American Cinematographer - April 2014 - 98

Arri Announces
Amira Pricing, Details
Arri has announced the
pricing for the Amira, the
company's recently unveiled
documentary-style camera. Prices
for the camera with OLED
viewfinder start at $39,999, and
customers can choose from a wide range of
feature and accessory options to build their
preferred package.
There are three Amira configurations to choose from, differentiated by their
software feature sets. The entry-point
Amira camera allows Rec 709 ProRes 4:2:2
recording up to 100 fps. The Advanced
license adds features such as Log C, ProRes
4:2:2 (HQ) at 200 fps, in-camera grading
and a pre-record function. Finally, the
Premium license incorporates such features
as ProRes 4:4:4:4 and 2K up to 200 fps as
well as color control with custom 3-D LUTs;
the premium offerings make the Amira an
ideal companion to the Alexa for high-end
productions. Software upgrades - which
can be purchased outright or "rented" on a
temporary basis - will be available directly
through the Arri website, allowing Amira
owners to adapt to the particular needs of
the project at hand while extending the
return on their initial investment.
To complete the Amira camera
package, customers will also select a lens
mount, battery mount and bottom plate.
With various options for each, customers
have the option of changing these pieces
after their initial purchase. Lens-mount
options will include PL, PL-LDS, EF and B4;
each mount attaches to the front of the
camera body via four captive screws and
can be easily changed in the field.
The versatile Amira combines exceptional image quality - it incorporates the
latest generation of the Alexa 16x9 sensor
technology - with affordable CFast 2.0
workflows. With a projected startup time of
approximately 10 seconds, the Amira is
ready to roll straight out of the camera bag,
and its rugged design suits a wide range of
production types and shooting environments. The camera's ergonomic design is
optimized for the shoulder-mounted operating of run-and-gun-style documentary
shooting; the camera body weighs approximately 10 pounds on its own, and with
98

shoulder mount, handle and viewfinder
weighs approximately 14 pounds.
The Amira also boasts a unique cooling system: Air enters the front of the
camera via vents on both sides, cooling the
sensor, and then moves through the hollow
center of the chassis, which is completely
sealed from the circuit boards to protect
them from dust and the elements; the
boards are cooled as the air moves through
the chassis, and the air is finally pushed out
the back of the camera, on the right side, via
two small fans.
Arri has mitigated the need to navigate the camera menu by incorporating
user-assignable buttons on the operator's
side of the camera body, as well as userassignable preset switches for white balance
and exposure index. (Additionally, a lock
button precludes any settings being accidentally bumped during a shoot.) The operator's
side of the camera also features controls
over the camera's four-channel audio; slots
for two CFast 2.0 memory cards; two USB
inputs for importing looks, user settings or
software updates; and an Ethernet connection for remote service via network access.
The rear of the camera features two
wireless antennas, one for Bluetooth audio
monitoring and one for Wi-Fi to enable
third-party apps such as menu control via an
iPhone. Also included are two four-pin hirose
connectors, an eight-pin power connector,
two HD-SDI connections and a D-tap power
tap. Audio inputs on the camera-right side
comprise two three-pin and one five-pin that
can serve as a splitter; microphone line,
phantom power and AES are all assignable.
The camera body also boasts a bubble level
and tape hook, and a motorized magnetic
track for its built-in IR-ND filters (.6, 1.2, 2.1
and clear); eschewing a more traditional
filter wheel allows the camera its slimmer
profile when compared with the Alexa.
The top handle for the camera boasts
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American Cinematographer - April 2014

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