You can now get an Arri Alexa for £4900

[IronFilm]

On 5/21/2019 at 12:03 AM, Andrew Reid said:

Really, the Alexa is impractical for most people and I agree with Ed that there are better buys even at £5k

 

Depends on the person and their goals/network/experience/resources. 

Arguably some DoPs could leverage "owning an ARRI" to make it a smart buy getting an Arri Alexa Classic for £5k

 

On 5/21/2019 at 10:14 AM, thebrothersthre3 said:

The Sony F35 is also tempting at its current price point. 

Except it is even more of a pain to shoot with, and it has even less brand recognition than an ARRI!
 

On 5/21/2019 at 9:54 AM, DaveAltizer said:

If I can get an Alexa for $5k I'll jump on it. 

Ditto, I'd probably do the insane as well if I found one local for $5K
But it would be bonkers for to own. 
However I do irrational things now and then.... I just this morning purchased five more Lectrosonics LMa transmitters. Which are all in Block 26! ha

On 5/21/2019 at 10:36 PM, PannySVHS said:

"You can now get an Arri Alexa for £4900" Not anymore.   Sold.

To who, you?
 

 

On 5/21/2019 at 10:36 PM, PannySVHS said:

Would love to see some classics revised, esp. the Mjpeg hacked GH1!

YES!
 

[IronFilm]

Another Arri for 5K GBP, but...  it is BROKEN!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Arri-Alexa-XT-camera-body-no-accessories-no-lens-with-flight-case/173890467805

 

[PannySVHS]

On 5/22/2019 at 3:35 PM, IronFilm said:

To who, you?

 

You rascal, you almost got me, except that I, uhmm, I, well, I didn't:(

[Emanuel]

 

[thebrothersthre3]

That thing is so huge haha. The Lens doesn't help of course. I'd definitely consider getting one though. 

[fuzzynormal]

On 5/19/2019 at 12:37 PM, Andrew Reid said:

It's also a heavy beast, so my back might die even sooner that it does.

I know that's the knock that a lot of filmmakers use, albeit facetiously, when coveting big pro cameras like this.  

What I always find amusing is that these cameras are coveted not only because they make a wonderful image, but because the projects they watch online look "cinematic."

Well, yeah, when you use any large ass camera to make stuff, you tend to slow down a bit and put the beast on a tripod or rig system that helps create the "cinema" look.  Also keep in mind that expensive cameras demand consideration to use them.  It's part of the cinematic-algebra in making stuff with big gear.  Plus, you get actual talented craftspeople that have ascended to the upper-tier of the profession and know how to use the tricks of the trade.  Knowing and leveraging light is the other biggie.

I know a successful documentarian that was banging out award winning productions about once a month.  He's always getting complimented for his cinematography, and he told me "Shit man, I just always put the damn camera on a tripod."  Simple as that (well, not really, but that's his "big" piece of craft).  I asked him what he's shooting with and it's mostly the Canon C-series, but he's used anything and everything.  He just refuses to go off sticks.

There ya go.

And, yes, the Alexa is still the bees knees.  I don't find the size daunting at all.  My job in the 90's and 'Aughties was to travel around the world with pro SD and HD video tape cameras.  They were always big. 

On 5/21/2019 at 3:36 AM, PannySVHS said:

see some classics revised, esp. the Mjpeg hacked GH1!

Eh, what's this then?  I have two GH1's laying around and haven't really played with them in a few years.  Is this a thing I've been unaware of?

[Geoff CB]

On 12/1/2019 at 12:46 PM, Emanuel said:

 

For me what's shown in that video and has yet to be surpassed is the excellent straight out of camera look it has while maintaining DR. To this day nothing touches it. It's why I'm excited for Sony's new Cinetone they added to the FX9, sometime you just don't want to take forever grading.

[thebrothersthre3]

1 hour ago, Geoff CB said:

For me what's shown in that video and has yet to be surpassed is the excellent straight out of camera look it has while maintaining DR. To this day nothing touches it. It's why I'm excited for Sony's new Cinetone they added to the FX9, sometime you just don't want to take forever grading.

I don't know why no other camera company has replicated it. I guess every company has its thing though. Red with compressed Raw and high resolutions, Arri's color and DR, Sony reliability affordability? Black magic is kind of trying to hit a bit of everything it seems. 

[IronFilm]

On 12/2/2019 at 7:24 AM, thebrothersthre3 said:

That thing is so huge haha. The Lens doesn't help of course. I'd definitely consider getting one though. 

It is also perspective, as he is holding the ARRI closer to the camera taking the thumbnail pic. 

Unfortunately I reckon this video from Potato Jet is now going to help keep up higher the prices of cheap ARRIs for 2020 than otherwise, as he has massively raised the profile of these cheap cheap cameras which was otherwise slipping by unknown to most people.

 

1 hour ago, thebrothersthre3 said:

I don't know why no other camera company has replicated it. I guess every company has its thing though. Red with compressed Raw and high resolutions, Arri's color and DR, Sony reliability affordability? Black magic is kind of trying to hit a bit of everything it seems. 

Doesn't ARRI do that merging dual gain approach which has been patented? (like Zaxcom's Neverclip)

[kye]

10 hours ago, fuzzynormal said:

He's always getting complimented for his cinematography, and he told me "Shit man, I just always put the damn camera on a tripod."  Simple as that (well, not really, but that's his "big" piece of craft).

I'm not so sure that it's that "simple".

I'm reminded of the old competency framework that goes:

• Unconscious incompetence (people don't know how to do something, and don't know that they don't know)
• Conscious incompetence (people don't know how to do something, but they know that they don't know)
• Conscious competence (people know how to do something, and they are aware consciously of how to do it - teachers should be here)
• Unconscious competence (people know how to do something, but aren't consciously aware of how they do it, or even that they can do it - talented people are often here and don't know that what they're doing is hard or that they're even doing anything at all)

For me the "I just put it on sticks" guy is probably the last stage.  Their compositions will likely be gorgeous and if you said "I'll just put the camera here" and set it up too close with a wide-angle lens and looking down on the talent they would know that it was all wrong and would know what to do to fix it, but just wouldn't know that correcting that composition is a skill that a day-one amateur doesn't know.

8 hours ago, Geoff CB said:

For me what's shown in that video and has yet to be surpassed is the excellent straight out of camera look it has while maintaining DR. To this day nothing touches it. It's why I'm excited for Sony's new Cinetone they added to the FX9, sometime you just don't want to take forever grading.

I agree.  The first shot through the Alexa is like "ahh" combined with "wow".

4 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Unfortunately I reckon this video from Potato Jet is now going to help keep up higher the prices of cheap ARRIs for 2020 than otherwise, as he has massively raised the profile of these cheap cheap cameras which was otherwise slipping by unknown to most people.

Unfortunately, yes, this is probably the case.

[thebrothersthre3]

6 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Unfortunately I reckon this video from Potato Jet is now going to help keep up higher the prices of cheap ARRIs for 2020 than otherwise, as he has massively raised the profile of these cheap cheap cameras which was otherwise slipping by unknown to most people.

 

Maybe at the same time people these days are so used to run and gun stuff that its a big leap. I am so spoiled with DSLR's that the Sony F3 was a big leap for me?(sold it) 

[EphraimP]

13 hours ago, fuzzynormal said:

I know a successful documentarian that was banging out award winning productions about once a month.  He's always getting complimented for his cinematography, and he told me "Shit man, I just always put the damn camera on a tripod."  Simple as that (well, not really, but that's his "big" piece of craft).  I asked him what he's shooting with and it's mostly the Canon C-series, but he's used anything and everything.  He just refuses to go off sticks.

Thanks for making me feel better about pulling the trigger on a 608 Nitrotech and real video sticks when B&H dropped the price two bills Friday. I was questioning myself, even though I've been feeling that my basic Manfrotto 500 head on Davis and Sanford legs hasn't been cutting it for a while now. It's no OConnor, but the new tripod is kinda a sexy beast, if you're into that sort of things. 

Now I just need to figure out what I don't know that I don't know about shooting... or get that non-working Alexa and fake it ?

[IronFilm]

2 hours ago, thebrothersthre3 said:

Maybe at the same time people these days are so used to run and gun stuff that its a big leap. I am so spoiled with DSLR's that the Sony F3 was a big leap for me?(sold it) 

For sure, the vast majority of his subscribers won't be rushing out to buy an ARRI. 
But if only 0.5% of his watchers now have decided to consider buying an ARRI that will put a big influx of buyers into what is a very small market, and thus an inflation of prices. (wellllll, perhaps not an *inflation* but it will stop the steady decline of prices for a good chunk of 2020)

Yes, the Sony F3 is a big increase in size compared to a GH2/a6000/T3i etc! Over the F3 compared to an ARRI Alexa Classic / RED ONE MX, then an F3 is very small / lightweight and only barely sips power! 
 

1 hour ago, EphraimP said:

Thanks for making me feel better about pulling the trigger on a 608 Nitrotech and real video sticks when B&H dropped the price two bills Friday. I was questioning myself, even though I've been feeling that my basic Manfrotto 500 head on Davis and Sanford legs hasn't been cutting it for a while now. It's no OConnor, but the new tripod is kinda a sexy beast, if you're into that sort of things. 

Don't worry, you're not overspending on a tripod at all! Still only scratching the surface when it comes to costs for a tripod 

[EphraimP]

3 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

Don't worry, you're not overspending on a tripod at all! Still only scratching the surface when it comes to costs for a tripod 

Damn, don't I know it. Like I said, it's no OConnor. Heck I make upgrade the sticks next year to a set with the fast lock setup, since I should be able to resell the ones I just got for a decent price compared to what I paid with the head. 

What did the Stones say that one time? It's a GAS, GAS, GAS. Or something like that.