We recently covered the breakthrough mobility of the ALEXA Mini, and we have the camera in our NAB booth this year.

I have some exciting updates to share from Arri on the AMIRA and ALEXA SXT. First, the AMIRA Software Update Packet (SUP) 2.0 is now available for download.

Arri just announced the latest addition to the ALEXA family, the all new ALEXA Mini. Coming in at a svelte 7.3" x 4.9" x 5.5" (LxWxH) and weighing only 5 pounds, the Mini compliments the series with the same S35 ALEV III CMOS sensor found in the ALEXA and AMIRA. Utilizing a carbon body with titanium lens mount attached directly to the titanium sensor mount, the Mini shares the same PL, EF and B4 bayonet lens mounts, as well as the same MVF-1 viewfinder as the AMIRA.

If you've paid a visit to our NY or LA showrooms recently, you may have noticed the newly expanded audio sections. We created these displays so that our clients could go hands-on with a variety of microphones, mixers, and other audio equipment before deciding what fits their project best. Since we all know that getting audio right in the field can sometimes be a challenge, it's always important to make sure you're using the right tools for the job, like the Sound Devices MixPre-D field mixer.

Recently, Gates Underwater made an exciting announcement and revealed their new ALEXA underwater housing. As with their other housings, this unit features simple fingertip controls, an adjustable trim weight system, Gates Precision Ports, and adjustable handle grips.

Arri has recently started the second Open Beta phase for Software Update Packet 10.0, and they've announced some exciting features for this release.

Phil Lott is quite the triple threat - as a cinematographer, director, and showrunner, he has been working in the industry for over two decades. Phil has extensive credits in television, and while he enjoys the medium, his most recent project is an indie feature called Kelly & Cal.

Apple just released Final Cut Pro 10.1.2, which has a host of new features including improved media management tools, Rec709 LUT support for Log footage (Arri, Sony, Canon, and Blackmagic cameras), 3DLUT support for the Arri AMIRA, and support for their new ProRes 4444 XQ codec.

Arri's website has a great set of resources for anyone interested in working with the ALEXA / ALEXA XT, from a menu simulator to downloadable footage, to videos explaining how to work with ARRIRAW. One of the best of these resources is their comprehensive ALEXA XT FAQ.