The new “R Series” system camera lineup from Sony builds on the strengths of the existing HDC‑5000 and HDC‑3000 series while significantly enhancing image performance, system expandability through additional transmission pathways and infrastructure options, and usability that enables consistent color matching across models. Additionally, the new series will address challenging lighting conditions by offering an expanded dynamic range for enhanced details, and operation modes to address different lighting environments.
The R Series cameras include HDC‑5500R, HDC‑5500RV, HDC‑3500R, HDC‑3500RV, and HDC‑3200R, along with related products such as the HDCU‑3500R Camera Control Unit and the HKCU‑LUT35 3D LUT option board. The models are planned to be available summer 2026.
The R Series cameras allow for sensitivity selection based on scene conditions while reducing white clipping by maintaining a balance between sensitivity and dynamic range, made possible by an excellent S/N ratio of -64dB that minimizes the impact on image quality (scheduled to be supported in an update planned for December 2026). This enables more natural and three-dimensional video capture in outdoor stadiums with mixed sunlight and shadows, as well as in live music venues with challenging lighting.
The HDC-3500R, HDC-3500RV, and HDC-3200R can connect to camera control units with the newly released option board HKCU-LUT35 installed, enabling operation with 3D LUTs that allow for more advanced color adjustments The HDC-3200R now supports the wide color gamut modes S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine, which are used in the HDC-5000 series and HDC-3500 series, allowing for more precise color matching during multi-camera operations with different models. One note from Sony: the compatible camera control units are “HDCU-3500R” and “HDCU-3500” (already released). “HDCU-3100” is not compatible.
Flexible Transmission Functionality
The R Series enhances transmission functionality to achieve a more flexible system configuration. The HDC-5500R and HDC-5500RV now support video trunk with two 1.5G SDI lines (scheduled to be supported in an update planned for December 2026.). The HDC-3500R and HDC-3500RV support the new transmission method HB+, enabling video trunk and prompter with one 3G SDI line or two 1.5G SDI lines[3]. By utilizing video trunk, it is possible to transmit signals from different video equipment while leveraging existing fiber optic cables, allowing for a more efficient system setup.
Additionally, the HDC-3200R now supports network trunk with a maximum of 1Gbps. By utilizing the fiber optic cable between the camera and CCU, it can transmit signals such as camera trackers and IP teleprompter signals, achieving a more efficient system setup.
The HDC-5500R, HDC-5500RV, HDC-3500R, and HDC-3500RV come standard with a slide mechanism for a large viewfinder that can accommodate the 7.4-inch OLED color viewfinder HDVF-EL760 (already released). This allows the viewfinder to be fixed at any desired position, enabling stabilization by positioning the viewfinder closer to the tripod’s rotation axis. In environments where there is limited distance between the operator and the camera body, the viewfinder can slide forward to maintain a comfortable viewing distance, thus achieving greater operability.
Additionally, the latest intercom operation panel, previously used in the HDC-5500V and HDC-3500V, will also be applied to the HDC-5500R, HDC-5500RV, HDC-3500R, and HDC-3500RV. This allows for unified operability in shooting environments with mixed models.
Common to All Models
- Enhanced Imaging Functionality (scheduled to be supported in an update planned for December 2026).
HDC-5500R and HDC-5500RV
- Newly supports video trunk with two 1.5G SDI lines (scheduled to be supported in an update planned for December 2026).
- Unification of the intercom operation panel and newly supports the standard slide mechanism for the viewfinder in the HDC-5500R
HDC-3500R and HDC-3500RV
- Newly supports HB+ transmission, enabling video trunk with one 3G SDI line and two 1.5G SDI lines, as well as prompter transmission (connection to the “HDCU-3500R” is required).
- Unification of the intercom operation panel and newly supports the standard slide mechanism for the viewfinder in the HDC-3500R
HDC-3200R
- Newly supports network trunk with a maximum of 1Gbps
- Newly supports S-Gamut3/S-Gamut3.Cine, expanding the supported color gamut system camera