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Sony is bringing a wave of Cinema Line firmware updates to BSC Expo 2026, including the newly announced VENICE 2 V4.1 and BURANO V3.0, alongside previews of the already announced FX6 V6.0 and FR7 V4.0. The company will also showcase its VENICE Extension System Mini, OCELLUS camera tracking system, and a dedicated podcast studio aimed at the growing content creation market.
The British Society of Cinematographers Expo remains one of the most important events for the European cinematography community, and Sony is using the occasion to demonstrate the continued evolution of its Cinema Line cameras through firmware. CineD will report from the ground with videos, including an interview with Sony to demonstrate these updates.
The company has divided its booth into four distinct zones: Drama Movie Commercial Production, Cinematic Live and Documentary, New Content Creation, and Podcasting. This structure reflects Sony’s strategic expansion beyond traditional cinema production into live content and online creator markets.
For those following Sony’s firmware roadmap announced in late 2024, the BSC Expo announcements provide concrete release timelines and additional feature details. Beta versions of all four firmware updates will be available for hands-on testing at the show.
The VENICE 2 V4.1 update, scheduled for February 2026 as part of a phased rollout, brings refinements to the flagship CineAlta camera rather than major new features. The update adds moiré alert maximum level recording in metadata, which should prove useful for post-production teams working with footage shot near LED walls or fine patterns. Horizontal adjustment value storage for the VENICE Extension System Mini (click for our interview about the product from Pinewood Studios) addresses workflow consistency when working with the compact sensor block in various rigging configurations.
Perhaps most notable for on-set operators is the redesign of the EL Zone System screen. The EL Zone System, created by Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Ed Lachman, ASC, was introduced in V4.0 and displays exposure values using stops rather than IRE. The V4.1 redesign should improve readability and usability of this feature during production.
Sony has confirmed that VENICE 2 firmware updates will continue through 2027, with V5.0 planned for 2026 and V6.0 for 2027. This extended roadmap demonstrates Sony’s commitment to supporting the VENICE 2 platform rather than rushing a successor to market.
The BURANO V3.0 update, arriving in May 2026, represents a more substantial expansion of the camera’s capabilities, particularly for documentary, sports, and live event work. Building on the V2.01 update released earlier this year, V3.0 adds two new imager scan modes that expand the camera’s versatility beyond its cinematic and OTT production roots.
The first new mode, FF 5.8K 6:5, is designed specifically for full-frame anamorphic lens users. This aspect ratio matches the native capture area needed when shooting with 2x anamorphic optics, eliminating the need to crop from a wider frame. The second mode, S35c 3.8K 16:9 at up to 120fps, provides a Super 35 crop option for high frame rate capture, useful for sports and documentary applications where slower motion is required.
Additional V3.0 features include improved visibility for the color peaking display, which aids focus pulling in challenging conditions. The addition of S700P command compatibility expands remote control capabilities for live production environments, adding support for FPS, shutter, and saturation adjustments via compatible remote panels. Note that angle and auto shutter are not supported through this protocol.
HLG Mild support in custom shooting mode rounds out the update, providing another option for productions delivering in HDR formats directly from the camera.
The Sony FX6 continues to receive features inherited from higher-end CineAlta cameras with the V6.0 update, scheduled for March 2026. The headline addition is the BIG6 interface, which has already proven popular on the VENICE and BURANO. This interface displays six essential parameters in one view: FPS, ISO, shutter, iris or ND filter, Look, and white balance. For operators moving between different Sony cinema cameras, this consistency should reduce the learning curve and speed up setup times.
The updated shooting screen layout introduces black borders around the image area, improving the visibility of on-screen display information. This addresses a common complaint about status overlays obscuring image content, particularly when evaluating framing and composition.
Most significantly for post-production workflows, V6.0 adds support for Blackmagic RAW recording via HDMI output to compatible Blackmagic Video Assist recorders. This builds on Sony’s collaboration with Blackmagic Design originally announced at IBC 2024, and then redefined for other Sony cameras including the FX6 at IBC 2025, and gives FX6 users access to the popular RAW codec’s editing flexibility in DaVinci Resolve. Sony recommends checking with Blackmagic Design regarding compatible recorder models.
HLG Mild support in custom shooting mode and the ability to combine Paint and Look settings in a single scene file for easier sharing complete the FX6 update package.
The Sony FR7 PTZ camera receives its V4.0 update in February 2026, with a singular but significant focus: support for OpenTrackIO. This open standard for virtual production camera tracking, developed by the SMPTE RIS OSVP group, represents a major step toward simplified VP workflows.
OpenTrackIO allows real-time synchronization and output of tracker data, lens information, camera capture data, and 6DoF positional information from the CG origin to the camera. The protocol connects directly to Unreal Engine via a single ethernet cable, eliminating the need for third-party plugins. Sony highlights four key benefits of the implementation: tracker-less operation, lens calibration-less operation, timecode synchronization, and one-shot spatial calibration.
For productions using the FR7 in virtual production environments, this update removes significant barriers to integration. The camera can now function as a fully integrated element of a VP pipeline without the external tracking hardware traditionally required.
Beyond firmware, Sony will showcase several hardware solutions at BSC Expo. The OCELLUS camera tracking system, which has just begun shipping, uses Visual SLAM technology for marker-free tracking in virtual production and AR applications. The system works with Sony Cinema Line cameras, broadcast cameras, and third-party cameras.
The VENICE Extension System Mini will be shown in various configurations. At approximately 70% smaller than the previous Rialto extension system, the Mini has already found use on major film productions requiring the VENICE 2’s image quality in confined spaces. BSC Expo visitors will be able to see a 3D Spatial Reality Display showing footage captured by two VENICE Extension System Minis positioned side by side, demonstrating the system’s capabilities for stereoscopic imaging.
Sony’s Crystal LED VERONA LED wall will provide the backdrop for demonstrations, showcasing the integration between Sony’s camera systems and display technology for in-camera VFX workflows.
Reflecting market trends, Sony is hosting a podcast studio at BSC Expo for the first time. The company notes strong demand for professional-quality, affordable production tools from online content creators, corporate communications teams, and news organizations. The zone will demonstrate how Sony’s audio, video, and workflow solutions can be combined for efficient podcast production.
Sebastian Leske, Head of Cinema Business Development at Sony, emphasized the company’s evolving focus in a statement: “The New Content Creation zone of our stand this year, along with a fully equipped podcast studio, illustrates how the concept of live production is evolving, and how we as a company are at the forefront of this shifting market.”
Sony’s Ci Media Cloud platform and the PDT-FP1 portable data transmitter will feature across all solution areas, highlighting the company’s push toward connected production workflows.
The firmware updates announced at BSC Expo reinforce Sony’s strategy of extending camera capabilities through software rather than hardware replacement. With VENICE 2 updates planned through 2027 and substantial new features coming to the BURANO and FX6, current owners have reason to be optimistic about long-term value.
Are you planning to visit BSC Expo to test these updates? Which firmware feature are you most interested in? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!
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Nino Leitner, AAC is Co-CEO of CineD and MZed. He co-owns CineD (alongside Johnnie Behiri), through his company Nino Film GmbH. Nino is a cinematographer and producer, well-traveled around the world for his productions and filmmaking workshops. He specializes in shooting documentaries and commercials, and at times a narrative piece. Nino is a studied Master of Arts. He lives with his wife and two sons in Vienna, Austria.