Bill Bennett ASC talks to Arri about their latest Alexa, the SXT. The SXT has just recently started shipping and uses the same internal boards as the Alexa 65, to enable 7 new recording options- 16:9 ProRes 4K UHD, Open Gate ProRes 4K Cine, 6:5 ProRes 2K Anamorphic, 6:5 ProRes 4K Cine Anamorphic, 4:3 ProRes 2.8K, Open Gate ProRes 3.4K, and 16:9 ARRIRAW 3.2K.
The SXT also has one EVF and three monitor outs, so everyone on set can be provided with their own configurable signal. With the new internal boards the SXT can use the same Codex capture drives that are used on the Alexa 65 to record 4K and high frame rates.
One of the unique recording options of the SXT is the 6:5 ProRes 2K Anamorphic, and 6:5 ProRes 4K Cine Anamorphic options. For 6:5 Anamorphic the camera creates a ready-to-view ProRes file in the 2K DCI delivery format (2048 x 858) or 4K DCI delivery format (4096 x 1716), so no debayering, cropping, rescaling or de-squeezing is needed in post.
The first SXT’s have just been delivered and owners of 2015 or 2016 XT Alexas will be able to have their cameras upgraded to a SXT free of charge. Owners of older XT Alexas will also be able to upgrade to a SXT for a €22500.
