Does the ARRI Alexa Mini LF Have a Super 35 Mode?

If you've got a set of Super 35 glass and you're eyeing an Alexa Mini LF for your next shoot, this is the question that decides whether you need new lenses or not.

Here's the full picture.

Does the Alexa Mini LF Have a Super 35 Mode?

Yes. The Alexa Mini LF supports dedicated Super 35 recording modes alongside its native large-format modes.

It wasn't there from day one (more on that below), but every Mini LF running current firmware has it.

Sugarland stocks the Alexa Mini LF, so if your production needs to shoot large format one day and Super 35 the next, on the same camera body, it's ready to go.

What's Different About the Alexa Mini LF's Sensor?

It's a large-format sensor that can crop down to Super 35 on demand.‍

The Mini LF uses ARRI's ALEV 3 A2X sensor, the same sensor found in the full-size Alexa LF.

It's a 4.5K sensor with 4448 x 3096 photosites, measuring 36.70 x 25.54mm and requiring a 44.71mm image circle at full width.

That's the key point: it's a large-format sensor first. Super 35 isn't a separate physical sensor, it's a crop of the same one.

This is why ARRI could add S35 recording modes through a software update rather than a hardware change.

The photosite size and colour science are shared with ARRI's Super 35 cameras too, which is why footage shot in S35 crop mode on the Mini LF still carries that familiar Alexa look.

When Was Super 35 Mode Added to the Alexa Mini LF?

At launch in 2019, the Mini LF did not support Super 35 recording modes.

Operators upgrading from the original Alexa Mini had to shoot a larger format and crop down in post if they wanted to match S35 framing, which meant bigger files and extra post work for no real benefit.

ARRI confirmed a dedicated crop mode was planned for a future update, and it arrived with Software Update Package 7.0 in 2021.

That update gave the Mini LF the same core recording formats as the original Alexa Mini, direct from the sensor rather than a post-production crop.

If you're hiring an Alexa Mini LF today, this history doesn't matter operationally (the mode is simply there), but it explains why some older articles and forum threads still say the camera can't shoot S35. That information is out of date.

What Super 35 Recording Modes Does It Support?

SUP 7.0 added several S35 formats to the Mini LF, matching the classic Alexa Mini's recording options.

The headline modes, as detailed by AbelCine, are:

ARRIRAW 3.4K S35 3:2 (Open Gate): 3424 x 2202, up to 60 fps. The full-sensor S35 mode carried over from the original Mini.

ProRes 3.2K S35 16:9: 3200 x 1800, up to 75 fps. A favourite among episodic shooters when full 4K capture isn't a requirement.

ProRes 2.8K S35 4:3: 2880 x 2160, up to 75 fps. The 4-perf S35 gate, suited to spherical or classic 2x anamorphic lenses.

ProRes 2.8K S35 16:9 (downsampled to HD): 2880 x 1620, the fastest of the four. The lightest option on data rate.

Three of these four modes actually hit higher frame rates on the Mini LF than the equivalent mode does on the original Alexa Mini, since the Mini LF's sensor and processing pipeline is newer.

Is the Alexa Mini LF's Super 35 Mode Netflix Approved?

No. Super 35 recording modes on the Alexa Mini LF are not Netflix 4K approved. Only the camera's large-format (LF) sensor modes carry that approval.

If your production has a Netflix 4K mandate, shoot in one of the LF modes (Open Gate, 16:9, or 2.39:1), not the S35 crop.

Flag this early with your DP or post house, since it affects which lenses you'll need and how you frame the shot.

For anything outside a strict streaming mandate, broadcast, corporate, music video, most commercial work, the S35 modes are perfectly usable and give you smaller file sizes to manage on set.

Do You Even Need Super 35 Mode, or Will Your Lenses Already Cover LF 16:9?

Not necessarily. Plenty of existing Super 35 lenses already cover the Mini LF's LF 16:9 recording mode without needing the dedicated S35 crop at all, since that mode requires a smaller image circle than full Open Gate.

Before you assume you need to shoot in S35 crop mode, it's worth checking your specific lens set against ARRI's published coverage data.

If your lens already covers LF 16:9, you get the option of the large-format look with your current PL mount lenses, no crop required.

This matters most for anamorphic shooters and anyone running a large lens inventory across multiple cameras.

Knowing what your glass actually covers, rather than assuming, saves a lot of back-and-forth on a shoot day.

Large Format or Super 35, Which Should You Choose?

There's no universal right answer, it depends on the job. A few practical starting points:

• Choose Super 35 if you're matching footage to an existing Alexa Mini, working with S35-only glass, need smaller file sizes for a fast turnaround, or you're shooting episodic TV where S35 remains standard.
• Choose large format if you want the wider field of view and shallower depth of field that comes with the bigger sensor, or your deliverable requires Netflix 4K approval.
• Mix both across a production. Since it's one camera body with both modes built in, some productions shoot LF for hero shots and drop to S35 for matching or pickup work.

As ARRI itself has said, they see large format, Super 35, and 65mm coexisting for the foreseeable future rather than one replacing another.

The Mini LF's flexibility is really about giving you the choice per shoot, not pushing you toward one format.

If you're still weighing this up against other full-frame cameras in general, it's worth thinking about your lens inventory first. That usually decides the format question faster than anything else.

Hiring the Alexa Mini LF in London

It's in stock, ready for large format or Super 35.‍

We stock the Alexa Mini LF alongside a full range of ARRI equipment, so whether your production needs it for a large-format hero camera or a S35 crop-mode match to existing glass, it's available as a single line item on your kit list.

If you're not sure which format fits your production, or what lenses you'll need alongside it, get in touch and request a quote. We'll talk through the shoot and make sure you're booking the right kit for the job.

The Bottom Line

The Alexa Mini LF has had a genuine Super 35 mode since ARRI's SUP 7.0 update in 2021, built into the camera's firmware rather than achieved by cropping in post.

It's not Netflix 4K approved, so check your deliverable requirements before you commit to it, and it's worth confirming whether your existing lenses already cover LF 16:9 before assuming you need the crop mode at all.

Either way, the camera is ready to shoot both formats the moment you hire it.