RED V-Raptor X or ARRI Alexa Mini LF? Global vs rolling shutter, 8K vs 4.5K, frame rates, ND, media and lenses compared, with which to hire in London.
If your DoP has asked for "large format" and the budget can stretch to a top-end body, the shortlist usually comes down to two cameras: the RED V-Raptor [X] 8K VV and the ARRI Alexa Mini LF. We have both on the shelf at our counter in Stoke Newington, N16, and crews ask us which one to book almost every week. They're both brilliant. They're also very different tools, and the right choice depends on what's moving in front of the lens, how you light, and what happens in post.
This guide compares them on the things that actually change your shoot: sensor and shutter, highlights, frame rates, ND, media, lenses and rigging.
Both are big-sensor cameras in compact bodies. What separates them is how they read the sensor, how they handle light, and how the crew works with them on the day.
Specs are from RED and ARRI. RED and ARRI measure dynamic range in different ways, so treat the two numbers as each maker's own claim rather than a head-to-head score.
This is the reason most people end up on the V-Raptor X. Its sensor captures every pixel in the frame at the same instant. The Mini LF, like most cinema cameras, reads its sensor line by line. ARRI's readout is good and in normal drama you'll rarely notice it, but on fast whip pans, cars passing close to lens, sport, vibration from a car mount, or strobes and camera flashes, a rolling shutter can skew verticals or split a flash across two frames.
If your shot list has a car rig, a fight scene, a drummer under strobes, an LED volume or a lot of fast gimbal work, the [X] takes that problem off the table. If it's interviews, dialogue and slow dolly moves, the shutter matters far less, and the choice comes down to look and workflow.
One thing to watch when you shop around: many London rental houses list a "RED V-Raptor 8K VV", which is the original rolling-shutter model. Our V-Raptor X vs V-Raptor guide explains how to check which one you're being quoted.
The Mini LF's reputation rests on its colour science: skin that looks right straight out of the camera, and a soft, filmic roll-off into the highlights. Plenty of DoPs choose it for that alone, and if your grade is quick or your client already knows the ARRI look, that counts for a lot.
The V-Raptor X answers with resolution and latitude. 8K REDCODE RAW gives you room to reframe, stabilise or pull a vertical cut-down from a 16:9 master, and Extended Highlights (part of RED Global Vision on the [X]) adds over three stops of highlight range for windows, sunsets, fire and practicals. Either camera can be graded to almost any look; the question is which one gets you there faster for this job.
For slow motion there isn't really a contest. The V-Raptor X shoots up to 120fps in full 8K and 240fps at 4K, all from the same large-format sensor. The Mini LF tops out at 40fps in open gate and 60fps in its 4.5K 2.39:1 and 3.8K UHD modes, and reaches 90fps only in ProRes 2K or HD. If high-speed is a big part of the brief, it's the [X], or for dedicated high-speed work the Freefly Ember S5K.
The Mini LF has a motorised FSND filter stage built in, so the camera team can drop 2, 4 or 6 stops at the press of a button. On a day of changing light that saves a lot of time. The V-Raptor X has no internal ND, so you'll want a matte box and a set of ND filters, or a variable ND, in the package.
The Mini LF also has the advantage of familiarity: most UK focus pullers and camera assistants have built one many times, and our kit comes with the ARRI MVF-2 viewfinder. The V-Raptor X is lighter, at around 1.8kg for the body against about 2.6kg for the Mini LF, which helps on gimbals and long handheld days, and our kit includes a 7-inch SmallHD RED monitor and a Tilta cage.
Both sensors need full-frame coverage. The Mini LF's taller 3:2 open gate (36.70 x 25.54mm) is a natural fit for full-frame anamorphic glass, because more of the sensor height is used. The V-Raptor X's 17:9 sensor (40.96 x 21.60mm) is wider and shorter, and suits spherical large-format primes and 1.5x anamorphics well. Our guide to the best lenses for the V-Raptor X covers coverage in detail, and the anamorphic lens hire and lens hire pages list what we stock.
On mounts, the Mini LF uses ARRI's LPL, and our kit includes an LPL to PL adapter for PL glass. The V-Raptor X has RED's locking RF mount, and our kit comes with both EF and PL adapters.
The V-Raptor X records to CFexpress Type B cards, which are fast, widely available and easy to offload on a laptop. Our kit includes three 660GB cards with a reader and a 2TB card. The Mini LF records to Codex Compact Drives, and our kit has three 960GB drives and a Codex reader. Talk to your DIT or editor before the shoot: 8K REDCODE RAW and 4.5K ARRIRAW both generate a lot of data, and a ProRes workflow on either camera keeps things lighter.
Both cameras show their live day rate on the RED V-Raptor X 8K kit page and the ARRI Alexa Mini LF kit page, along with the full case contents. Want ARRI colour on a smaller budget? The Super 35 Alexa Mini is on the shelf too, and our Alexa Mini vs Mini LF guide compares the two.
Still torn? Call 020 7898 3322 or email rentals@weareyellowcactus.com with your brief, and we'll help you pick the right body rather than the most expensive one.
Neither is better for every job. The V-Raptor [X] has a global shutter, 8K resolution and much higher frame rates. The Alexa Mini LF has ARRI's colour science, built-in ND and a taller 3:2 open gate. Choose on the shot list, the lenses and your post workflow.
No. The Mini LF reads its sensor line by line (a rolling shutter), like most cinema cameras. The RED V-Raptor [X] 8K VV has a global shutter, which avoids skew and flash banding on fast movement, strobes and LED walls.
The V-Raptor X, by a long way: up to 120fps in 8K and 240fps at 4K, according to RED. ARRI quotes 40fps in Mini LF open gate, 60fps in its 4.5K 2.39:1 and UHD modes, and up to 90fps in ProRes 2K or HD.
No. Plan for a matte box with ND filters or a variable ND. The Alexa Mini LF has built-in motorised FSND filters at 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8.
Both need lenses that cover full frame to use the whole sensor. Our V-Raptor X kit includes EF and PL adapters for its RF mount, and our Mini LF kit includes an ARRI LPL to PL adapter.
Each kit page on our site shows the live day rate. Both follow our sliding scale: three weekdays are charged as 2.5 days, four as 3 days and Monday to Friday as 3.5 days, and a weekend counts as one day.