Sony has launched the latest member of its compact cinema camera series in the form of the FX5. In another timeline, the FX5 might have been an update to the Sony FX3 launching in 2021, but in the current market it would launch at a higher price, while the FX3 would continue to sell.
The FX5 launches with enough new toys to excite current and potential FX3 buyers. It features a new 16.6MP full-frame full-stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor along with a BIONZ XR2 processor with built-in AI processing. You can record video at up to 5K 60fps and 4K 120fps now, and up to 5K 120fps and 4K 240fps with a later firmware upgrade.
The FX5’s key feature is Open Gate Recording, which allows you to utilize the full width and height of the sensor for 3:2 video. This lets you use all of the available pixel real-estate of the sensor, and is especially useful for vertical crops because you can use all of the available vertical pixels.
Then the FX5 goes a step further and also offers 16-bit linear RAW recording, which can be done internally on the camera without an external recorder. This means you can get the sensor’s full 3:2 output in 5K 60fps now (120fps later) in RAW straight from the camera. The FX5 uses Sony’s professional X-OCN format with LT, C1 and C2 codec variants in different compression ratios for more efficient recording.
The FX5 is the first Sony FX camera to get the company’s Dual Gain shooting function, which combines the output from low and high gain values for better dynamic range and less noise. The camera also has three base ISOs of ISO 800, ISO 4000 and ISO 12800 for better performance in low light. The camera also reportedly has 15+ stops of dynamic range.
Other features include AI-based human pose estimation for autofocusing, auto tracing white balance based on visible and IR sensor data, ability to disable noise reduction in camera, de-squeeze function for anamorphic lenses (disables autofocus), a larger 3.5-inch 2.76 million dot touchscreen with full articulation (compared to the FX3), built-in cooling fan, larger NP-SA Includes 100mAh battery, dual-USB. Ports for power and data, along with a wired LAN port, and a new menu system borrowed from CineAlta cameras.
The FX5 doesn’t include a built-in viewfinder, but Sony has announced a new DVF-EL1 detachable viewfinder for it. It also has an XLR-H2 handle.
The Sony FX5 costs $4900 for the body only and $5500 with the XLR-H2 handle. Its sale will start in mid-August.