Monitors can be pretty boring and there are a lot of choices these days. At the budget end there is the really rather nice, and extremely bright Viltrox DC-A1 that I recently reviewed.
From the factory each monitor comes individually colour calibrated and the colour accuracy is indeed very good. They have both SDI and HDMI inputs and outputs. They have a multitude of way to power them including USB, NP-F batteries and a wide range DC input.
The rear of the Accsoon M7 showing the SDI in and out and NP-F battery trays. The HDMI in and out, DC in and is on the right side
As well as a headphone socket there’s even an audio input for a microphone as the M7 monitors can record to their internal memory or an SD card. A nice touch is Bluetooth so you can use Bluetooth headphones if you wish – just consider that there is always a bit of an audio delay with Bluetooth.
Camera Control.
Accsoon M7 with standard monitoring app
The M7 monitors can control a wide range of cameras from Sony over USB including the FX2/FX3/FX30 and many of the Alpha’s, this control includes touch to focus and focus tracking (cameras from other manufactures are to be added in the future). All of this stuff is really nice, but we have seen all of these things before. Accsoon have also told me that they are working on wireless camera control and this would then allow you to control the FX6, FX9 and Burano. I don’t think anyone else has a single monitor that can control such a wide range of cameras, and certainly not at this price point (M7 is approx £450/$550 at the time of writing). I’ve been using a Portkeys LH7P with a Sony A1 and the ability to control the focus from the monitor is a delight, but the LH7P can’t control an FX6 and doesn’t have the ability to connect to the A1 or an FX3 etc via USB.
Android Operating System
The Accsoon M7 runs on Android
But where these monitors get really interesting is the operating system as they run on Android. In normal use you probably won’t even realise this as most of the time it behaves just like any other monitor. Turn it on and it starts up as a monitor. But you can leave the the built in monitoring app and then load additional Android apps onto the device. This opens up all sorts of possibilities such as using Sony’s Monitor and Control app to wirelessly monitor and control Sony cameras. You could load your favourite lighting controller app or your favourite the ftp or cloud app. As a professional, fully calibrated monitor you have HDMI and SDI in and out, plus the ability to run it continuously without overheating, to power it from NP-F batteries or a wide range of other methods – things that phones and tablet don’t have! I’m still exploring what you can do with the M7 but I really like it.
Accsoon M7 running Sony Monitor and Control to wirelessly monitor and control a Sony FX3
The M7 Pro has all the functionality of the M7 with the added benefit of a built in wireless video receiver that is compatible with Accsoon CineEye transmitters. This makes it an excellent directors monitor. Both M7 models will apply any LUTs that you use or and de-squeeze to the HDMI or SDI outputs, so you can feed anamorphic S-Log3 to the monitor and it will output with desqueeze and your chosen look.
Recording and Streaming.
If you want a backup recording the M7 can record to it’s internal memory or an SD card using H264 or H265. Plus it can stream to any RTMP platform, such as YouTube or Facebook. And that’s all with the standard app, being an Android device you can add more functions by loading other apps.
Watch the video linked further up the page to find out more. These monitors are so much more than just monitors.
This came up on social media recently, so I thought I would share it again here. The question was –
How does the audio limiter work when using AGC to control the audio level?
The limiter is in fact bypassed when the audio gain is set to AGC, so it doesn’t actually do anything when you are using AGC and can be ignored.
So – what AGC settings should I use?
The AGC will set the overall gain profile depending on you AGC spec point. It will reduce gain when audio is present and then allow levels to creep up in extended quiet periods but not all the way to your chosen AGC spec point. The AGC spec point determines the average peak level the AGC will try to achieve for a moderately large input level (the input gain is determined by the Audio Input Reference Level for Ch1/2).
A higher Spec Point level (smaller number, eg -6db) increases the target peak level, so provides a wider recording range. During very sudden input peaks if the level reaches your chosen AGC spec point very aggressive gain reduction occurs, compressing the entire audio signal leading to undesirable pumping effects or audio distortion but typically avoiding hard clipping.
Using a higher Spec point reduces the chance of normal audio peaks triggering this very aggressive gain reduction due to the larger available range, but if you do hit the spec point the gain reduction is more aggressive and the resulting audio may sound even more distorted.
The Limiter:
The limiter which only functions in manual mode kicks in when the audio hits the level you have set. The aggressiveness of the limiter depends on the set level. When using a lower level (larger number eg -17db) there is more range between the onset of compression and the clip point so it can be less aggressive but more of your normal lower peaks will be compressed (depending on the gain you are using). The limiter only acts on the louder part of the input rather than the overall gain so pumping etc is much less obvious than when using AGC.
I was asked by RGBLink if I would like to try their compact all-in-one vision mixer and streaming device. It looked really interesting so I decided to give it a go. To really put it through its paces I took it to Glastonbury to use in the Circus Big Top where I used it to mix between a Sony FR7, AM7 and FX30.
The Mini ISO has 4 inputs and both HDMI and SDI so you can choose between HDMI and SDI, so no need for any SDI to HDMI converters etc. There is a 5th input which can be from a UVC or NDI source or it can be configured to use the internal media player.
It has HDMI outputs for both the Multiview and Program outputs, appears as a UVC Webcam when connected to a computer via USB. It can the mixed output or the multiview output to an external drive or USB memory stick and it can stream to 4 RTMP locations at once.
It also has the ability to control any VISCA PTZ camera connected to the network it is on as it supports VISCA control of pan, tilt and zoom. However the joystick and zoom rocker only operate at a single preset speed, they is no variable control. I used this with the Sony FR7 and AM7 at Glastonbury alongside a Sony IP500 controller.
And all of this can be controlled and monitored via the built in screen, This makes for an extremely compact and portable setup. The screen is a touch screen and although it’s too small to spot small focus errors, you can use the unit without having to add an external monitor or a computer.
As a 4(5) input switcher it works well until you try to use the Picture in Picture functions or use the downstream keyer. These do work, but the user interface isn’t very intuitive and the keyer is either on or off.
RGBLink are continuing to provide firmware updates for the unit and I hope these will improve the weak areas as these are all software rather than hardware issues because the compact and self contained nature of the device is very appealing for portable setups.
Another interesting feature is that the HDMI inputs support DHCP. This means you can connect a blueray player or satellite/streaming device to the unit and as it supports DHCP these units will output copyright protected content to it and you can then record that video. Now – I don’t condone copyright theft etc, but this does open up some interesting possibilities! Watch the video above for more information on the RGBLink ISO mini.
I have a 6U tall, shallow depth 19″ rack that I put together as a general purpose system to cover a wide variety of applications. In its original form the main units in the rack were a Blackmagic Design 1ME 4K Production Studio switcher, a 4K Hyperdeck Studio and a 4K Ultrastudio.
My original multi function 19″ rack for live production, DIT and post production tasks.
These units worked very well for me, but they are older units and less efficient than the latest ones and this leads to 2 issues – heat and noise. Even after replacing the fans in the units with special very low noise fans they could still be quite noisy at times and the units always ran hot, necessitating the addition of additional fans in the back of the unit. When using it for DIT jobs the fan noise could be a problem on a quiet set. Additionally, the lower efficiency of these older units means they need more power than more recent similar units and one of the applications I have is portable live switching and DIT work, perhaps based out of my camper van and sometimes “off grid”. Another investment will be a portable power pack or “solar generator” to run the rack when I don’t have mains power, so efficiency is important. And finally these are 6G units, so limited to 4K 30p, for 4K 60p you need the more recent 12G units.
The rear of my original version of the multi function rack.
With a big job at the Glastonbury festival coming up, where I would be deeply involved with a special Circus spectacular that would open the festival in front of a crowd of around 70,000, helping with the video feed to the side screens of the main stage and the BBC, I decided it was time to upgrade the units to the latest versions.
The updated version of my 19″ multi function rack with new Blackmagic Design units.
My 1ME 4K Production studio was replaced with a Blackmagic Atem 4K Constellation with 10 inputs and 6 outputs. This has the wonderful benefit of being able to map any of the inputs or the program or preview bus to any of the 6 outputs. So, as well as being a great switcher it can also act as a 10 input, 6 output router. My previous 1ME switcher had 3 AUX outputs that could be assigned to any input, but having 6 gives me a lot more routing possibilities. The ability to act as a router is really useful in the DIT role where I may have feeds from multiple cameras that need to be routed to different monitors etc. The Constellation is also smaller than my old 1ME, it’s the same 1U high, but now less wide and this freed up some space in the rack for a new Thunderbolt 3 hub. The Thunderbolt 3 hub powers my Macbook Pro and thanks to the TB3 loop through also connects it to the new 4K UltraStudio Mini. The Ultrastudio Mini is half the size of my old Ultra studio, uses a lot less power and generates a lot less heat. It also has a more up to date Thunderbolt 3 interface . The Ultrastudio allows me to perform live grades with DaVinci Resolve when I’m working as a DIT. It also gives me that all important calibrated video output when I’m doing normal grading jobs.
One thing I’m not sure many actually realise is how important it is to have something like an Ultrastudio or Decklink card to provide an HDMI or SDI output when editing or grading rather than trying to use a computers built in HDMI output. Computers often use different gamuts to the gamuts we use in the world of video production. And while computers do a pretty reasonable job of adding corrections between gammas like Rc-709 or HDR10 and the computers internal colourspace, very often small errors will creep in and all the extra conversions introduce artefacts such as banding into the monitoring pipeline. It’s only by using a proper video production oriented output device or card that you can be sure that you are monitoring your content in the correct colourspace and without any gamma shifts. The Ultrastudio is an absolutely essential piece of kit in my workflow.
I also upgraded the Hyperdeck from a 6G Hyperdeck 4K to the latest Hyperdeck Studio 12G. This new 12G Hyperdeck can also record to SD cards as well as SSD’s and adds H264 and H265 codec options. For a live switching job the Hyperdeck can be used to record the mixer output or it can be used as a playout device for clip playback and the playback can be controlled by the switcher, although most of the time for playback I prefer to play out of a laptop via the Ultrastudio. In the DIT role the Hyperdeck gets used as a backup recorder to record the cameras output at the DIT station. This then allows me to play back clips almost instantly without having to remove any media from the camera. It’s great to check for problems and the footage can also be looped into DaVinci Resolve via the Ultrastudio for live grading (one thing the old 6G Hyperdeck studio had was the ability to provide an input in to Resolve via Thunderbolt 2, but this one can’t do that). Again this new Hyperdeck runs cooler, quieter and uses less power.
What else is in the rack?
Rear view of my updated multi function rack.
Well…. There is a 5 port ethernet switch and a small router. The router is there to create a network for the times the rack isn’t connected to an external network such as my home office network. The network is necessary to allow a computer and other devices to control the Constellation switcher and the Hyperdeck. The router also provides WiFi access so that a tablet can be used to control the switcher (more on that in a bit). I have also included an SDI to HDMI mini converter to feed one of the switchers 6 SDI outputs to a cheap HDMI to USB dongle. The dongle is then connected to the Thunderbolt hub and this allows me to convert the switcher output to a UVC compatible video input on the connected laptop.
Using the MixEffect app to control the Constellation from an iPad Pro
The main way I use this is to take the switchers multiview output and feed that into the “MixEffect” application on the computer. MixEffect is a brilliant way to control a BlackMagic switcher as it is highly configurable and can run on many different types of device including tablets. On my Macbook I use MixEffect’s ability to overlay the switcher controls over the live Multiview feed, so I can monitor and control the switcher from a single screen. This is very handy for portable setups.
I also have a Blackmagic Bi-directional HDMI to SDI converter in the rack as often I need to bring in an HDMI signal such as the output from a PC for event productions. Being Bi-directional this can also be used to take any of the SDI outputs in the rack and convert it to HDMI. The old 6G switcher had a couple of HDMI outputs but the Constellation doesn’t have any, which is a shame.
There is also an Accsoon Seemo Pro. The Seemo is connected to one of the switchers SDI outputs and I can use it to provide a video feed into an iPad. This allows me to use the MixEffect app on an iPad to both monitor and control the switcher. I’ve been using an old 12.9″ iPad Pro as a low power monitor for those times when I’m running the system off grid. The iPad Pro makes a great monitor, it’s colour accurate and very low latency.
There is a 12v 10 amp power supply. It provides power for the Seemo (which in turn will power and charge the iPad Pro). It also powers a small, 5 output USB power supply that I use to power the SDI and HDMI converters and the router. The power supply is also connected to a 56v power converter that provides PPoE power that can feed an external 5G/4G router for those times when I need to get an internet connection via the cellphone network. It also gives me the ability to power a small 12v monitor or other 12v accessories from the rack.
On average, with everything running and a 16″ MacBook Pro connected (remember the thunderbolt hub in the rack also powers the MacBook) the updated rack draws between 175w and 200w of power. So, a relatively affordable 1000Wh Solar Generator should be able to run it and a monitor for around 4 hours. If I’m using it in the camper van, the van has a 1000Wh power system plus up to 300W of solar (on a bright and sunny day). With enough sun, I should be able to run all day, but we can’t rely on the sun in the UK. To be honest I think I will still need “shore power” mains power for longer jobs unless I get enough off grid projects to justify the expense of a +3000Wh solar generator.
After a rather long wait, Sony have today released firmware version 2.01 for the Burano camera. This firmware brings many new scan modes and UI improvments to the camera. For me, this update turns Burano into that workhorse camera that the F5/F55 was. The image quality form the Burano sensor was already excellent, being just that tiny bit above the FX6/FX3 etc and almost indistinguishable from Venice 2. The ability to now chose to shoot at up to 120fps in the full frame crop mode is very welcome, although do be aware that under some shooting conditions there is a greater chance of aliasing and moire issues when using the bined scam modes.
Please do follow the installation instructions carefully and make sure you do check the checksums of the files to ensure you are not trying to install corrupted firmware.
Expansion of White Balance memory positions from 3 to 8
Inclusion of VF Gamma Display Assist while using S-Log3 for monitoring
[Monitor FHD] is newly added as a factory preset for SDI output for both X-OCN and XAVC
Improved the on-screen display which places camera status information outside of the image in [Monitor FHD] in both HDMI and SDI output
Addition of breathing compensation and image stabilization metadata in X-OCN
Time Code and Clip Name metadata are now overlaid to [Monitor FHD]
Support for 23.98PsF for SDI output
Image quality is improved in S-Log3 external output in Base Look
709tone is newly added as a preset Base Look
Improved image quality when applying user 3D LUTs
Compatible with commands for PL lenses supporting Cooke/i Technology
Focus & Zoom: Can be controlled on the BURANO, from M&C app or via external devices
Iris: Can be controlled from Remote Control Panel only
24V option is added to PL mount voltage setting (PL-Mt Voltage)
Autofocus improvement when recording with 29.97P, 25P, 24P, and 23.98P
Proxy recording is now available with system frequency of 24P
Factory-reset frequency is changed from 59.94P to 23.98P
In addition to Reset/Reset without Network, [Reset to Factory Defaults] menu is now available to initialize all settings e.g. password, User 3D LUTs in memory
?Variable ND control is now possible from Remote Control Panel (RCP)
“Imager Temperature” is added to the status screen (Information screen)
“Format Media” can be executed from the status screen (Media screen)
Camera ID and Reel # can be set in the status screen (Project screen)
Tally control is now possible from external devices connected via wired-LAN
Accsoon will be previewing two very interesting looking monitors at NAB in Las Vegas. Accsoon are perhaps best know for their Seemo products that allow users to turn their iPhones into an SDI or HDMI equipped monitor or for thier extensive range of HD and 4K wireless video transmission systems (see my review of their 4K Cineview Master system here).
Accsoon CineView M7
Now they are about to release a pair of really interesting monitors, The CineView M7 Pro and CineView M7. Both monitors have the ability to record footage at up to 4K60p in H.264 or H.265 direct to an SD card slot or to external USB thumb drives or external SSDs. This provides a simple solution for instant review of footage on-set, or sharing to social media and streaming platforms, with the increased processing power allowing the menus and file management to be incredibly responsive. Video and audio bitrates can be adjusted to match the required record times and storage media. I don’t yet have any information on bit rates, but the nice thing about H265 is it can deliver very high quality with very small files, so this could be an excellent backup for a cameras internal recording. They also have bluetooth allowing you to connect bluetooth headphones for audio monitoring.
The screens are 7-inch 1900×1200 displays with cinema-grade accuracy, covering 100% of Rec.709, and a 1500:1 ultra-high static contrast ratio. Like most modern monitors you get all the expected exposure and focus tools such as Waveform display, false colour, zebras and peaking etc.
They have powerful internal processors that allow the monitors monitors to work with both 3D and 1D LUTs which are loaded via USB, SD Card or flash drive. Importantly the CineView M7 and M7 PRO can also function as a LUT box allowing the transform to be applied to the output via HDMI, SDI or Wi-fi streaming, or to be ‘burned’ into the image recorded direct to card. This is a really nice feature.
The monitor can also cross convert between HD and 4K, both up and down and the press release also mention the possible future ability to convert between different frame rates.
The monitors take a pair of NP-F style batteries for onboard power and can also be powered via a DC input as well as USB-C PD.
Rear view of the CineView M7 Pro with cage fitted.
Powering Solutions:
Dual NP-F Slots
USB PD
DC
I/O Interfaces:
HDMI IN: Supports up to 4K60 DCI video input
HDMI OUT: Supports up to 4K60 DCI video output
SDI IN: 3G SDI. Supports up to 1080P60 video input
SDI OUT: 3G SDI. Supports up to 1080P60 video output
SD Card Slot: You can directly record to the SD Card, import LUTs from SD Card and offload footage to the SD Card.
USB 3.0 (Type-C): Plug in external storage devices for recording and file import/offload
Microphone jack (3.5mm): Supports external audio input to replace the audio signal embedded in the video source.
Headphone jack (3.5mm): Supports using external headphones or speakers for audio monitoring.
Bluetooth: Supports audio monitoring using wireless earbuds.
Side views of the CineView M7
The CineView M7 Pro includes a built in wireless receiver that is compatible with Accsoon’s wireless video transmitters making it a strong candidate for use as a directors monitor. The CineView M7 does not have a built in receiver so will I assume be cheaper.
The projected price for the CineView M7 Pro is $900USD which seems extremely competitive for a monitor with this feature set, especially if you already own any of their wireless transmission systems.
I’m in the process of creating a mobile DiT station/production unit. I’m going to use a Blackmagic Atem 1ME production studio 4K as both a vision mixer for multicamera productions and as a router for DiT applications. This unit has the ability to route any input or the PGM or Preview bus to any one of 3 auxiliary outputs using buttons on the front panel, so it can act as a basic hub. They can be picked up used via ebay or places like MPB for around £300-£400 ($300-400).
ATEM 1ME Production Studio 4K
However, from the factory these units are extremely noisy. The fans that Blackmagic use are LOUD. It is too noisy to be used on set as it is, so I decided to replace the fans with some quieter ones. If you can solder this is a pretty easy job.
There are 3 fans that blow air out of the chassis. I replaced these with Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM fans. Make sure you get the PWM versions! These are 4 wire PWM fans. Blackmagic use a smaller fan connector than used in most computers so you will need to cut the connector off the original fans and solder this to the leads from the replacement fans.
Quiet Noctua Fans replacing the ATEM exhaust fans
For the Noctua fans see the image below for which coloured wire is connected to which.
Blue original goes to Noctua Blue.
Yellow original goes to Noctua Green
Red original goes to Noctua Yellow
Black original goes to Noctua Black
The other 4 fans were replaced with AAB Cooling Super Silent Fan 4’s, these are normally available from Amazon and are quite a lot cheaper that the Noctua equivalent but equally quiet. Again you will need to re-use the connectors from the original fans, but the wire colours are the same.
The reduction in noise is already dramatic after the fan replacement. But if you drill out the vent grill for the exhaust fans the unit will be even quieter.
A fire damaged Sony Venice that still works just fine!
This camera absolutely stank! It smelt of burnt plastic, burnt rubber and was really quite nasty to get too close to. It is a Sony Venice that was being transported in the back of a van that caught fire and was totally destroyed. Not only was the camera subject to the heat and flames of the fire but it was also thoroughly doused in water as the fire fighter fought the fire.
When clearing up the aftermath the rental company that owned it decided to see if it did still work and much to everyone’s surprise the camera booted up as normal. There aren’t even any dead sensor pixels.
Fire and water damaged Sony Venice still produces a perfect image.
You can even see that behind the melted plastic over the main LCD that the panel behind it is still working (it appears to be requesting that an APR be performed). But this camera stinks so much there is no way you would want to be too close to it for any length of time.
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.
The Venice Extension System Mini with an Leitz LPL mount adapter.
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).
2x Sony Venice Extension System Mini’s with Cooke SP3 lenses for 3D
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).
A simple stereoscopic setup with 2 of the Venice Extension System mini’s mounted side by side.
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.
Sony Venice Extension System Mini, not the SDI cable from the camera body to provide the monitor feed.
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.
Sony Venice Extension System Mini on a DJI RS4
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
I’m running a couple of film making workshops for London Film School in association with Sony. These workshops are aimed at new content creators or others that wish to improve their production skills. It will cover the whole film making process from concept to storyboard to production. There will be sessions on project development, camera and lighting techniques as well as sound. One of the workshops will be held over 3 evenings and the other over a weekend.
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