While probably not a toy too many of you will end up using on your own personal productions, the new Alexa Mini, announced today by Arri might open up some interesting possibilities for larger budget productions.
The new Alexa Mini is essentially an Arri Alexa housed in a five-pound carbon fiber body. Wirelessly controllable, this new addition to the Arri family is designed to get those more difficult shots.
Arri envisions the Mini attached to large drones, car mounted, under water or even handheld. The light weight nature of the mini will allow cinematographers to use an Alexa grade camera without the need for huge cranes or giant rigs.
Cost wise, the new Alexa is not likely to be all that mini. Most of you reading this are still probably much better off using a BlackMagic camera, or dealing with the tradeoffs of an A7s. For those of you with a decent sized budget, considering a RED or an Alexa, this mini might add a lot of value.
A smaller, lighter body means smaller rigs that can fit in smaller places, that are easier to transport and set up. Essentially you are subtracting complexity without sacrificing quality. The time saved on set is almost always more valuable.
To get a full read on the specs, as well as a whole slew of other information I opted not to regurgitate here, head on over to the official Alexa Mini page over on the Arri website.
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