ARRI ALEXA 35 and ALEXA 265 SUP 6.2.0 Released – Full Focusbug Cine RT Integration, Shared Focus Marks, Depth of Field Ramping

Firmware Update

by Nino LeitnerToday

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ARRI has released Software Update Package 6.2.0 for the ALEXA 35, ALEXA 35 Xtreme, ALEXA 35 Live and ALEXA 265. The update connects the Focusbug Cine RT rangefinder directly to the camera’s SERIAL port, shares focus marks between camera and Hi-5 hand unit, and adds depth of field ramping for live productions.

SUP 6.2.0 mainly helps focus pullers, along with the multicam crews working with the ALEXA 35 Live. It also covers the 65mm ALEXA 265, which runs the same software platform.

Focusbug Cine RT without an extra box

We have previously covered the Focusbug Cine RT ultrasonic rangefinder, which reads the distance to tagged subjects. Until now, using it with an ALEXA 35 and Hi-5 required an ARRI RIA-1 radio interface adapter or an LCUBE CUB-1. With SUP 6.2.0, the camera and Hi-5 talk to the Cine RT system bi-directionally through the camera’s SERIAL port. According to ARRI, all Cine RT functions covered by the Focusbug License for Hi-5 and Hi-5 SX are now available without either adapter.

Shared focus marks

Focus marks can now be set on the camera with a programmable user button or on a connected Hi-5. Marks made on either side are synchronized automatically. They appear in the EVF and in the SDI status overlays, and the overlay can also display live distance readings from a rangefinder such as the Cine RT. ARRI notes that a new mark may appear with a delay of about one second.

Depth of field ramping for live productions

For live work, the camera can now compensate exposure automatically while the iris is adjusted. Operators can shift the depth of field between foreground and background during a broadcast while image brightness stays constant. Because this changes EI dynamically within a clip, ARRI warns that some post-production tools may ignore or misread the dynamic EI metadata, so the exposure may not be reproduced as intended. The release notes also list flicker or stepping when depth of field ramping is used with mirrored ProRes recording.

Smaller changes

Multicam SDR and HDR looks now carry an “SDR” or “HDR” prefix, so they are easier to tell apart on control panels with short character displays. A new SDI Play Mode setting lets users play back HFR clips either at project rate for slow-motion review or at the recorded frame rate.

Availability

SUP 6.2.0 is available to download now. ARRI recommends the update for all users but advises against installing it during active production. The update takes up to 20 minutes and requires a factory reset first, and the release notes list a number of known issues worth reading beforehand. For more information, please visit the ARRI website.

Will shared focus marks and direct Cine RT support change how your focus puller works with the ALEXA 35? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!