The ALEXA 65 was so new that its lack of official testing meant the production's insurance policy would not cover any problems that might arise with the system on set. Presented with this dilemma, the filmmakers had to weigh up the benefits against the potential issues, but were swayed by ARRI's reputation for durable, reliable equipment, by ARRI Rental's high service and support standards, and by the ALEXA 65's staggering image quality. As Lubezki told "ScreenDaily": "We sat down with the studio, we watched the dailies and everybody said... 'We have to do it. We have to shoot with this camera,' because it's even more immersive than we had before."

An in-depth article in the January 2016 issue of "American Cinematographer" describes how... in one extraordinary sequence, an avalanche occurs in the background during a key moment between Glass and his nemesis Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). This was not achieved through CGI, miniatures or any other kind of movie magic. With the cooperation of Canadian authorities, a helicopter dropped explosive charges into the snow on cue. "We had the ALEXA 65 on a little crane arm with the 24 mm lens to get a close-up on Leo and incorporate the landscape in the background," Lubezki told "AC." "We knew we had only one chance, and we didn't want to blow it. The digital camera let us shoot at 1,200 ASA for more depth of field, keeping Leo and the mountain sharp. The detail in the background is exquisite. We could never have done that with a film camera."