Posted by Anna Berglef on 6th Feb 2018
Sony Venice starts to deliver and Arri try to spoil the show!
So, Arri got everybody talking before the BSC show and they wanted to know what Arri had to finally enter the world of 4K and Netflix.
Everybody wondered how Arri had developed a new sensor or where they’d got one from, Sony? Finally, Friday morning arrived, and we knew. Arri didn’t have a new sensor, they’d stuck two of their five-year-old sensors together to make one big one!
In brief, yes, the Alexa LF does do 4k but only in Large Format mode, and then you need to use Arri’s new Signature lenses that aren’t PL mount, they’re Arri’s new LPL mount. So, when you buy a LF you have to buy the Arri lenses as well. Get down to 16:9 (31.68 x 17.82mm) so you can use PL glass, the camera is only UHD (3840 x 2160, the Netflix spec is for a sensor 4096 Photo sites wide so the LF meets the requirement of spec but doesn’t deliver it unless you shoot Large Format), critically the image size in 16:9 is still larger than Super 35mm; this will cause you issues with wide S35 lenses. Sony Venice’s imager size for UHD is 22.8 x 12.8mm and for 4K is 24.3 x 12.8mm (17:9) allowing the use of standard Super 35mm Lenses throughout their ranges.
Cut Off Points:
Arri LF 16:9 Sensor Mode Image Circle dia 36.35mm
Cooke S4i 35mm Focal Length Image Size 35mm*
Ultra Prime 16mm Focal Length Image Size 33mm*
Master Prime 25mm Focal Length Image Size 35mm*
No Angenieux Zoom Lenses will cover that image circle at the wide end.*
The LF reminds me somewhat of the Renault 5 Twin Engine Gordini GT. How do we get a 4WD high powered car quickly to combat the opposition with little R & D, oh yes, we’ll stick 2 engines in it! Arri stick two sensors in a SXTW body, they have to widen it a bit, but hey presto we have a 4K camera. Now this isn’t unfamiliar territory for Arri they did it with the Alexa 65, that time they put three sensors in. I think its clear Arri were struggling to come up with a new sensor to meet the Netflix requirement of a 4K camera. To keep recycling the original five-year-old unit retains the look but technology moves on and advances give other benefits. Arri only have the one sensor and nobody seems to want to sell them a bigger one. The Venice from Sony has been 4 years in the making and shows major innovation and technical expertise; the 8-step built-in ND Filter on the Venice is a spectacular innovation, Arri’s attempt to emulate it with a manual system seems rather desperate. At the end of the day Full Frame or larger is always going to give issues with glass but you want the camera to shoot 4K in Super 35 as well, so you can use lenses that are readily available. The Venice does this, the LF doesn’t!
The LF comes in at a whopping £90K configured, nearly double the price of the Venice £48K in its configured Cine package, but then to use all the LF you’ll need to buy the signature glass as well, so you’re probably at £200K+. Now, I’m no longer an Arri dealer and one of the select Sony dealers to sell the Venice, so I’m biased. Arri made it a bit easy though. I’m sure Arri will sell the LF, the major thing Sony doesn’t have is an Arri badge on the side.
* Image sizes taken form Duclos Image Circle Database
Buy the Sony Venice now!
By Mike Thomas – Sales Director
Sony VENICE CineAlta Full-Frame 35mm 6K Camera
The Sony Venice has the innovative 8 step ND Filter system inbuilt, the Alexa LF has 8 ND Filters you can manually insert in front of the sensor. One wonders how they exclude dirt going in the same slot? The Sony Venice with the RAW Recorder and Viewfinder comes in at 5.76kg, the LF for the Body and Lens Mount 7.8kg. People think the Venice is heavy???
The LF reminds me somewhat of the Renault 5 Twin Engine Gordini GT. How do we get a 4WD high powered car quickly to combat the opposition with little R & D, oh yes, we’ll stick 2 engines in it! Arri stick two sensors in a SXTW body, they have to widen it a bit, but hey presto we have a 4K camera. Now this isn’t unfamiliar territory for Arri they did it with the Alexa 65, that time they put three sensors in. I think its clear Arri were struggling to come up with a new sensor to meet the Netflix requirement of a 4K camera. To keep recycling the original five-year-old unit retains the look but technology moves on and advances give other benefits. Arri only have the one sensor and nobody seems to want to sell them a bigger one. The Venice from Sony has been 4 years in the making and shows major innovation and technical expertise; the 8-step built-in ND Filter on the Venice is a spectacular innovation, Arri’s attempt to emulate it with a manual system seems rather desperate. At the end of the day Full Frame or larger is always going to give issues with glass but you want the camera to shoot 4K in Super 35 as well, so you can use lenses that are readily available. The Venice does this, the LF doesn’t!
The LF comes in at a whopping £90K configured, nearly double the price of the Venice £48K in its configured Cine package, but then to use all the LF you’ll need to buy the signature glass as well, so you’re probably at £200K+. Now, I’m no longer an Arri dealer and one of the select Sony dealers to sell the Venice, so I’m biased. Arri made it a bit easy though. I’m sure Arri will sell the LF, the major thing Sony doesn’t have is an Arri badge on the side.
* Image sizes taken form Duclos Image Circle Database
Buy the Sony Venice now!
By Mike Thomas – Sales Director