Sony’s $80,000 Rialto 65 Brings a 65mm Sensor to Venice 2

By Olivia Hart

Sony will launch the Rialto 65 Camera Extension System (CBK-6510XS) for the Venice 2 CineAlta in the first half of 2027, priced at $80,000 and requiring a roughly $60,000 Venice 2 body.

The $80,000 figure lands roughly at the price of a new BMW M3, or above 16 Sony FX5 bodies. Neither comparison says much about image quality, but both make clear that Sony has positioned this as specialist cinema equipment rather than a general-purpose upgrade.

What does the larger sensor deliver?

At 53.75 millimetres wide and 35.83 millimetres high, the 65mm-format sensor covers about 2.2 times the image area of a full-frame sensor. Sony says the Rialto 65 promises exceptional video quality unlike anything else the company has made, combining extreme resolution with superior subject separation when all else remains equal.

The sensor supports 9.6K 1.5:1 Open Gate readout and a 9.6K 2.20:1 mode with a diagonal of about 59 millimetres, which Sony says accommodates a wide range of lenses. Dual base ISO settings are 2500 and 10,000; at the lower setting, Sony specifies more than 15 stops of dynamic range.

Sony says the large format should make it easier for filmmakers to emphasise the main subject and create an image that draws the viewer in. Sony presents that control through separation as the craft advantage, with resolution serving the image rather than becoming an end in itself.

How does the extension change shooting?

• Extension Mode: Separates the camera head from the Venice 2 body, allowing shooting positions traditionally challenging for large-format cinema cameras.
• Studio Mode: Attaches the extension directly to the Venice 2 body, providing the more conventional arrangement.
• Cabling: The system supports 4.5-metre (14.8-foot) and 12-metre (39.4-foot) cables. Sony includes the shorter cable; the longer one costs $9,000 as an optional accessory.

The two modes turn the extension into a working choice rather than a single rigid arrangement: crews can keep the head attached for conventional studio work or place it away from the body where access would otherwise be awkward.

What else comes with the system?

The Rialto 65 itself measures approximately 115 by 154 by 63 millimetres, or 4.5 by 6.1 by 2.5 inches, and weighs about 1.5 kilograms, or 3.3 pounds. The optional CBK-NDK6510 ND Filter Kit costs $8,000 and contains 11 drop-in ND filters equivalent to those included with the Rialto 65.

Electronic contacts in those filters let them communicate directly with the camera. The kit therefore adds both filter selection and a direct electronic link to the system, rather than remaining a purely mechanical accessory.

High-end cinema camera systems such as this rarely see outright purchase; production teams more commonly rent them for specific projects. That puts the Rialto 65’s argument squarely on the image it produces, not on the practicality of giving one production company permanent ownership of the equipment.

What does Rialto 65 mean for Venice 2?

Within Sony’s Venice system, the Rialto 65 expands rather than replaces the Venice 2. Because the extension interfaces with the camera body, it can use the body’s high-end video features, including Venice colour science and 16-bit X-OCN internal recording. The 65mm sensor thus enters an established colour and recording workflow rather than operating as an isolated specialist offshoot.

Yang Cheng, Senior Vice President, Imaging Solutions at Sony Electronics Inc., said: “We’re excited to explore the 65mm visual format in ways never done before with the new Rialto 65 extension system.”

He continued: “As we grow our lineup of extension systems that enhance freedom and flexibility, we look forward to showcasing our commitment to the scope and deep expression of large format filmmaking by providing our Venice 2 customers with more sensor options.”

On paper, Sony has defined the system with unusual precision: a 65mm sensor, two mounting modes, two cable lengths and the Venice 2 recording chain. The harder claim concerns results—whether this scale produces enough added clarity and subject separation to justify the extension’s rigging, footprint and cost in a working production.

For now, the first half of 2027 is Sony’s only stated horizon; the decisive evidence will come when the Rialto 65 reaches working productions and earns—or does not—the attention its sensor has been designed to command.