • Reset to default frame lines: Deletes all frame lines in the camera and then loads the ARRI default frame lines. • Delete camera frame lines: Deletes all frame lines currently stored in the camera.

  • Page 68: Project

    66 User interfaceMain UI 12.1.5.3 Project • Project fps: Currently determines only the timebase of the time code. Figure 49: MENU>PROJECT The timebase of the time code determines how many frames the time code counts per second. 12.1.5.4 System Contains groups of system settings. Figure 50: MENU>SYSTEM Power •...
  • Page 69 User interface Main UI 67 Note: At a level 10% below the set warning level, a battery error is emitted. this means that the power source is treated as insufficient to power the camera any further. Figure 51: MENU>SYSTEM>POWER Display •...
  • Page 70 Figure 53: MENU>SYSTEM>CLOCK/DATE External Sync Two ALEXA cameras can be synced on their sensor readout so their images are created at exactly the same time. Choose between "Off" for single camera mode, "Master" for the master camera and "Slave" for the slave camera.

  • Page 71: User Setups

    User interface Main UI 69 • Current version: Release code of currently installed firmware. Figure 55: MENU>SYSTEM>FIRMWARE 12.1.5.5 User Setups In this section the user can store the current setup to the SD card or load previously stored setups from the SD card. An SD card must be present in the camera to perform these operations.

  • Page 72: Operator Ui

    70 User interfaceOperator UI 12.2 Operator UI The operater UI is located on the camera left side and consists of three function buttons plus three assignable buttons. • 1, 2, 3: The assignable buttons (labeled 1, 2, 3) can be assigned with functions through the USER button on the main UI.

  • Page 73: Viewfinder Evf Menu

    • Frame lines: Frame lines are a reference for framing that typically consist of an image frame, a center cross and an aspect ratio reference. See the appendix for more information on the ALEXA frame line format. • Status info: At the upper and lower edge of the EVF, right outside the active image area, additional status info can be displayed.

  • Page 74: Viewfinder Cam Menu

    72 User interfaceEVF UI • Select frame lines: Choose a frame lines file from those stored in the camera. Note: Switching surround view ON and frame lines OFF is a dangerous combination, as there is no indication in the EVF image that it shows more than is recorded, which can lead to framing errors.

  • Page 75: Appendix

    Appendix In this appendix Camera Dimensions Camera Accessory List ARRIRAW ALEXA Frame Lines ALEV III Sensor Specification 12.4 Camera Dimensions...

  • Page 76: Camera Accessory List

    Camera Accessory List The following accessories from ARRI are fully compatible with ALEXA. Power accessories • Batteries: CINE VCLX/2 battery and charger • Battery adapters: BAB-V, BAB-G, BAT-V, BAT-G • Power mains supplies: NG 12/26 R mains unit • Power cables:...
  • Page 77 SFM-1 spare fan module, SD card 2GB, Ethernet cable KC-153S • transport: ALEXA case For further information on these accessories and availability, please visit the ARRI website: www.arri.com, contact an ARRI sales agent (find your nearest through the ARRI website) or contact the camera service: cameraservice@arri.com...
  • Page 78 Overview...

  • Page 79: Arriraw

    12.5 ARRIRAW ARRIRAW is the name of raw data from ARRI cameras. Raw data is the sensor image data before it is converted to RGB images. As ALEXA has a single sensor with a Bayer pattern color filter array, this means that every pixel only has information of one color channel.

  • Page 80: Alexa Frame Lines

    ALEXA Frame Lines ALEXA frame lines are stored as XML files. A standard set of frame lines is stored in the camera. Additional frame lines can be loaded from the SD card to the camera. Once the idea behind the frame lines system is understood, personal frame lines can be created with little effort.
  • Page 81 <framelines> <!-- The description of the camera, this will only be used for selecting the correct files. So the user can only select glasses for his camera/current setup. --> <camera> <type>Alexa EV</type> <sensor>3K</sensor> <aspect>1.78</aspect> <hres>2880</hres> <vres>1620</vres> </camera> <!-- This describes the surround view (or overscan) area.
  • Page 82 <!-- Center cross horizontal lines, user color --> <line> <left>0.46355</left> <top>0.5</top> <right>0.50868</right> <width>4</width> <color>user</color> </line> <line> <left>0.50868</left> <top>0.5</top> <right>0.46335</right> <width>4</width> <color>user</color> </line> <!-- Center cross vertical lines, user color --> <line> <left>0.5</left> <top>0.43519</top> <bottom>0.51543</bottom> <width>4</width> <color>user</color> </line> <line> <left>0.5</left> <top>0.51543</top> <bottom>0.43519</bottom>...

  • Page 83: Alev Iii Sensor Specification

    ALEV III Sensor Specification Pixel pitch: 8.25 µm Active pixels (including surround view): 3112x1782 Image pixels (recorded area only): 2880x1620 Image size after downscale: 1920x1080 Recorded aperture: 23.76x13.365 mm Image aperture (incl. surround view): 25.674x14.701 mm...

  • Page 85: Index

    3.5mm TRS connector .......... 37 General Precautions ..........15 General Safety Instructions ........12 ALEV III Sensor Specification ....... 82 Gold Mount Batteries ..........21 ALEXA Frame Lines ..........79 ALEXA Images............8 Appendix ............... 73 ARRIRAW ............. 78 AUDIO IN .............. 36 Homescreen ............
  • Page 86 Monitoring ............. 61 Viewfinder Cables..........26 Viewfinder CAM menu .......... 72 Viewfinder EVF menu ........... 71 Viewfinder Mounting Bracket ........ 26 V-Mount Batteries ..........20 Onboard Batteries..........19 Operator UI ............70 Optics..............39 WB................ 56 What's New In This Version........7 Power..............

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