Overview
Ever since the birth of cinema, film has been the dominant recording medium for cinematographers. This changed in 1999 when we released the world’s first 24p digital motion picture production system, combining the quality of 35mm film with the convenience of a digital workflow.
Sony CineAlta stands now for cutting edge technologies, delivering unprecedented dynamic range, wider colour gamuts and incredible clarity to every image. And with our flagship full-frame motion picture camera, VENICE, we’ve not only matched the quality of 35mm, but surpassed it.
Our digital cinematography solutions have come a long way since 1999, but our mission remains the same: to unlock the creative possibilities of cinema through our endless pursuit of technological perfection.
Discover the benefits of shooting with Sony CineAlta digital motion picture cameras.
Our full-frame and Super 35 mm 8K/6K/4K CMOS sensors deliver unparalleled 8K/6K/4K/QFHD/2K/HD resolution images with extremely fine texture and low aliasing. Even if the postproduction and deliverables are in 2K/HD, these sensors provide gorgeous, super-sampled 2K/HD images that ordinary HD cameras can’t match.
Digital imaging sensors perform best when set to their base ISO. It’s at this base ISO value you will realise a very clean image with low noise, your best signal to noise ratio, and most likely the widest dynamic range. Dual Base ISO means the camera’s imaging sensor has two distinct sensitivities to light.
VENICE has a base ISO of 500 to provide the optimal dynamic range for applications where on-set lighting is standard. A secondary High Base ISO of 2500 excels in low-light High Dynamic Range capture.
VENICE’s impressive 15 stops of exposure latitude, with high sensitivity and low noise, delivers phenomenal images – even if shooting interiors or night exteriors using only ambient lighting. It also excels at HDR imaging and allows unprecedented creative freedom in grading.
With CineAlta cameras, images can be recorded at variable speeds of up to 240 frames per second (fps) in 2K with the F55 and F5 (with the AXS-R5)* as well as 120 fps in 4K with the F65 (with the SR-R4). With VENICE you can capture incredible full-Frame images up to 90fps and Super35 in4K at up to 120fps, with no sacrifice in picture quality. High-frame-rate recording allows users to create super-slow-motion effects, which can change an ordinary incident into a dramatic scene.
* Maximum 180 fps in 2K/HD without the AXS-R5.
CineAlta cameras capture an incredible dynamic range, from deep shadow to bright highlights, and the widest colour gamut ever, even wider than print film – plus they precisely reproduce the true colour of what the user sees.
With their wide dynamic range and colour gamut, the sensors in our VENICE, F65 and F55 cameras are supported by the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES). This ensures a consistent colour experience which preserves the filmmaker’s creative vision.
When it comes to production, one recording format size does not fit all. That’s why our CineAlta cameras support a range of recording formats.
This 16-bit linear RAW format preserves all the information captured in 4K/2K with 16x more tonal values than 12-bit RAW. It is supported by an F65RAW workflow.
The X-OCN format is a game changer, achieving up to 8K resolution and High Dynamic Range while maintaining reasonable bitrates. It is ideal for advanced workflows, including ACES, Rec. 2020, SMPTE ST 2084, the extended color space of Sony’s S-Gamut3 color and High Dynamic Range tone mapping. Far exceeding 10 and 12-bit formats, 16-bit X-OCN records 65,536 tonal gradations per colour component, or over 280 trillion individual shades of colour. This is the ultimate in grayscale expression, creating an enormous palette for extreme subtleties in grading and far greater flexibility for colourists and editors alike.
Apple ProRes including ProRes 422 proxy formats are popular in postproduction, and are supported by VENICE. This means there’s no need for transcoding; you can simply handle these formats directly from the camera.
The next-generation of H.264/AVC intra-frame coding, this format establishes a cost-efficient ecosystem for HD high-frame-rate and 4K 60p production. It supports HD to 4K with superb efficiency and beautiful 10-bit pictures.
Our S-Log technology maximises the performance of the camera sensor to capture more information, providing a wider colour gamut, dynamic range and tonal range than traditional video footage.
CineAlta Cameras
Next generation cinematography cameras with phenomenal colour science, user-friendly operation and a choice of 8K and 6K full frame sensors. Dual Base ISO and 8-step internal ND filter system provide exceptional shooting flexibility with VENICE 2, while the compact BURANO is easily configurable for solo and team production.
