ARRI ALEXA 35 Xtreme Unveiled – Up to 660fps and New ARRICORE Codec

Camera News

by Nino LeitnerJuly 31^st, 2025

Subscribe to News - Cameras

ARRI just announced a major upgrade to its industry-standard ALEXA 35, targeting high-speed cinematography, a new codec and better pre-recording options: The ARRI ALEXA 35 Xtreme. Let’s dive in.

ARRI has officially announced the ALEXA 35 Xtreme, a substantial upgrade to the widely adopted ALEXA 35 that promises to reshape high-speed cinematography workflows. The new camera system delivers frame rates up to 660fps while introducing ARRICORE, a next-generation codec designed to reduce data rates without compromising image quality.

Sensor Overdrive mode: up to 660fps at 11 stops of dynamic range

The headline feature of the ALEXA 35 Xtreme is its impressive high-speed capabilities. The camera can achieve frame rates up to 330fps while maintaining the full claimed 17 stops of dynamic range that have made the ALEXA series a cinematographer favorite – in our renowned Lab Tests, the ALEXA 35 came indeed out on top with a measured 16.3 stops of dynamic range (Databases link) at SNR=1. For even higher frame rates, a new “Sensor Overdrive” mode pushes performance to 660fps, albeit with reduced dynamic range of 11 stops. (We will try to get our hands on the ALEXA 35 Xtreme as soon as possible to test the new modes at higher frame rates as well.)

This represents a significant leap from the standard ALEXA 35’s capabilities and positions the Xtreme as a potential game-changer for productions requiring high-speed footage: Like ARRI intends, this eliminates the need for secondary high-speed cameras like a Phantom Flex on most shoots, which could speed up shooting schedules and reduce rental costs for productions.

The enhanced performance comes courtesy of a powerful new main processor equipped with more and faster on-board memory, which also allowed ARRI to introduce a more efficient codec.

ARRICORE Codec: ARRIRAW performance at smaller file sizes

Alongside the hardware upgrades, ARRI is introducing ARRICORE, a new RGB codec that the company positions as delivering “exceptional image quality at a more accessible cost by reducing data rates.” The codec maintains post-production flexibility by keeping sensitivity, white balance, and tint adjustments unbaked, preserving the workflow advantages that professional colorists depend on. So basically it retains the advantages from ARRIRAW while saving a lot of storage space, because more efficient onboard compression can happen in realtime in-camera thanks to the faster processing capabilities.

ARRI emphasizes that ARRICORE maintains compatibility with existing ALEXA 35 workflows, including support for ARRI Look File ALF4, ARRI Textures, metadata handling, MXF wrapper, and audio processing. The company also states that most third-party tools supporting current ALEXA 35 codecs will work with ARRICORE, and we were told that many of those manufacturers are currently adjusting their tools.

Notably, ARRICORE is launching in beta, suggesting ARRI is taking a collaborative approach to development by incorporating user feedback during the refinement process.

It’s also noteworthy that ARRICORE is only available in the ALEXA 35 Xtreme and no other ARRI camera, since no other camera has the required onboard processing capability currently.

Extended pre-recording capabilities

The ALEXA 35 Xtreme dramatically extends pre-recording times, offering up to 30 seconds when shooting 24fps Apple ProRes 4444 in 4.6K Open Gate resolution, or a substantial five minutes when recording 24fps Apple ProRes 422 HQ in HD. ARRI believes these are the longest pre-recording times available in any cinema camera.

This enhancement addresses a critical need in documentary filmmaking and spontaneous capture scenarios where missing the beginning of an action can be costly or impossible to recreate, most notably wildlife, where RED has a strong foothold for exactly that reason (combined with the sensor crops that go along with higher frame rates with RED cameras). And because the Sensor Overdrive mode enables capture speeds of up to 660fps at a S16 sensor crop, the Xtreme becomes an even more interesting proposition for high-end wildlife filmmaking.

ALEXA 35 Xtreme uses 10% less power, gets 5GHz WiFi, retains same compact housing

Beyond the headline features, ARRI has implemented several practical improvements. The Xtreme offers 10% better power efficiency compared to the ALEXA 35, while enhancing wireless connectivity through WiFi 5GHz band compatibility, mesh network roaming, and automatic reconnection to known networks.

Crucially for existing ALEXA 35 users, the Xtreme maintains the same compact housing and all mechanical interfaces, ensuring compatibility with ARRI’s extensive accessory ecosystem. This includes lens mounts, brackets, the Audio Extension Module AEM-1, Power Distribution Module PDM-1, and various storage solutions including CODEX drives.

Same price as ALEXA 35, upgrade path

ARRI has structured the ALEXA 35 Xtreme offering around Base and Premium license tiers, but will charge the same as for the ALEXA 35 up until now, which will be discontinued. For existing ALEXA 35 owners,ARRI offers an upgrade path priced at €15,900 to convert ALEXA 35 Base, Premium, or Live cameras to Xtreme specification.

The upgrade service will be available through selected ARRI Service Centers starting August 2025, with existing licenses preserved during the conversion process. The upgrade involves a replacement of the mother board with the new processor and memory as well as an extra processing acceleration board, and will take 3-7 days according our information, and can be executed by any one of ARRI’s five service centers around the world. This approach demonstrates ARRI’s commitment to protecting customer investments while providing a clear path to enhanced capabilities.

Our take on the ARRI ALEXA 35 Xtreme announcement

The ALEXA 35 Xtreme announcement comes at a time when high-speed cinematography is increasingly demanded across various production types, from traditional narrative filmmaking to commercial and documentary work. By integrating high-speed capabilities into their mainstream camera system, ARRI is potentially eliminating the need for specialized high-speed rental equipment in many scenarios.

At a point in time where high-end filmmaking is really hurting around the world, with lots of budgets under pressure, ARRI sets a statement by introducing a newly upgraded and significantly more capable version of a fairly recent camera without raising the price – something I would have expected in “boom times” of film production.

While the 660fps capability is impressive on paper, the reduced dynamic range in Sensor Overdrive mode may limit its applicability in challenging lighting conditions where the ALEXA series typically excels, but I think with some training, even DPs who are not used to shoot high speed without a Phantom Flex operator will get their head around the fact that high frame-rate filmmaking always comes with some image tradeoffs. In short, it’s better to have this capability inside your A-cam, obviously.

Will the ALEXA 35 Xtreme succeed in a tough market?

The ALEXA 35 Xtreme is a significant upgrade to the original ALEXA 35, which has undoubtedly been an extremely successful camera, if you look at the amount of high-end award-winning features shot with it. By focusing on high-speed capabilities and data efficiency while maintaining ecosystem compatibility, ARRI is responding directly to user feedback and market demands. The upgrade cost seems reasonable considering what can be gained, so I am confident a lot of rental houses will jump at the opportunity for some of their ALEXA 35 inventory, even during these difficult times for the industry.

As with any major camera announcement, the real test will come when the equipment reaches productions and undergoes rigorous field testing. The success of ARRICORE will largely depend on its actual performance in post-production workflows and its adoption by the broader ecosystem of post-production tools.

We look forward to conducting our comprehensive lab test of the ALEXA 35 Xtreme once review units become available. Stay tuned.

What’s your take on the ALEXA 35 Xtreme? Let us know in the comments below.