Sony Turns the VENICE 2 Into a 65mm Camera With the $80,000 RIALTO 65

Sony Turns the VENICE 2 Into a 65mm Camera With the $80,000 RIALTO 65

A detachable 65mm head, not a new camera

Sony Electronics announced on Oct. 29 that it will launch the RIALTO 65 Camera Extension System (CBK-6510XS) for its CineAlta VENICE 2 cinema camera, moving the VENICE platform into the 65mm format. The product is a detachable imaging head rather than a standalone camera: it requires a VENICE 2 body running dedicated firmware version 6.00 or later. Availability is tentatively set for the first half of 2027 at $80,000 in the United States.

Extension mode for tight spaces, studio mode for normal shoots

The system offers two configurations. In Extension Mode, the head separates from the VENICE 2 body and connects by cable, fitting into confined spaces and suiting handheld, gimbal, and vehicle work. In Studio Mode, the head mounts directly on the body and operates like a conventional large-format camera. A 4.5-meter cable ships with the system, and a 12-meter cable is offered as a roughly $9,000 option.

9.6K open gate from a sensor 2.2 times full frame

The sensor measures 53.75 by 35.83 mm with a 1.5:1 aspect ratio, giving an imaging area about 2.2 times larger than a 35mm full-frame sensor. It supports 9.6K 1.5:1 open-gate readout plus a 9.6K 2.20:1 readout with a diagonal of about 59.04 mm that fits a wider range of lenses. Open-gate capture runs up to 30p and the 2.20:1 mode up to 50p, with additional modes such as 9.6K 17:9, a full-frame 6.4K crop, and an APS-C 4.3K crop planned through VENICE 2 software updates.

Dual-base ISO with 15-plus stops at ISO 2500

The system uses dual base sensitivities of ISO 2500 and ISO 10000, selectable for lighting conditions and creative intent. At base ISO 2500, Sony claims more than 15 stops of latitude, preserving gradation from highlights to shadows in high-contrast scenes. Because processing runs through the VENICE 2 body, users keep VENICE color science, familiar operation, and internal 16-bit X-OCN recording with existing AXS-card workflows.

A 1.5-kilogram head on top of a $60,000 body

The camera head measures approximately 115 by 154 by 63 mm and weighs approximately 1.5 kg, or about 3.3 pounds. The economics are firmly high-end: $80,000 for the extension plus a VENICE 2 body costing roughly $60,000 to $70,000, before accessories such as the 12-meter cable and an ND filter kit at about $9,000 and $8,000 respectively. Sony first teased the system in July and has now filled in price, sensitivity, and recording details alongside first sample footage.

A rental-market play with delivery due next year

For rental houses and large productions already invested in VENICE 2, the RIALTO 65 extends existing bodies into prestige 65mm work without abandoning lenses, color pipelines, or crew familiarity. For owner-operators and smaller shops, the combined system cost puts it firmly in rental territory. The next tests are lens coverage, real-world delivery in the first half of 2027, and how rivals answer in the large-format race.