NAB 2012: ARRI Launches Alexa Plus 4:3 for Anamorphic Cinematography

The camera will be available in May as the first of several new models from the company.

ARRI unveiled the Alexa Plus 4:3, a new model of its popular Alexa digital cinematography camera line with a 4:3 Super 35 sensor, aimed at anamorphic (widescreen) photography, Monday at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas.

The ALEXA Plus 4:3 will be available in May for €67,900 ($89,500).

Also next month, ARRI will start delivering its modular Alexa M, which was tested by James Cameron and Vince Pace of Cameron | PaceGroup with an eye toward applications including 3D.

At NAB, ARRI is additionally featuring its Alexa Studio, which began shipping in late 2011 and has already been used by directors of photography including Robert Richardson, who used it to shoot World War Z; and Roger Deakins, on Skyfall.

For Final Cut users, ARRI announced that support for two new Apple ProRes recording formats, ProRes 4:3 and ProRes 2K, is now available for the Alexa cameras as a software upgrade.

ARRI -- which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year -- introduced its Alexa camera system in 2010. An estimated 2500 Alexa cameras have shipped worldwide, according to the company.