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why ARRI won't build 4K cameras in the near future (in German)
  • Interview in German with Franz Kraus, managing director

  • 17 Replies sorted by
  • Care to translate the main points in English?

  • You do realise you can open in YouTube, enable captions and translate to English right? :)

  • ^^^....although it's like reading a drunk person :D

  • You do realise you can open in YouTube, enable captions and translate to English right? :)

    he is speaking with a Bavarian accent, so translation is not always accurate. *g (Raw is translated to Roth e.g)

    In general he says that there are more important features over resolution. Dynamics, frame rates, easy and safe workflow. Before moving to 4K it's important for ARRI to see how these things will develop and also it's question of cost to have a smooth and easy workflow not overloading it with resolution.

    -

    I don't know whether it's the whole truth or whistling in the dark. Maybe a bit of both.

  • It's consistent with what they've always said, though you're rather close to 4K when you shoot Open Gate. That's 3.4K and a 1.55:1 aspect ratio.

  • In test conducted so far, the difference between HD and 4K apparently doesn't rate all that highly among tested audiences -- the cost of quadrupling the data rate isn't accompanied by 4x the acclaim.

    Better pixels, however, in the form of DR and deeper blacks, which increases perceived resolution, does register with audiences, at far lower data costs.

    And Arri has proved, at least in the professional market, that users don't assume that ever-higher advertised resolution means "better".

  • While the Arri representant (which I luckily understand being German) sure has some valid points with regards to "image quality is not just about resolution", he also made some statements which IMHO indicate a distorted perception of the market: He claims that upcoming TVs and projectors will excel in better contrast and color resolution, and that Arri wants to address that more than "4k" at this time. Looking at how in reality TVs have actually become worse with regards to static contrast and color space, and are sold with marketing buzz about "Smart-TV" or "4k", I think he got it all wrong: The sad truth is that 99% of TV buyers have no clue or don't value image quality that much, they rather buy a TV because "it runs Android" or "can show Youtube videos".

    I hope they'll not just rely on traditionalists buying their cameras.

  • Wait a minute....I thought Arri was already working on a 4K camera from a while back. I thought we would have heard about it by now.

  • This is a typical marketing strategy that companies use. When you do not have a feature, describe it as unnecessary or even excessive. Say that your company is following it and that you'll implement when the market is mature enough. Then when you release the feature, describe it as essential.

  • Alls I know is that shows that are shot with the Alexa look really good on my TV. I suppose an upgrade will always be in order for the sake of progress, but what they have now works great.

  • Arri's Managing Director: HD Is 'Dumbed Down' to Make 4K Look Good

    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/arris-managing-director-hd-is-578724

  • Arri knows, and the discerning DPs who shoot on their cameras know, spatial resolution is likely the least important factor when it comes to image quality. RED has been higher resolution than Arri from the beginning and it hasn't hurt Arri one bit. Basically, if you want a significantly better image than what they give you right now with their digital cameras you shoot film.

  • I'm still happy watching almost everything at 360p...( even better with up-rezzing DVD player) ....so I have a long way to go!....and now a word from our sponsor

    imageimage

  • Digital cable and satellite, in 1080/720, is often no better than Youtube quality. Worse is when you flip to a channel that's still 4:3 standard def and it looks like the broadcaster has busted out the old Video Spigot to handle their A->D. The only thing that looks worse than 1080/720 with digital cable and satellite is 480 sources.

    I don't know whether to cry or laugh every time these jokers start talking 4K for the home.

  • Time to watch that interview again, now that Arri announced their 6.5K camera Alexa 65.

    At least they kept the promise to not build a 4k camera, soon. ;-)

  • Shorter ARRI: we are behind on the transition to 4K, so we will say it isn't important, and when we finally catch up we will say it is important and we do it better.

  • You can click subtitles and then the subtitles try to write the german text that he speaks with slight bavarian accent. It is hillarious. Almost not a single sentence is correct and by only reading and without listening to what he says you could not understand what he is talking about. Funny.