A photographer spotted this mystery Sony camera at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Is this disguised camera an early prototype?

The Olympic Games bring some of the most talented athletes to an international stage – and some highly talented sports photographers along with them. The Olympics, then, naturally sometimes serve as proving grounds for up-and-coming sports cameras – which makes this disguised Sony camera spotted on the sidelines all the more intriguing.

Getty and photographer Eyes Wide Open shared a photo of two Sony cameras resting on a ledge in what looks like the press box during a preliminary round of Women’s Ice Hockey between Germany and Japan on February 07, in Milan, Italy.

The caption identifies the camera as “A Sony photo camera in prototype design.” A Sony logo is clearly seen on the camera’s battery grip, and there’s the orange 'G' logo associated with Sony’s G Master optics visible on the lens as well.

The cameras are wearing a skin commonly known as dazzle camouflage – it’s a black-and-white intricate pattern that’s designed to hide features and body lines. It’s commonly used to hide prototype cars, but could also be used to disguise cameras.

While the black-and-white pattern is often used for hiding a prototype design, it’s worth noting that custom camera skins like this exist and are easy to purchase – so it’s entirely possible that the camera is just a Sony A9 III wearing a fancy outfit, much in the same way that Olympic fans dress up for the event.

Another camera sits behind it in an opposite design – it could be a photographer's strategy for quickly identifying two of the same model cameras.

But, at the same time, it wouldn’t be too unusual to test a new prototype at such a high-caliber event. The Canon EOS R3, for example, was used at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo prior to the camera’s full release, as was the Nikon Z9.

While the angle and pattern obscure much of the camera’s features, the photo still offers a handful of hints. There’s a dial on the left-hand side of the top of the camera. The Sony A7R series doesn’t have a dial on this side, but the Sony A9 III and A1 II do – it houses burst mode settings. The doors covering the ports on the side of the mystery camera are a better match for the A9 III than the A1 II.

But, the Sony A9 III began shipping in early 2024 – which seems a bit early for an update. The Sony A1 II is even newer, launching at the end of 2024.

The pro-level Sony camera with the most rumors circulating is arguably the Sony A7R VI. The existing Sony A7R V doesn’t have the dial shown in the image, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that an update wouldn’t tweak the design of the series.

The mystery camera could quite possibly have been misidentified as a prototype by Getty – it could be just a Sony A9 III all dressed up for the games. But the disguised camera could also hint that Sony is using the 2026 Winter Olympics as the proving ground for a new mirrorless camera…

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