Sony India launches flagship VENICE 2 digital cinema camera with a new 8.6K Full-Frame image sensor

Sony India today introduced VENICE 2, the new flagship model and latest addition to its line-up of high-end digital cinema cameras. The VENICE 2 sbuilds 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 colour science, Dual Base ISO and 8-stops of built-in ND filters. 

New sensor translates into extraordinary image quality and incredibly low light sensitivity 

Paired with a newly developed 8.6K (8640 x 5760) full-frame CMOS image sensor, the VENICE 2 offers excellent image quality with 16 stops of total latitude to capture beautiful images with excellent colour separation and shadow detail. The camera also inherits its colour 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 anamorphic to Super35, all at a minimum of 4K resolution, resulting in an outstanding and versatile camera system for cinematographers and productions.

 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.

The success of the original VENICE paved the way for Venice 2

Since its launch in 2017, VENICE has been used to shoot more than 300 theatricals, broadcast, cable, and streaming releases, including the Emmy award-winning series The Crown. Regular firmware and hardware updates to meet the latest creative needs have been key to the wide adoption of VENICE.   

“We are so pleased to have seen the success of the original VENICE over the last four years. Based on the feedback from leading cinematographers and production companies around the world, we recognized an opportunity to improve by leveraging many of our latest imaging and sensor technologies. By doing so, we are taking the VENICE 2 image quality to a new level. We also made the camera smaller and are offering internal recording to enable more creative freedom,” said Mukesh Srivastava, Digital Imaging Head at Sony India.

User-influenced upgrades included in Venice 2 along with smaller and more lightweight body

The VENICE 2 maintains many of the features which made the original VENICE a success including Dual Base ISO, 8-stops built-in ND filters, compatibility with a wide range of lenses, including all PL mount and Sony’s native E-mount that enables adapters for a multitude of lenses. Thanks to direct feedback from the production community, the VENICE 2 was designed with a smaller and more lightweight body than the original VENICE while keeping its intuitive operability. Despite being 44mm smaller and approximately 10% lighter , the chassis of VENICE 2 allows X-OCN and Apple 4K ProRes 4444 and 422 HQ internal recording without the AXS-R7 recorder, offering advanced usability in a compact and lightweight body. 

User-selectable capture resolution of the 8.6Kimage sensor allow shooting in various modes including:  

Interchangeable sensor design 

 For even more flexibility on-site, the chassis adds the unique feature of interchanging the image sensor block. The camera can be used with the 8.6K sensor as well as the original 6K sensor block. The camera body automatically recognizes the change and will start-up without any firmware exchanges or re-installs. In addition, the original 6K sensor will allow higher frame rates.

Enhanced usability with internal recording and smaller size  

Small, lightweight but solidly built, the VENICE 2 leverages new high-speed 6.6Gbps AXS card, the AXS-A1TS66 for 8K 60p recording. Existing AXS Memory Card Readers, including the AXS-AR3 via Thunderbolt™3 interface, are compatible with the new media as well.   Additionally, the VENICE 2 user interface is the same as the original VENICE but incorporates improvements to make it easier and even more intuitive to use. The camera offers an evolved product design while staying compatible with almost all original VENICE accessories.    Other updates to the VENICE 2, based on the feedback from current VENICE users to enhance usability, include:

•  4K output with LUT applied 
• Improved 3D LUT processing to improve picture quality  
• EI changes directly applied to S-Log3 outputs
• LUT/ASC-CDL control via Ethernet/Wi-Fi  
• Zoom to Fit (Full-Frame recording with 17:9/16:9 monitoring) operation  
• Ethernet connector position changed to Camera Assistant side  
• Lemo 2pin 12V output connector  
• Internal microphone installed  

The VENICE 2 digital cinema camera with 8.6K image sensor and VENICE 2 camera with 6K image sensor will be available in India from 18^th July 2022 onwards.

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