The Esports World Cup 2026 brought together more than 2,000 players competing across 24 games over seven weeks, with a prize pool of more than $75 million. To cover the entire competition, the production team chose Sony’s Cinema Line cameras as the foundation of its workflow, according to information provided by the manufacturer in a press release.

Behind the event was a large-scale content operation designed to capture everything from live gaming action and team promotions to event highlights, fan interactions and celebrity appearances.

The production used two Burano cameras, two FX6 cameras and ten FX2 cameras to support EWC26 coverage, along with ECM-778 shotgun microphones and a wide range of Sony G Master and G Master II prime and zoom lenses.

At its busiest point, 50 Sony FX3 and FX2 cameras were recording across the event, supported by ECM-778 shotgun microphones. In addition, four FX6 cameras and two BURANO cameras captured high-quality team promotional content on a purpose-built set.

“We decided to go with Sony as our main platform because of its reliability and because it is future-proof. Everyone considers the equipment reliable and an excellent choice in terms of quality”, explains Adam Kędzierski, Head of Post-Production.

Content capture

With a constant stream of content required throughout the event, the production team needed a camera system that could adapt to different shooting environments and tight schedules.

During EWC26 press days, teams often had just 20 minutes to complete their promotional content from start to finish. As a result, multiple cameras were positioned in advance, allowing participants to move quickly through the studio while the production team captured multiple angles with minimal disruption.

Sony’s Burano and FX6 cameras were used for this studio work. Their full-frame sensors, dual base ISO, autofocus capabilities and electronic variable ND filters were designed to maintain control under changing conditions while working to demanding production schedules.

“The Burano was the perfect choice for us”, affirms Charles Dalton, Senior Creative Producer. “It gives us that cinematic image quality in a smaller, lighter and more power-efficient package, which is ideal when working with small, agile teams.”

The FX6 was also used for run-and-gun and documentary-style filming.

Bringing the cameras closer to the action

Away from the studio, the production team needed to capture players during competition without distracting them from the action. For this reason, the compact design of Sony’s FX3 and FX2 made them particularly suited to this environment.

“These guys are competing in a serious tournament, for a lot of money. The last thing we want to do is turn up and distract them with a huge camera”, comments Ryan Priestnall, Director of Photography and Camera Operator. “The FX3 is agile and compact, so we can get close to them and they really don’t notice us as much”.

Combined with Sony’s G Master and G Master II prime and zoom lenses, the cameras were intended to provide the autofocus performance required to keep up with fast-moving subjects, while allowing operators to focus on composition, movement and exposure.

“I don’t want to have to worry about autofocus, and I can almost forget about it because I know the cameras and lenses are more than capable”, Priestnall adds. “The Sony lenses and cameras have been invaluable for that”.

Workflow

With footage coming from a large number of cameras and operators throughout the event, consistency in post-production was equally important.

Sony’s S-Log3 gamma curve gave the post-production team the ability to refine the highlights and shadows in the captured footage. At the same time, the S-Gamut.Cine colour space allowed them to adjust colours so that they matched across clips coming from different camera operators.

“Having shot with Sony definitely makes our lives easier because the same image character is maintained”, concludes Roman Ivasyk, Colour Supervisor. “You have the same colour science, you have the same measurement data, so you know everything. Even when the cameras appear inconsistent, it is very easy to find out what went wrong and correct it quickly in post-production”.