Sony picked the American Society of Cinematographers event on June 3, 2026 to announce the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm-format sensor block designed for the VENICE 2. The official Sony Cine post followed on June 4, and the prototype has been on display at Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles since June 5. Let’s be precise about what this is: not a new camera body, but a hardware extension that turns the VENICE 2 into a large-format platform. In our view, that’s exactly what makes this announcement worth reading twice.

A sensor 2.2 times the size of full frame

The numbers released so far speak for themselves: a 3:2 sensor measuring 53.75 × 35.83 mm with a diagonal of roughly 64.60 mm, for a photosensitive area about 2.2 times that of a full-frame sensor. It is one of the largest sensors ever integrated into a commercial cinema system. On resolution, though, some caution is needed: Newsshooter’s headline mentions readout up to 9.6K 3:2 open gate, but CineD points out that final resolution, frame rates and codecs have not yet been communicated by Sony. Don’t build a budget on unconfirmed specs.

Modular, just like the VENICE Extension System

The design follows a philosophy Sony has already proven: the block mounts directly on the VENICE 2 body or operates detached over a cable, much like the VENICE Extension System, opening the door to handheld work and umbilical setups where the body stays off the rig. RIALTO 65 also supports multiple sensor readout modes to accommodate different 65mm lenses, including those with a narrower image circle — a genuinely practical detail, given how varied the lens pool is in this format. Above all, it remains compatible with the existing VENICE 2 ecosystem: accessories, workflows and set habits don’t get thrown away.

What it means for productions in Italy and Abruzzo

Let’s be honest: 65mm has always been an exclusive club, the territory of productions with seven-figure budgets and heavyweight rental houses. Sony’s move strikes us as a smart one because it brings the format into a system that is already widespread: a rental house or production that owns a VENICE 2 will be able to add large format with a module, instead of buying and amortising a dedicated camera. On set, that could lower the barrier to entry more than the announcement suggests.

That said, for the vast majority of the jobs we see come through — commercials, documentaries, music videos, low and mid-budget drama — full frame is more than enough: a Sony BURANO covers most real-world large-format needs, a Sony FX6 handles the day-to-day, and anyone chasing high resolution on a big sensor already has options like the Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K. 65mm makes sense when the cinematography genuinely calls for it: depth of field, how faces render, heavy VFX pipelines.

Rent or buy? For us it’s not even close

Release is planned for the first half of 2027 and pricing has not been announced. Translation: there is almost a year to think it over, and our read is that RIALTO 65 will live as a rental product, booked by the day or by the week for specific projects. Tying up capital in a top-tier module with specs still open makes little sense for an independent production — booking it when the project justifies it does. It’s the same reasoning we apply every day to our equipment catalogue: the right technology at the right moment, without write-downs weighing on the books for years.

We will follow up on specs and pricing as soon as Sony makes them official. In the meantime, if you are prepping a large-format project in Abruzzo or central Italy, get in touch: we’ll help you put together the right package with what’s available today, no need to wait for 2027.