Avatar, Black Panther and Top Gun were all shot on Sony cameras

Sony UK has recently taken to Twitter to share that its Venice camera was used to shoot three massive movies in 2022; Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Top Gun: Maverick – blockbusters that not only made millions at the box office but were reviewed favorably, too.

As well as being used in Hollywood, unsurprisingly the Sony Venice and Sony Venice 2 are on the official Netflix camera list, along with the Sony FX3, which features in our guide to the best Netflix-approved cameras.  The original Venice camera was launched in early 2018, while the Venice 2 camera (with its choice of 8K and 6K sensors) started shipping in early 2022 – slightly too late for filming the three major blockbusters.

Make no mistake, these full-frame cinema cameras have been created by and for the cinematographer, although they can take the best Sony E-mount lenses. CVP has created a brilliant YouTube video on why the Sony Venice and Rialto 2 are Sony's Best-Kept Cinema Camera Secret:

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So why should we care? While pretty much none of us are ever going to shoot a Hollywood blockbuster movie or a Netflix series (sorry), it's still interesting to know what cameras were used for filming. 

In the same way that we often want to know exactly what gear our favorite professional photographer has in their kitbag, finding out what camera a world-class director or filmmaker has chosen gives that camera, and brand, some serious kudos. And as the lines between professional filmmakers and hobbyists blur, so too do the best cinema cameras available to consumers.

Given that the Sony Venice 2 costs about $58,000 at retail value with the 8.6k sensor, it's not something you'd be using for a YouTube channel (and if it is, props to you). It's a serious camera for serious cinematographers, but what's interesting is that the tech inside the latest broadcast-quality cameras tends to trickle down to hybrid cameras and cameras for video eventually. Until you win the lottery, then, you might also like our best Sony camera guide, which has reviews of all the latest models.