ARRIRAW is ARRI’s format for uncompressed, unencrypted, and uncompromised sensor data. It can be considered a digital version of the camera negative. ARRIRAW is the only format that fully retains the camera's natural color response and great exposure latitude as unprocessed sensor data.
Like film negative, ARRIRAW data has to be developed – or rather processed – in order to convert the single channel image, which represents the raw Bayer pattern sensor readout, into a color image suitable for normal viewing. The originally recorded raw data remains pristine, always providing the flexibility to go back and refine the results. This makes ARRIRAW the perfect format for digital cinematography and high-quality visual effects production.
Our camera line-up supports in-camera recording of ARRIRAW or MXF/ARRIRAW data. MXF/ARRIRAW is ARRIRAW within a container format (*.mxf), allowing each clip to be contained in just one file, as opposed to several thousand files, because with the regular ARRIRAW format (*.ari) every single frame is a separate file.
Older ALEXA cameras (ALEXA Classic, ALEXA Plus/Plus 4:3, ALEXA M, and ALEXA Studio) require an ARRI-certified external recorder which understands the T-Link signal.