Sony’s HDC-5500 Captures Historic Moment: Announcement of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

The historic announcement of Pope Leo XIV on May 8 was captured in stunning detail using GTC Patron Sony’s HDC-5500 system camera, continuing the Vatican’s tradition of relying on world-class imaging technology to document globally significant events with the highest visual fidelity.

Used during the official coverage of the papal appearance from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the HDC-5500 delivered exceptional image clarity, true-to-life colour reproduction, and precise high frame-rate capture, ensuring that the moment reached millions of viewers across the world. With 4K HDR output and the ability to operate under complex lighting conditions such as those in the early evening of Thursday 8 May, the HDC-5500 was ideally suited for capturing the unique atmosphere of the Vatican, from late afternoon crowds to the reveal on the iconic loggia.

The Vatican’s choice to use Sony’s flagship HDC-5500 aligns with its ongoing commitment to excellence in storytelling, transparency, and technological innovation and its commitment to archiving the evolving history of the Catholic Church. Previously deployed for high-profile events such as Easter Mass and Christmas celebrations, the camera once again proved to be the ideal solution for mission-critical live broadcasting.

Francesco Masci,  Chief Technology Officer,  Dicastery for Communication says:

We have a long-standing relationship with Sony, built on mutual trust and a shared commitment to excellence. Thanks to this partnership—and to the innovation introduced by our Technology Directorate, particularly through the adoption of 4K HDR—we have been able to capture the depth and emotion of extraordinary events, such as the first public appearance of Pope Leo XIV, with unprecedented visual fidelity. These results are the fruit of a strong synergy between Sony’s cutting-edge technology and the outstanding professionalism of the Vatican Media production team, whose expertise brings to life the solemnity and significance of every moment we share with the world.

Norbert Paquet, Head of Live Production, Sony Europe says:

Capturing such a globally significant moment demands technology that can be trusted to perform flawlessly. We are honoured that the Vatican continues to choose Sony solutions, and that the HDC-5500 played a part in delivering this moment of spiritual and historical importance to the world.

Sony’s system cameras are widely adopted in broadcast environments for news, sports, and live production, and have been an integral part of the Vatican’s media infrastructure for over a decade.