TOKYO—Sony’s Venice, its next-generation CineAlta motion picture camera, begins shipping to customers this month.

As previously announced, the camera will include support for Full-Frame 24x36mm recording. Now, continuing its approach of incorporating customer feedback into the camera’s development, Sony is announcing several new capabilities including a “Dual Base ISO” mode. With 15+ stops of exposure latitude, Venice will support an additional High Base ISO of 2500 utilizing the sensor’s unique physical attributes. 

This new capability is a result of requests to increase exposure indexes at higher ISOs for night exteriors, dark interiors, working with slower lenses or where content needs to be graded in HDR while maintaining the maximum shadow details.

An added benefit, unique to Venice, is its built-in eight-step optical ND filter servo mechanism. This can emulate different ISO operating points when in High Base ISO 2500 and also maintains the low levels of noise characteristics of the Venice sensor. This new flexibility expands the range of creative possibilities for production professionals.

Venice also features new color science designed to deliver a soft tonal film look, with shadows and mid-tones having a natural response and the highlights preserving the dynamic range.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TVB Europe. 

NEW YORK—Sony went full-frame with its latest digital motion picture camera, the Venice. Sony’s VENICE is equipped with a 36x24mm full-frame image sensor designed for high-end cinematography, and can capture images up to a maximum resolution of 6048x4032. By switching imager modes, VENICE can natively support Super35 24.9x18.7mm, 4096x3024 resolution (equivalent to 4-perforation motion picture film) and Super35 24.9x14.0mm 4096x2160 resolution (equivalent to 3-perforation motion picture film). The company says VENICE’s new full-frame sensor can capture in almost any format, including full 18mm-height Super35 Anamorphic and spherical and full-frame 24mm-height Anamorphic and spherical.

With VENICE, users have the option to customize their camera by only enabling the features needed, according to their individual production requirements. Licenses will be available to expand the camera’s capabilities with new features including 4K anamorphic and full-frame.

Sony will exhibit in booth N401.

LOS ANGELES—Sony has gone back to the drawing board to develop Venice, its next-generation digital cinema camera that was previewed last week by a select audience of American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) members.

A full-frame digital motion picture camera, Venice, the first of a new generation of CineAlta camera systems, relies on a newly developed 36x24mm full-frame sensor that is compatible with a range of lenses, including Anamorphic, Super 35mm, Spherical and Full Frame PL mount lenses. E-mount lenses also can be used with a change of the lens mount for projects where smaller, lighter and wider lenses are needed.

The company worked with film industry pros in designing Venice, and built in the ability for users to change out sensors by simply removing four screws to accommodate different shooting situations, said Peter Crithray, marketing manager, Sony Electronics.

The camera also enables users to select areas of the imager to use to make it possible to shoot in Super 35mm 4 -perf with future firmware planned to accommodate 36mm wide 6K resolution.

Venice offers a new color management system with ultra-wide color gamut and has more than 15 stops of latitude to handle everything from low-light to harsh sunlight with gentle roll-off of highlights, the company said in announcing the camera.

Scheduled to ship in February 2018, the camera supports file-based production using Sony’s 16-bit RAW/X-OCN via the AXS-R7 recorder as well as 10-bit XAVC workflows.

There is no doubt Sony is aiming squarely at the market for high-end digital motion picture production with this camera, but it will be interesting to see if future broadcast cameras might borrow concepts from Venice like user-interchangeable sensors and user-selectable imager areas to accommodate the accelerated pace of change in television that is making support for 4K and even 8K resolution content a reality.

LOS ANGELES—Sony unveiled to the world what it says is its first full-frame digital motion picture camera system, the Venice. This next generation CineAlta camera features immersive, large-format, full frame capture of filmic imagery to produce natural skin tones, highlight handling and wide dynamic range.

Venice’s full frame allows for compatibility with a range of lenses, including anamorphic, super 35mm, spherical and full frame PL mount lenses. The lens mount can be changed to support E-mount lenses, and user selectable areas of the image sensor allow shooting in super 35mm 4-perf. Sony plans future firmware upgrades that will enable the camera to handle 36mm wide 6K resolution.

The camera features a new color management system with an ultra wide color gamut. There are also more than 15 stops of latitude to handle different lighting situations.

File-based production is achieved through Sony’s 16-bit RAW/X-OCN via the AXS-R7 recorder and 10-bit XAVC workflows. Venice is also compatible with current and upcoming hardware accessories for CineAlta cameras.

The Venice has a built-in eight-stage glass ND filter system and features an intuitive control panel on the assistant and operator sides of the camera. A 24V power supply input/output and LEMO connector allows for the use of standard camera accessories.

Sony is offering optional licenses for the Venice in permanent, monthly and weekly durations to expand the camera’s capabilities with new features, including 4K anamorphic and full frame.

Sony will release the Venice camera in February 2018.