Sony Teases Robotic Cinema Camera Platform

On a webpage created by Sony Japan, the camera company is teasing what they call their next camera project. The camera comes with the tagline “Cinematography meets robotics” and is leading Sony fans to conclude that Sony is about to announce a new robotic camera platform.

The image displays what looks to be a camera hidden in shadow, with what looks to be a large telephoto lens and perhaps a gimbal or follow focus attached to the side.

With a motor drive and an LED light curved around the top, the image, along with the tagline, seems to suggest some sort of robotic smart capability, perhaps being AI-driven, or with a mobile operating capacity.

Sony will be streaming the announcement live on their YouTube Channel, and comments in the body of that placeholder have a best guess that the platform has pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) functions and could be a “motorized/gimbaled/AI computer-controlled camera robot designed to shoot live performances while following the movement of the artists.”

Couple this speculation with the Sony lenses that are in the image, and it could be a camera accessory add-on to mount a Sony Alpha mirrorless camera, or a separate e-mount camera that combines the features of an Alpha with that of their PTZ line for a live streaming robotic camera that offers the best of both worlds in a live streaming event.

Meanwhile, TechRadar reports that Sony is also planning a new, lower-cost ZV E-Mount cinema camera in late September, inspired by the Sony FX3. The ZV line is rumored to have an APS-C image sensor at its heart while borrowing from the FX3 for other features.

There’s also talk of a Sony A7R V on the horizon. All are very video-centric and come with more professional-grade cinema performance that could continue the potential gradual merging of both professional and consumer platforms.

All of that may be true, or none of it. Or perhaps somewhere in between. At this point, the only thing that is true is that the device will be announced on Tuesday, September 6th at 11 pm Japan Time, or 7 am Pacific Time, 24 hours before Apple sucks up all the air in the room with a new iPhone 14 announcement.

[Source: DPReview/TechRadar]

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