Sony announced that it’s now shipping their new VENICE Full Frame Cine camera. And interesting news is that they added a Dual native ISO feature (ISO 500 and ISO 2500). This could be something we might see on the new A7sIII too. This camera is likely to be announced at the next NAB show.

Press text:

Sony Announces Upcoming VENICE Features, Including Dual Base ISO and Future Planned Support for High Frame Rates

Sony’s much-anticipated VENICE, its next-generation CineAlta motion picture camera, begins shipping to customers in February.

As previously announced, version 1.0 features in VENICE will include support for Full-Frame 24x36mm recording. Now, continuing its approach of incorporating customer feedback into the camera’s development, Sony is announcing several new capabilities including a “Dual Base ISO” mode. With 15+ stops of exposure latitude, VENICE will support an additional High Base ISO of 2500 utilizing the sensor’s unique physical attributes. This takes advantage of Sony’s unique sensor for superb low light performance with exceptional dynamic range – from 6 stops over to 9 stops under 18% middle gray.

This new capability is a result of requests to increase exposure indexes at higher ISOs for night exteriors, dark interiors, working with slower lenses or where content needs to be graded in High Dynamic Range, while maintaining the maximum shadow details.

An added benefit unique to VENICE is its built-in 8-step optical ND filter servo mechanism. This can emulate different ISO operating points when in High Base ISO 2500 and also maintains the extremely low levels of noise characteristics of the VENICE sensor. This new flexibility significantly expands the range of creative possibilities for production professionals.

VENICE also features new color science designed to deliver a soft tonal film look, with shadows and mid-tones having a natural response and the highlights preserving the dynamic range.

Sony has also developed the VENICE camera menu simulator. This user-friendly tool is designed to give camera operators an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the camera’s operational workflow before using VENICE in production via an intuitive, elegant menu system.

Additional upcoming features and capabilities planned to be available later this year as free firmware upgrades in version 2.0 include:

• 25p in 6K Full-Frame Mode will be added in Version 2
• “False Color” has been moved from version 3 to version 2

VENICE has an established workflow with support from Sony’s RAW Viewer v3, and third party vendors including Filmlight Baselight v5, Davinci Resolve v14.3, and Assimilate Scratch v8.6 among others. Sony continues to work closely with all relevant third parties to ensure a cohesive workflow including editing, grading, color management, and dailies.

Another often requested feature is support for high frame rates, which Sony is working to implement and make available at a later date.

The latest public demonstration of VENICE is at the BSC Expo 2018, which begins today in Battersea, London. Internationally renowned British cinematographer Richard Blanshard will showcase Full-Frame content shot with the VENICE camera system. He will also deliver a seminar titled “Full-Frame shooting with CineAlta VENICE.”

VENICE Key Features

• True 36x24mm Full Frame imaging based on the photography standard that goes back 100 years
• Built-in 8-Step Optical ND filter servo mechanism
• Dual Base ISO mode, with High Base ISO 2500
• New color science for appealing skin tones and graceful highlights – out of the box.
• Aspect ratio freedom: Full Frame 3:2 (1.5:1), 4K 4:3 full height anamorphic, spherical 17:9, 16:9.
• Lens mount with 18mm flange depth opens up tremendous lens options (PL Lens mount included).
• 15+ stops of exposure latitude: Exceptional Dynamic Range, whether you’re shooting in searing sunlight or almost no light.
• User-interchangeable sensor, an industry first, requires removal of just six screws, enabling future upgrades and production flexibility.
• 6K resolution (6048 x 4032) in Full Frame mode

The VENICE CineAlta motion picture camera system will be available in February 2018. VENICE version 2.0 firmware upgrades will be available in summer 2018. Optional licenses are required for Full Frame and anamorphic shooting. For more information about the VENICE platform, please visit www.sony.com/VENICE.

What’s in my bag

Affordable UWA Lens for Astro and Landscape (SonyAlphaForum).
Kodak 8K 360 VR 4th Generation Camera Prototype (Personal View).
Prueba de campo de la Sony α7R III (Albedomedia).
Review: Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary (ThePhoBlographer).
Apps for Photographers (photorec).
I Just Got a New Camera… What Do I Do? (Explora).

Personal photos and tests from SAR Admin Andrea on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and 500px.

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Today I told you that I am about to start for a three day hike. The only FE pancke lens in the range is the Zeiss 35mm f/2.8. I wish there would be more of those. When it comes to long hiking weight matters. So this is my idea: Sony should do an FE version of the Pentax limited lens line. All compact and good quality lenses. Not so fast but very handy to use and manual focus (to keep size down). What do you think? – #sony #sonyalpha #sonyalpharumors #sonyalphagear #sonygear

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Andrea Photographer-Explorer (@andrea_pizzini_photographer) am Jan 24, 2018 um 11:23 PST

Diglloyd (via Petapixel) exposed a major issue on the MAC camera update software:

While companies like Nikon and Canon use safe in-camera firmware update processes, Sony uses a desktop-based updater that requires “administrative root access” to function — when given these permissions to your computer, the software could theoretically do just about anything.

Approaches that in essence require operating system kernel access are incredibly badly designed given the security risk

The current status of the Sony firmware updater is unacceptable because it requires the user to assume that Sony software is free of malware. That the software is signed only guarantees that something was signed by Sony, not that it is free of any infection (infection could have occurred prior to signing).

If Sony software is ever compromised (including at the source code level!), that malware would have unfettered root/kernel access to the system until the system were wiped out (assuming such an infection did not overwrite firmware in various places, in that case the machine becomes dumpster material).

Since Sony Pictures with highly valuable intellectual property was hacked a few years ago(taking the company down for weeks), no user should ever trust what could become a “root kit” firmware updater for hackers.

The ONLY acceptable solution is an in-camera firmware updater. Even that is not risk free (the download process), but it does not directly expose the computer at the kernel level, or even admin level.

That there is risk is self-evident in Sony’s need to bypass what Apple now considers core security prohibitions. Indeed, the Sony kernel extension cannot just be installed but requires explicit enabling by the user after installation, that is, on the new iMac Pro with its secure enclave and much more locked down boot security.

I doubt Sony will find a proper fix for this on current cameras. Sony has to completely rethink the way they do camera updates and this probably means that we may see a real solution on future models only.

We will add this to the long list of things Sony has to fix like:

– Star eater issue
– Doing regular firmware updates like Fuji
– Adding proper weather sealing on future cameras
– Improving the Sony service in some countries (I mean the normal service and not the PRO service which works fine)

Anything else?

Sony released the Q3 financial report. Short summary:

1) The company as a whole dramatically increased the earnings and operating income.

2) The Imaging Segment also improved sales and operating income despite the decrease in unit sales.

3) The image sensor business forecast got revised downwards probably because of the sluggish iPhone X sales.

Forecast for the imaging business remains unchanged.