Super Bowl LX is more than a football game. It’s the most-watched live broadcast in the United States and one of the most technically demanding productions in sports. When Super Bowl 2026 kicked off in San Francisco, it wasn’t just the players and coaches under pressure. Thousands of photographers, videographers, engineers, and broadcast technicians work hard behind the scenes to capture every split-second moment (and that epic Bad Bunny’s performance, if I may add).

This year, Sony’s footprint at Super Bowl LX is bigger than ever. But what does that actually mean for the people on the sidelines and in the broadcast trucks? And what does it take to cover an event at this scale? Let’s break it down.

[Related Reading: What it’s like to photograph football players]

What It Takes To Cover Super Bowl LX

Covering Super Bowl LX means preparing for unpredictable lighting, extreme weather possibilities, and, of course, constant motion at high speed. Add the deafening crowd noise and real-time file delivery to media outlets, and you have one super-challenging environment for everyone covering the event.

According to Sony’s official announcement, more than 175 Sony cameras will be on and around the field on game day to make sure everything is covered and delivered timely. This includes broadcast HDC systems and Sony Alpha mirrorless camera bodies.

The Photographer’s Reality At Super Bowl 2026

The Associated Press will be working with 55 Sony camera bodies, 80 lenses, and 15 portable data transmitters. Add in the NFL’s in-house photography team and Sony Imaging PRO Support loaner gear, and you’re looking at dozens more full-frame mirrorless bodies circulating the stadium.

Missing focus on a game-winning catch isn’t an option. Neither is a corrupted file or a delayed upload. The coverage also requires high frame rate capture and wireless mobility. They’re no longer luxury features – they’re expected. Whew, the pressure!

The Halftime Show

The halftime show at Super Bowl LX is essentially a live stadium concert broadcast to a global audience. There’s an elaborate set, rapid choreography, dramatic lighting shifts, all sorts of effects, and nonstop movement – everything unfolding in real time, just like the games themselves.

For this portion of Super Bowl 2026, 11 Sony VENICE 2 digital cinema cameras and three BURANO digital cinema cameras are being deployed. This isn’t standard sports coverage. It’s feature-film-level production in a live environment. From a videographer’s perspective, that means:

Switching from NFL gameplay to concert cinematography in minutes is one of the most complex transitions in live television. And as we’ve all seen, it turned out amazing!

Beyond Cameras: Other Technology Behind the Coverage

Aside from cameras and lenses, for Super Bowl 2026, all 32 NFL teams are using Sony’s NFL Coach’s Headsets, built for clarity and durability in high-noise stadium environments. On the officiating side, Sony’s Hawk-Eye Virtual Measurement system is being used in a Super Bowl for the first time, delivering precise Line to Gain measurements once the ball is spotted. The Hawk-Eye SkeleTRACK system adds optical player and 3D ball tracking, working alongside RFID wearables to enhance positional accuracy and replay analysis. Together, these systems form a data-driven backbone that supports faster decisions, clearer communication, and a more consistent experience on the NFL’s biggest stage.

During Super Bowl 2026, multiple systems operate simultaneously:

• Broadcast HDC system cameras feeding NBC
• High-frame-rate capture for replays
• Mirrorless bodies shooting stills for wire services
• Wireless transmitters pushing files to editors in real time
• Optical tracking systems feeding officiating and analytics

Sony shared with us the full list of the gear used for this year’s Super Bowl, and it’s pretty impressive. I’ve decided to share it in its entirety here for the gearheads among you. 🙂 Thanks to Sony, we can also take a peek at the gear depot!

NBC:

• 37 Sony HDC-Series System Cameras:
  • 35x Sony HDC-5500
  • 2x Sony HDC-4300
  • 18 Sony HDC-Series POV Cameras:
  • 6x Sony HDC-P50A (4x 4K)
  • 11x Sony HDC-P50
  • 1x Sony HDC-P31
• 5 Cinema Cameras:
  • 3x Sony PXW-FX9
  • 2x Sony PMW-F55
• 2 Sony PTZ Cameras:
  • 1x Sony ILME-FR7
  • 1x Sony BRC-AM7
• 3 Aerial/ Specialty Cameras

Half-Time Show Production:

In-Venue Imaging at Levi’s Stadium

• 10 Sony UHD cameras, including the HDC-3500 (hard posi ons), HDC-5500 (HFR), HDC-3500 (RF
• wireless) and ILME-FX3A (RF shallow depth of field) with Sony’s E-mount lenses sideline &
• photography Support
• The Associated Press: 55 Sony camera bodies, 80 lenses, 15 PDT-FP1 Portable data transmi ers
• NFL Focus Photography Team: 8 Sony’s cameras, 20 lenses
• Sony Imaging PRO Support:
  • 45 Sony full frame mirrorless cameras
  • 90 E-mount lenses
  • 12 PDT-FP1 Portable data transmitters
  • PXW-Z200 camcorders
• Pre-Loan Program: Estimated 10 bodies and 15 lenses shipped in advance

Covering Super Bowl LX is a logistical and technical challenge on a scale few events can match. Photographers must anticipate peak action in fractions of a second while transmitting images instantly. Videographers balance cinematic quality with live broadcast demands. Engineers monitor data feeds, replay systems, and wireless networks without interruption.

Every layer of the game, including imaging, audio, tracking, transmission, has to function flawlessly under immense pressure. Super Bowl 2026 isn’t just a championship game; it’s one of the most complex live productions in sports, where precision, preparation, and teamwork determine whether the world sees the moment as it happens.

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