Sony Unveils Flagship VENICE 2 Digital Cinema Camera With New 8.6K Full-Frame Image Sensor and 16 Stops of Exposure Latitude

[News]

Sony Electronics Inc. introduces the VENICE 2, the new flagship model and latest addition to its lineup of high-end digital cinema cameras. The VENICE 2 builds upon the strength of the original VENICE with new features including a compact design, internal recording and the option for two different sensors: the newly developed full-frame 8.6K sensor or the original 6K VENICE sensor.  The VENICE 2 also inherits popular features from the original VENICE including color science, Dual Base ISO and 8-stops of built-in ND filters. 

Paired with a newly-developed 8.6 K (8640 x 5760) full-frame CMOS image sensor, the VENICE 2 offers excellent image quality with 16 stops of total latitudei to capture beautiful images with excellent color separation and shadow detail. The camera also inherits its color science from the original VENICE which is highly regarded for its natural skin tones.  The VENICE 2 8K CineAlta camera has a unique dual base ISO of 800/3200 which allows filmmakers to capture incredibly clean, film-like images under a wide range of lighting conditions. It supports everything from full-frame, full-frame anamorphicii to Super35 all at a minimum of 4K resolution, resulting in an outstanding and versatile camera system for cinematographers and productions. 

To illustrate the strength of the VENICE 2 and its new 8.6K sensor, Sony worked with the industry's top cinematographers to test the camera’s image quality on  a few separate film shoots without using any professional movie lighting.

Award-winning cinematographer Robert McLachlan ASC, CSC, who has worked on highly acclaimed productions including Game of Thrones (for which he received two Emmy nominations), Westworld, and Lovecraft Country. McLachlan tested and filmed with the new 8.6K full-frame VENICE 2 in two countries and offered his reaction.  "I really wish we'd had a large format, 8.6K sensor like Sony VENICE 2 on my past work. It would have made it feel even more epic and, at the same time, more engaging, thanks to the increased resolution, richness, and dimensionality. The increased speed, cleaner highlights, and shadows together with the potential for super-shallow depth of field would have been a huge asset."  

Academy Award winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda ASC, ACC used the original VENICE and tested the VENICE 2 against the original in the pitch darkness of the California desert. He offered this assessment:  "The 3200 ASA is incredible. I think how clean it is – is definitely a big deal," said Miranda. "In the film, there is still fidelity in the shadows, and the wide shots are pretty spectacular. There were no film lights on this shoot at all. There were just headlights of the car, the fire, and that was the point. It was to go to the middle of nowhere and put a big fire and see how far the new sensor could light up the mountain, without noise."  

Cinematographer Claudio Miranda ASC provides insight and analysis on “The Camera Test,” with a breakdown on how well the Original VENICE and VENICE 2 intercut. Miranda also discusses what he thinks makes the VENICE 2 stand out.

 

Rob Hardy, BSC, ASC, the British cinematographer known for his ground-breaking work on Mission Impossible: Fallout, Ex-Machina and DEVS and winner of the BAFTA for cinematography for Boy A, amongst others also commented: “I'm used to using the original VENICE and I would say, I am a pretty much an advocate of that camera. The opportunity to use VENICE 2 is actually a really fantastic one. This is the first time I've ever used that larger sensor, the 8.6K and we were lucky enough to get some anamorphic lenses that really set for the full cinematic effect and really utilized the whole sensor. The ISOs have been bumped up so that enables me to shoot at a higher speed in the low light levels which is something that wasn’t really an option before, and that’s the big gain for me.”

With the 8.6K sensor providing ample oversampling, images shot on VENICE 2 will benefit from less noise and enriched information in a 2K or 4K production. It also means the camera is well suited for VR, in camera VFX and Virtual Production setups, delivering an immersive experience and realistic images especially in combination with Sony’s high-contrast and large-scale Crystal LED displays.