Digital Cinema System for ARRI ALEXA 35 Camera

The ARRI ALEXA 35 Camera

Building upon the already impressive range of cinema cameras offer by ARRI, the ALEXA 35 fits perfectly into underwater production by giving shooters a compact and feature filled compliment to their ARRI camera lineup. It has a rugged compact form factor similar to the ALEXA Mini, but it adds higher end features more similar to the larger ALEXA camera.  The ALEXA 35 is capable of recording both ARRIRAW and Apple ProRES to 2TB Codex drives with resolution up to 4.6K and frame rates up to 120p.

In order to take full advantage of the brand new sensor, ARRI also developed the brand new REVEAL Color Science.  Designed with the feedback of both colorists and cinematographers, the REVEAL Color Science creates improved color, contrast, sensitivity and dynamic range.  

In addition to ARRI's newer LPL (LBUS) mount, which is designed to cover ARRI's entire sensor size range with optimized full sensor coverage, the ALEXA 35 also accommodates the PL to LPL adapter, the EF Mount and PL Mount.  

The Nauticam Digital Cinema System for ARRI ALEXA 35

Easy Camera Prep

Designed with both owner/operator and rental markets in mind, the Nauticam system is very easy to set up. Armed with only a coin and an allen wrench, the entire support and lens control system is constructed on the camera base plate outside of the housing. This means the rig can be built on a table, in good light, with plenty of working space. Once the camera is assembled on its tray, the entire system slides into the housing, and locks securely in place.

Lens Control System

Similar to the ALEXA Mini and Mini LF housing, the ALEXA 35 housing features an adjustable gear tower to control Focus, Iris and Zoom all from the knurled knobs on the exterior of the housing.  This "diver controlled" setup completely satisfies the needs of a single operator.

For more production oriented shoots which require remote operation and control, the newly designed Nauticam ALEXA 35 housing features two upper and two lower 15mm rods allowing the use cforce Plus and cforce mini motors paired with the ARRI Hi-5 Hand Unit.  Only the upper 15mm rods will support the larger cforce Plus motors.  Unlike previous generation housings, the motors will now drive the lens itself rather than through the adjustable gear tower.  With the standard housing, two motors can be mounted for short primes.  When adding on the included 100mm Housing Extension, you can mount 3 motors to the 15mm rods allowing the use of zoom lenses or longer primes.  

The housing also ships with one 3/4″ Hydroflex style bulkhead allowing the power, remote control, and remote monitor umbilical from other Hydroflex rental systems to be used on Alexa Mini.

A tremendous range of lenses is supported, from very small Zeiss Standard Speeds, to very large cinema styled zooms. Our port system has been tested with Arri UWZ 9.5-18, the most sophisticated wide angle lens ever produced, with excellent results.

Recommended Accessories for Surface Lens Control System

• 16249 LBUS Surface Cable for Hi-5 Hand Unit to use with Nauticam Alexa 35 Housing (30m)
• 16247 Replacement of Internal LBUS Cable (from the Camera to housing bulkhead)
• 16248 Converting Cable for 16223 LCS Cable to use with Hi-5 Hand Unit

Optically-Coated Glass Dome Port

Our exclusive 250mm optically coated glass dome port is supplied with every system, and we believe it is the best optic available for cinema lenses. The 250mm dome port diameter – 10 inches – is a key for good wide angle imaging performance with many cinema lenses underwater. Smaller domes can work well with close focusing SLR lenses, but many cinema lenses have a longer minimum focus distance in the .35-.40m (14-16″) range. Using Arri Master Prime T1.4/14mm, with its .4m MFD as an example, the 250mm dome provides clearly superior results, with much less corner softness than smaller domes.  The glass dome is rugged, and extremely resistant to scratching. Broadband Anti-Reflective Coatings eliminate flare, reflections, and ghosting from the port optic. A robust machined aluminum shade protects the dome, and provides additional flare resistance.

Battery Configurations

The housing is designed around the use of the ARRI B-Mount Plate which mounts directly onto the camera.  Both the Bebob B290 (294Wh) and the SWIT HB-A290B have been tested, but ample space is available for a range of battery pack sizes to be used in the housing, providing long operation times. Surface suppled power is also an option for for tethered all day shooting.

Trim Weights

The included trim weights can be moved independently along the length of the housing skids and additional mounting points are featured on the housing itself to trim the housing to the shooter's exact needs.

External Monitor Support

The SmallHD 503 Ultrabright or the Atomos Ninja V monitor can be mounted in the Nauticam NA-503-S or Nauticam Atomos Ninja V-S housings and be connected via SDI bulkheads and cables allowing greater flexibility when positioning the monitor on the Nauticam Alexa 35 housing. 

*Required accessories for SDI input from camera to 17922S Atomos Ninja V-S:

• 25060 SDI cable in 0.4m length (SDI cable in 0.3m length (for connection from camera to underside of SDI Bulkhead))
• 25058 M16 SDI Bulkhead
• 25061 SDI cable in 0.75m length (for connection between SDI Bulkheads)

SDI Output

Required accessories for SDI Cable System

• 25058 M16 SDI Bulkhead
• 25060 SDI Cable in 0.4m Length
• 25080 M28-M16 Step Down Adapter

Recommended monitor housing

• 17925S Nauticam NA-503-S Housing for Small HD 503 Ultrabright (SDI Cables and bulkhead are included)
  
• 17922S Nauticam Atomos Ninja V-S Housing (SDI Cables and Bulkhead are sold separately)

 Recommended SDI Surface Cables

• 25064 SDI Surface Monitor Cable in 15m Length
  
• 25065 SDI Surface Monitor Cable in 45m Length

Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System

The Nauticam ALEXA 35 housing features Nauticam's field-tested Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System that provides constant updates on the water tight and safe-to-dive status of the housing. By drawing a slight vacuum inside the housing using a reliable and compact manual hand-pump, the system is able to insure water-tightness before entering the water as well as throughout the dive. A simple color-coded LED lighting system, easily visible at the rear of the housing lets the user know that the vacuum is solid, or that the housing is losing vacuum. Leak detection is built into the same circuit, so if there is water intrusion, an audible and visual indication will occur. The Nauticam system is temperature compensated, eliminating false alarms caused by a change in outside temperature, or from a camera heating up on an action packed dive.