Yesterday Sony launched their new extension system mini for the Venice 2 cinema camera. The catchily named “Venice Extension System Mini” is a system that allows you to separate the sensor unit from the Venice 2 camera body via a 4.5m or optional 12m cable. Compared to the original Venice extension systems, commonly called “Rialto” this new system result in a camera head that is 70% smaller at a mere 63.9 mm × 103.2 mm × 60.2 mm (W × H × D) and in it’s base E-Mount configuration weighs approx 0.54kg. It’s small enough and light enough to be used on a normal gimbal such as a the DJI RS2/3/4, there is no need for the much larger Ronin’s. I wish I had taken a picture of a Rialto next to this new camera head as the size difference is huge! This really is much, much smaller.
To make it this small, rather than using the Venice cameras existing sensor and ND filter unit, the new mini system uses a new camera head module with it’s own 8.6K sensor (exactly the same sensor 8.6K sensor as the camera has) and a completely new drop in ND filter system. The new filter system makes the unit far smaller. You get the very same extremely high quality filters as the main camera, just as individual drop in filters that quickly and easily slide into a slot behind the lens mount. While not a squick to change as a filter wheel, it only takes a few seconds to swap ND filters.
Interestingly this filter system also opens up the possibility to have a slightly modified camera head with no IR cut filter and then use a drop in IR filter to restore normal visible light performance (Sony conformed to me that these modifications and filters are available by special order).
Being so small you can place two of these extension units side by side for 3D applications with an intraocular distance of 64mm (although to get the cameras this close together you need small lenses).
There is no performance or operational difference with the mini extension system compared to a normal 8.6K Venice 2, the image quality is identical, all the frame rate and scan mode options are identical. The mini head has a small built in fan to control the sensor temperature and there are 2 assignable buttons. There is also a 24V output on an RS3 connector but there is no SDI out. So, if you want to add a monitor to the camera head you will need to add your own SDI cable from the main camera body to the head unit. There are 1/4-20 mounting points on all sides of the camera for easy rigging.
The cable to the camera head can be detached from the rear to make it easier to pass through bulkheads etc. The connector is a special square block that is approx 40mm x 10mm so it still needs a fairly large hole, but it is a significant improvement over the original Rialto systems.
The camera head can be fitted with a variety of lens mounts. You can either adapt from the built in E-Mount or there are 4 screw holes and a set of contact pins for bolt on mounts. Sony have a nice PL mount for it and 3rd parties will have adapters for LPL etc.
Cages will be available for it from companies such as Bright Tangerine so rigging it will be easy. I’m going to make a tiny beam splitter 3D rig for it for stereoscopic filming or IR day for night etc.
As you are buying a new sensor when you buy this new mini extension system it is considerably more expensive than the Rialto systems which re-use the cameras sensor. The projected price is around 25K Euros with deliveries starting in July.
I can see a lot of applications for these units. It can be put on race cars (I believe that the recent Brad Pitt F1 film is what led to the development of this system). Fitted in the headlight or tail lights of cars. It can be used on smaller and lighter gimbals than the original Rialto. It will be used for Stereoscopic filming and it will be interesting to explore the infrared and other extended spectrum applications.
Below is the press release from Sony:
The new VENICE Extension System Mini comes equipped with the VENICE 2 8K sensor at a substantially reduced size than the existing VENICE Extension System 2. With a footprint the size of an average smartphone and approximately 70% smaller than the current system,[1] the VENICE Extension System Mini is designed to provide additional creative freedom for filmmakers. The ultra-compact yet durable design has made the VENICE Extension System Mini perfect for handheld shots and extreme action. ?
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“I love the size of the VENICE Extension System Mini,” says Director of Photography Claudio Miranda ASC who was one of the first people in the world to use the system. ?
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He continues, “I love that you can put it anywhere, like a Formula One race car when you’re racing. You have the full resolution of a real cinema camera. It’s nice to have that flexibility without compromising image quality.”
DP Kate Reid BSC enjoyed using the new camera system. “The day that I saw the camera at One Stop where we were prepping, I felt really comfortable,” she attests. “This camera, you can operate it like a medium format stills camera, and so shoot from the waist.”
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Building on the success of the current Extension System[2], the new VENICE Extension System Mini allows greater flexibility with no compromise on image quality. The Extension System Mini features a custom drop-in ND cartridge system with nine (9) glass Neutral Density (ND) filters, including a clear ND specially developed to perfectly match the Sony VENICE 2 systems while maintaining a compact size.
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The VENICE Extension System Mini also offers design improvements for easy mounting and rigging. For example, the connection cable between the VENICE Extension System Mini and the VENICE 2 camera body features a thinner, flexible cable that can be detached when rigging. It also features mounting points to attach accessories easily.
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For example, multiple units of the new VENICE Extension System Mini can be used side by side for Stereoscopic imaging that recreates the way the human eye sees with a 64mm inter-axial distance which matches the distance between eyes (average human interpupillary distance). The VENICE Extension System Mini can also be used to create VR content and VFX plates in arrays.
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Since its release, VENICE, Sony’s flagship digital cinema camera series, has been widely adopted by filmmakers around the world, including blockbusters Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way of Water, and more recently, Nickel Boys, The Fire Inside, and A Complete Unknown. ?
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“Through Cinema Line, Sony is committed to continue to expand a line of powerful creative tools designed to capture emotion in every frame and unleash the true power of visual storytelling from every corner of content creation,” says Sebastian Leske, Head of Business Development, Cinema Line
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Pricing and Availability
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The VENICE Extension System Mini (CBK-3621XS) will be showcased at NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show 2025 in Las Vegas, opening April 6, 2025.
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The VENICE Extension System Mini (CBK-3621XS), 12m Cable for VENICE Extension System Mini (CBK-12C3621) and ND Filter Kit (CBK-ND1K) will be available from July 2025. For more information, visit pro.sony/mini and https://www.instagram.com/sonyprofilmmaking/?hl=en