New Insights on Sony’s Camera System for F1: The Movie in FDTimes Interview

Earlier this summer, we covered how director Joseph Kosinski and DP Claudio Miranda ASC pushed the boundaries of high-speed cinematography for F1: The Movie, using compact, custom Sony cameras to capture real Formula 1 racing with immersive realism. Now, thanks to a recent in-depth interview in Film and Digital Times, we have a clearer view of how this bespoke camera system came together to handle 200 mph racing while delivering cinematic quality.

Editor‘s note: For this article, we reached out to F1 AC Dan Ming, who thankfully checked this article for accuracy and gave us permission to reuse his photos from behind the scenes of F1: The Movie. Check out his Instagram where he regularly shares amazing BTS photos from the projects he works on.

For F1: The Movie, the goal was to place viewers inside the cockpit with Brad Pitt and Damson Idris – who were actually driving at speed, not crawling for safety shots. That meant building a camera system small enough to fit under the F1 car’s halo while maintaining image quality suitable for IMAX screens. Off-the-shelf compact cinema cameras, including the Sony FX3, were too large and heavy. Even the VENICE Rialto Mini, still in development at the time, was too thick to clear the halo structure.

A custom camera smaller than a Rialto Mini

Sony’s engineering team, led by Nobu Takahashi-san (who we interviewed multiple times before), developed a fully custom prototype known on set as “Carmen.” It combined the image pipeline of the FX6/FX3 with remote operation architecture derived from the FR7, using copper wiring to connect a minimal camera head to a recording body. The system featured an internal drop-in ND filter slot between the lens mount and sensor, offering eight stages of ND without increasing the camera’s footprint. The E-mount system allowed the use of compact Voigtländer and Zeiss Loxia primes, ensuring shallow depth of field while maintaining a slim profile under the halo so drivers could see the track clearly.

Custom panning, remote control, and a trackside network

What truly set the Carmen system apart was its ability to deliver remotely operated pan and focus control inside cars traveling at 200 mph. Working with Panavision and RFFilm, the team developed a custom panning head operated by Preston Cinema Systems controllers adapted for IP-based control. Each car became its own mesh network node, transmitting video and control signals back to “mission control,” where Miranda and Kosinski monitored and adjusted framing, exposure, and focus in real time across multiple cars on track simultaneously.

This approach allowed the production team to roll up to 16 cameras at once across five vehicles while managing bandwidth in RF-congested track environments. It meant they could fine-tune the shot while drivers were pushing the limits of speed, instead of relying solely on fixed rigs or post-stabilization.

Built to survive the elements

Capturing authentic in-car footage meant these cameras had to endure the realities of F1 racing: rocks and debris at 200 mph, high-frequency vibrations unique to each track, and rapid weather changes from sunlight to rain. Vibration management was achieved using Sorbothane dampening layers tuned per track while ensuring direct mechanical coupling to maintain stability without using IBIS, which would conflict with the vehicle’s movement.

Recording was done in XAVC Intra 4K onto CFexpress Type A cards in the recording body, maintaining the lightweight head design while ensuring high-bitrate capture ready for cinematic color grading.

A test bed for future cinema tech

Sony currently has no plans to commercialize the Carmen system, but the innovations tested here directly influenced the development of the VENICE Rialto Mini and may shape future cinema cameras for high-risk, high-speed environments. Miranda emphasized that the decision to shoot real racing, rather than resorting to simulated environments, was essential to the immersive realism F1: The Movie aimed to deliver.

The project showcases how large-scale productions are driving camera technology toward smaller, lighter, remotely operable systems capable of maintaining high cinematic standards while working under extreme conditions.

For a deep dive on the camera tech on F1: The Movie, I can really recommend checking out the FDTimes article here.

Would you consider using a system like this for high-speed vehicle shoots if it were available, or do you prefer current rigging workflows with existing compact cinema cameras? Let us know in the comments below.