Will Sony release a new cinema camera flagship? According to a new teaser, it might! Sony has just published a video, shows a similar interface like the VENICE, with the hashtag: #newcinealta. The video titled “Something exciting is coming…CineAlta Evolves”. Our (wild) guess: A new cinema camera flagship that can shoot 8K in X-OCN format. 

The CineAlta cameras

CineAlta (Alta, an Italian word for “high”) is a brand name used by Sony to describe various products involved in content creation. This is how Sony defines CineAlta: “Sony CineAlta stands now for cutting edge technologies, delivering unprecedented dynamic range, wider color 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”. In June 1999, George Lucas announced that Episode II of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy would be the first major motion picture to be shot 100% digitally. Sony and Panavision had teamed up to develop the High Definition 24p camera that Lucas would use to accomplish this and thus the first CineAlta camera was born: the Sony HDW-F900 (also called the Panavision HD-900FP).

The VENICE: One of the best cinema cameras

Nowadays, the CineAlta flagship is the VENICE that was debuted in Cine Gear 2017. The VENICE is equipped with a 36 x 24-mm full-frame image sensor designed specifically for high-end cinematography and can capture images up to a maximum resolution of 6048 x 4032. VENICE has presented an entirely new form factor but peripherals for the F5 and F55 cameras remain compatible. Its boxy shape features an LED panel on the assistant’s side, a feature long requested by cinema shooters, as well as a smaller OLED display on the operator’s side. The VENICE utilized X-OCN, which is a sophisticated codec that allows 6K capturing with a high dynamic range. According to Sony, the X-OCN is the ultimate in grayscale expression, creating an enormous palette for extreme subtleties in grading and far greater flexibility for colorists and editors alike. In recent years, the VENICE has been discovered as one of the main weapons of choice of many acclaimed cinematographers. The VENICE is one of the most used cameras in high-end productions, including Oscars, Emmys, and more, and it holds a respectful position together with other flagships like the ALEXA LF.

A new CineAlta flagship?

Now let’s cut to the chase. A couple of hours ago, Sony has published a video showing a camera interface that matches the VENICE. The title of the video is: “ Something exciting is coming… CineAlta Evolves”. The teaser is hashtagged as #newcinealta. Hence, there’s a high probability that Sony is going to launch a new cinema camera or a significant upgrade to the VENICE.

Watch the teaser below:

What do you think it is? A new CineAlta 8K flagship, or a major upgrade to the VENICE?