After the recent surprise announcement from Sony, I was was able to play with some of the new imager and recording modes in firmware v2 for the VENICE, and it includes some killer new features that are easy to overlook at first blush. Specifically, the two all-new 6K imager recording modes (6K 17:9 and 6K 1.85:1), enabled with the new firmware on cameras with the 6K Full Frame license, allow recording of the sensor’s full width (6,000 pixels across) to SxS cards in XAVC-I class 300 and class 480.

In a surprise move, Sony has moved up the general availability of the highly-anticipated version 2.0 firmware for their flagship digital cinema camera, VENICE. Originally promised for sometime in August, later rumored to be available in early July, this new firmware is actually available now and enables a broad range of features and functionality on the camera.

Sony's new flagship digital cinema camera, the VENICE, is officially shipping and finding its way into the hands of DPs and operators around the world. Equipped with a full format, 6K sensor, the VENICE allows for high-resolution capture with a cinematic aesthetic. To fully unlock the capabilities of your new Sony VENICE, you will need to install both the Full Frame (CBKZ-3610F), as well as the Anamorphic (CBKZ-3610A) optional licenses.

In this video, I take a closer look at Sony's new VENICE full format camera and go over some of the innovations that bring it into the world of high-end episodic and feature cinema.

This year's IBC show in Amsterdam was an exciting one, showcasing a lot of technological development across different categories of gear.