ALEXA: Reidel Acquires ARRI

Life is really beautiful...you get a handful of decades in and you see everything either come to an end or come full circle.
 
Just reading up on this, it sounds like their focus on specifically high end production equipment, and the pandemic reducing demand as well as rising costs are the biggest contributing factors to their woes?

Why not license your tech to companies that make more consumer priced gear, or introduce your own version of that to compete in that space?
 
We live in a world where a shoe company (Allbirds) just dropped its business and is taking up AI infrastructure, lol.

I can't imagine how niche what ARRI did became, maybe too difficult of a business to survive in moving forward.
 
JustinBrown said:
Just reading up on this, it sounds like their focus on specifically high end production equipment, and the pandemic reducing demand as well as rising costs are the biggest contributing factors to their woes?

Why not license your tech to companies that make more consumer priced gear, or introduce your own version of that to compete in that space?
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It’d be interesting to see what a cheaper Arri with compromises looks like. It might just be a more expensive BM pocket, and likely without the same level of a SONY for sensible, helpful functions like AF. I guess the phone collab will give us a reference for how good the watered down look will be.
 
rob norton said:
It’d be interesting to see what a cheaper Arri with compromises looks like. It might just be a more expensive BM pocket, and likely without the same level of a SONY for sensible, helpful functions like AF. I guess the phone collab will give us a reference for how good the watered down look will be.
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My magic 8 ball says: Signs don't look good

I mean, it's interesting in theory, but if they want to bring their color tech to the masses why not develop their own app for mobile use that can be used on anything as opposed to only working with a Huawei subsidiary who is effectively banned in the US??

This feel like the time Kodak slapped their name on an Android phone that didn't sell.
 
rob norton said:
It’d be interesting to see what a cheaper Arri with compromises looks like. It might just be a more expensive BM pocket, and likely without the same level of a SONY for sensible, helpful functions like AF. I guess the phone collab will give us a reference for how good the watered down look will be.
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I still wonder how much a cheaper Arri is doable. You make a good point about there needing to be compromise in order to hit certain price points. But then what are you left with?

I've listened to a lot of podcasts, read literature, etc. regarding Arri's tech and it seems like if it was that easy to hit Arri quality at a lower price point then one of the other major competitors would have done it by now.

teamdeakins.libsyn.com

Team Deakins: Franz Kraus - Pt 1 - Arriflex

EPISODE 43 - FRANZ KRAUS Part 1 - Arriflex Team Deakins sits down with Franz Kraus of Arriflex who has overseen most of the company’s digital visual advancements. We learn the history and progression into digital technology. He also walks us through the greater importance of dynamic range vs...
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teamdeakins.libsyn.com

Team Deakins: Franz Kraus - Pt 2 - Arriflex

EPISODE 44 - FRANZ KRAUS Part 2 - Arriflex This is part 2 with Franz Kraus. We continue our conversation with Franz about all things digital. We talk lens, camera, the Trinity rig, viewfinders, the M camera (precursor of the Mini) and what might be coming in the future. A great chance to get all...
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Sony has endless budget, but they still haven't made a camera with the same dynamic range as the A35, although they have cameras that are in that price range.

So is it a cost issue in that case? It would appear not? In which case, does that make it some sort of engineering or knowledge-based problem? Surely Sony has taken apart every camera Arri has ever made in an effort to see what they're doing. As have every other major competitor most likely?

I have many questions...and few answers. Ha.

Regarding the acquisition, though, I'm not really in the broadcast space so learning about Reidel was news to me. They appear to be the perfect company for Arri to be acquired by, at this point anyway.
 
rob norton said:
It’d be interesting to see what a cheaper Arri with compromises looks like. It might just be a more expensive BM pocket, and likely without the same level of a SONY for sensible, helpful functions like AF. I guess the phone collab will give us a reference for how good the watered down look will be.
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I just dont get the cheaper Alexa thing. Its financial death. Arri as a service company rigging studio and footy stadiums might work. The prosumer space. Sony and Canon are getting killed by the osmo 9, Arri can even get on that field.
 
morgan_moore said:
I just dont get the cheaper Alexa thing. Its financial death. Arri as a service company rigging studio and footy stadiums might work. The prosumer space. Sony and Canon are getting killed by the osmo 9, Arri can even get on that field.
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You've described the eternal struggle for consumers across every product ever made.

"We want 'X' product quality, but at 'Y' product price". - With 'X' product always being expensive and great. The ask from consumers is always to get more for less. But there's a reason some things cost more.

Smart consumers can distinguish between what's hype and what's actual quality and will spend their dollars appropriately.

Regarding the "cheaper Alexa thing" specifically, consumers certainly want it. I would guess Arri does not.
 
A cheaper Arri or consumer Arri is not a direction that makes sense for a company like Riedel. They are in the TV business. They would have to have a plan to monetize Arri's higher dynamic range and 'look' to the broadcast world.

Broadcasters are willing to pay $50,000 and up for a Sony broadcast camera (body only) and over $200,000 for a lens. So Arri is not out of range of what broadcasters spend. It could be a significant sales bump for the Arri cameras if they can be configured with what broadcasters need. Sony is de facto in the broadcast world. So the question remains; will broadcasters (sports) see value in adding an odd duck to their inventory.

I can't find a published specification for Sony's high end cameras, so I don't know if Arri's 17 stops is of interest.

This is more along the lines of what Riedel may have in mind - https://www.arri.com/en/camera-systems/live-cameras/alexa-35-live
 
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morgan_moore said:
I just dont get the cheaper Alexa thing. Its financial death. Arri as a service company rigging studio and footy stadiums might work. The prosumer space. Sony and Canon are getting killed by the osmo 9, Arri can even get on that field.
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I only said I'd be interested to check out their non-existent fx6 equivalent, but I don't think it will happen. At this point it's likely in their interest to not release a $5-10k camera. They can do the smartphone thing along with the new direction, without showing up and possibly falling short in the low-mid range space.
 
rob norton said:
I only said I'd be interested to check out their non-existent fx6 equivalent, but I don't think it will happen. At this point it's likely in their interest to not release a $5-10k camera. They can do the smartphone thing along with the new direction, without showing up and possibly falling short in the low-mid range space.
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The cheap arri has been going around the fora for ages.. I just think that is a donkey, small rig and dji are eating cheap - hell they are eating Canikon. Arri are well set up to be into grown up workflow (major motion pictures, stadiums be that sport or music)
 
Can Arri just start doing large broadcast lenses? Do they just need an autofocus partner?

Arri could've been providing lights, cameras, and lenses for events and stadiums.

I still think it's strange a capable giant like SONY never made LEDs for the film world. I can't find the thread now, but asked about it years ago and no one could answer, maybe @cyvideo knows!?

Is there such a thing as a luxury broadcast option? Sony provides savings with total packages. Is that the only model that works? I can see a boutique service working for a more premium option if they can get the image over the line, but not at the massive scale of major events. I doubt they can compete on price and range of products?

Apologies if this is covered in your link @DustinSchmidt, I haven't seen it yet. I think I'd rather discuss here than watch the 40 minute interview!
 
Arri never really made lenses just rebadged zeiss ? As for auto focus.. sony/canon/nikon are the only folk who have almost a handle on this.

Arri have mullered themselfves over the years on the AF front by listening to DPs who suggested AF is for children.

Actually the HI5 tied to the cinetape does help pull focus I think.
 
morgan_moore said:
Arri never really made lenses just rebadged zeiss ? As for auto focus.. sony/canon/nikon are the only folk who have almost a handle on this.

Arri have mullered themselfves over the years on the AF front by listening to DPs who suggested AF is for children.

Actually the HI5 tied to the cinetape does help pull focus I think.
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I'm talking about AF for box zoom broadcast lenses. Or like Canon's recent 11-55 or 40-1200mm cine lenses with AF.
 
Im not really across broadcast tech, but afaik arri have no af patents - those are sony canon nikon and maybe panicsonic. and inside the bodies/read off the chip.

Af an AF nut im always amazed that any manual focus sport is sharp!
 
rob norton said:
Can Arri just start doing large broadcast lenses? Do they just need an autofocus partner?
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"Just start..." Cough, cough. ...... I'm choking on the word 'just'. These are no ordinary lenses. The autofocus for broadcast box lenses is built into the lens. It does its own autofocus (without help from the camera) with it's own sensor. It costs a stop or so. It's a whole other animal. Large, coarse castings that look like a steam engine with circuit boards mounted to bosses cast into the lens housing. The front element on a box lens is 8" across. The Fujinon 25-1000mm f2.8 parfocal lens is a 60 lb.$275,000 animal.
 
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Paul F said:
"Just start..." Cough, cough. ...... I'm choking on the word 'just'. These are no ordinary lenses. The autofocus for broadcast box lenses is built into the lens. It does its own autofocus (without help from the camera) with it's own sensor. It costs a stop or so. It's a whole other animal. Large, course castings that look like a steam engine with circuit boards mounted to bosses cast into the lens housing. The front element on a box lens is 8" across. The Fujinon 25-1000m f2.8 parfocal lens is a 60 lb.$275,000 animal.
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Should be a cinch from the sounds of it;)
 
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