Sony’s long-awaited successor to its popular FX3 Cinema Line camera has arrived, and it isn’t the expected FX3 Mark II. The Sony Cinema Line FX5 offers Open Gate recording for the first time in the Cinema Line FX series. It also records internally in Sony’s proprietary RAW format, X-OCN.
New sensor
The Sony FX5 features a newly developed full-frame, fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor. Backing it up is the latest high-speed BIONZ XR2 image processing engine, which includes a dedicated AI processing unit. Sony says the sensor delivers more than 15 stops of dynamic range when you shoot in S-Log3. It offers three base ISOs of 800, 4000 and 12800. A Dual Gain Shooting function reduces noise and widens latitude even further.
Open Gate
The FX5 is the first camera in the FX series to offer Open Gate recording, a 3:2 full-pixel readout across the entire image sensor. Regular 17:9, 16:9 and Super 35 modes are there too.
It records 5K at up to 60 frames per second (fps). Drop to 4K and you get up to 120 fps, or up to 240 fps in FHD. Sony has promised 5K at 120 fps and 4K at 240 fps through a firmware update next year.
The camera also records X-OCN in-camera, Sony’s proprietary 16-bit scene-linear RAW format. Pick X-OCN LT, or the more compressed X-OCN C1 and C2 codecs, to save space.
AI-powered autofocus
Sony’s FX5 leans on AI-based human pose estimation to sharpen its autofocus. It can pinpoint the position of a person’s eyes, body and head for high-precision focus, even in dark scenes. Real-Time Tracking is supported as well.
The camera’s Auto Tracing White Balance pulls from visible light and IR (infrared) sensors, plus deep learning-based light source estimation. Sony says that delivers natural white balance in shaded areas and indoor scenes.
Design
The Sony FX5 is broadly the same size as the FX3. The screen is not. Its 3.5-type 2.76-million-dot 16:9 touch-panel LCD monitor is larger than the FX3’s, and it fully articulates, tilting up and down as well as opening out. New NP-SA100 batteries deliver roughly 1.3x the power of the older NP-FZ100 cells. A high-efficiency cooling fan and a dust- and moisture-resistant body round out the design.
Other features
The FX5 packs 5-axis optical in-body image stabilization, with roll correction about twice that of the previous system. Beyond standard optical stabilization and Active Mode, there’s Dynamic Active Mode for steadier handheld shots.
The new XLR top handle unit unlocks audio recording up to 96 kHz, 32-bit float across four channels. Record straight to the camera without the handle and you’re capped at 24-bit. An optional 0.58-type tilting OLED viewfinder is also available, ideal for bright environments.
What we think
The Sony FX5 may look like the FX3, but it’s a big step up from the previous model. Open Gate and internal RAW recording rank among the two most requested features. Next year’s update adds 5K at 120 fps and 4K at 240 fps. The three base ISOs and Dual Gain Shooting should match the FX3’s renowned low-light performance with even less noise. The 32-bit audio option with the top handle will tempt plenty of shooters too. At $600 more than the FX3 on list price, the FX5 is an upgrade worth paying for.
Pricing and availability
The Sony FX5 costs $4,900 for the body only, or $5,500 with the XLR top handle. Both are available to pre-order now, with delivery expected from mid-August.
