Vatican Media and Sony will experiment with 8K on the occasion of the Christmas Eve Mass from the Vatican

A Sony UHC-8300 camera equipped with three 1.25-inch 8K sensors located in St. Peter's Basilica will capture the main images of the liturgical ceremony officiated by Pope Francis.

Vatican Media y Sony They come together again to continue their joint effort to study and evaluate the future technological possibilities of high resolutions in production. For the first time on December 24, 2017, at 9:30 p.m. in Rome, during the Christmas Eve mass, officiated by Pope Francis from St. Peter's Basilica, a test production in 8K resolution will take place.

A Sony UHC-8300 camera equipped with three 1.25-inch 8K sensors positioned in the Basilica will capture the best images. This camera, introduced at IBC 2017, can be used not only for 8K production, but also for 4K. It is capable of generating 8K, 4K and HD signal outputs by simultaneously applying different color spaces and multiple high dynamic range standards. Upscaling from an 8K image to a 4K image provides flexible framing when capturing large shots, improves creativity and ultimately leads to a better show. For this current test, one UHC-8300 and two PWS-4500, 4K live servers will record and capture 8K 120p footage, and will not be part of the live, 4K HDR production, which will take place simultaneously.

This 8K experiment continues the long-standing partnership between Vatican Media and Sony Professional Solutions Europe. From the beatification of Pope Paul VI and the Canonization of Pope John XXIII captured in 4K, to the live broadcast around the world of the Closing Ceremony of the Holy Door by His Holiness Pope Francis, in HDR, Sony has played a key role in the Holy See's major events.
Dario Edoardo Viganò, prefect of the Vatican Communications Secretariat, highlighted that "in 1960, the games in Rome marked a key moment to experience broadcasting in live events with an approach that became standard during the celebration of the Vatican Council of 1963. Today we witness a papal event, the Christmas Eve Mass, which stimulates and precedes the broader adoption of 8K technology. It is curious, but the story goes like this: the important occasions often have the capacity to shape modernity. This 8K test that we will carry out in the Vatican in collaboration with Sony is part of the mission of the Holy See's Communication Secretariat. The test, thanks to the commitment of the Vatican Media team, allows the production of high-quality documentary material for our archives and, therefore, for the historians of tomorrow. It also follows the path laid out by the Vatican media reform sponsored by Pope Francis, who continually urges us to adapt our. communication system to the needs of the contemporary digital environment to better support the delivery of messages to the four corners of the planet.”
Richard Scott, Director of Media Solutions at Sony Professional Solutions Europe, said: "At Sony, we are always finding new ways to power incredible storytelling and help our customers meet the demand for stunning 4K capture. Sony supports Vatican Media and its mission to deliver the highest quality images to its audiences. Our 8K sensor now offers the ability to capture 4K and 8K. This 8K trial, supported by our engineers and technical support teams, will push the boundaries of imaging innovation, as well as pursue flexibility and creativity to capture 4K.”