Arri takes to the skies with ‘go anywhere’ Alexa Mini

One of the first pre-production models was on show at the Excel in London ahead of an expected May launch of the ‘go-anywhere’ addition to the firm’s Alexa range. The camera will cost approximately £25,000.

Alexa Mini product manager Michael Jonas said the camera had been in development for about a year.

“Octocopter and UAV pilots have told us they want to be able to fly an Alexa,” he said.

Jonas said the camera would also appeal to productions that could use the Mini as a companion to a full Alexa, in particular those working in cramped environments and with lightweight jibs.

“That will be a classic rental market for the camera,” he added.

The Mini is built around a 4:3 Alev III sensor capable of capturing frame rates of 0.75-200fps and recording Arri RAW 2.8K or ProRes 3.2K either in-camera to CFast 2.0 cards or to a new external Codex recorder.

It has a lightweight carbon housing and a titanium PL mount. The interchangeable lens mount can be replaced with any of those designed for the Arri Amira, allowing the use of B4 and EF mount lenses.

It can also be operated by wireless remote control, as a normalcamera with the Arri MVF-1 multi viewfinder, or with an on-board monitor and controlled via the user button interface on the camera body.

Jonas said Arri would continue to sell the modular Alexa M, which is capable of capturing 120fps Raw on Codex capture devices. “The Mini is not quite there yet,” he added.