Japanese technology giant Sony officially introduces the FX5 model, which brings an original breath to its cinema camera series, to technology enthusiasts. The newest member of the Cinema Line series, which draws attention with its compact structure, comes on the scene with its “Open Gate” video recording support and artificial intelligence integrated features, which content producers and independent filmmakers have been waiting for a long time.

Positioned as an upper version of the popular FX3 model under current market conditions, the device combines mobility and quality in the same body with its completely renewed 16.6 megapixel resolution full-frame sensor and high-level color science.

While sales of the FX3 model continue, FX5, which will take its place on the shelves by appealing to a more professional segment, once again sets the standards of the market with the hardware components it carries.

Sony FX5 Features and Design Details

At the heart of the camera is the completely redesigned 16.6 megapixel full-frame “fully-stacked” Exmor RS CMOS sensor. This powerful sensor is supported by the BIONZ XR2 processor, which maximizes data processing speed, and a special artificial intelligence processing unit (AI Processing Unit).

Thanks to artificial intelligence integration, the device can predict human posture and track eyes, face and body extremely quickly.

In addition, the new Auto Tracing White Balance technology, based on visible and infrared sensor data, ensures that colors are recorded in their most natural form even in harsh and variable light conditions. The camera can record images at 60 fps at 5K resolution and 120 fps at 4K resolution out of the box.

Thanks to a firmware update that will be released in the future, these values ​​reach up to 120 fps in 5K and 240 fps in 4K.

Open Gate and Internal RAW Recording Period

The most critical feature that distinguishes the FX5 model from its Competitors and previous members of the series is definitely the “Open Gate” recording support. This technology allows users to capture images using all horizontal and vertical pixels of the 3:2 format sensor. This feature creates tremendous flexibility, especially for those who produce content in vertical format for social media platforms or those who want to crop the image without losing the view during the editing stage.

In addition, the device can record 16-bit linear RAW directly to the memory card without the need for an external recording device (monitor).

Thanks to Sony’s proprietary X-OCN format (in LT, C1 and C2 variants), used in professional cinema cameras, high-quality massive RAW files are compressed more efficiently and the post-production process is accelerated.

ISO Performance and Dual Gain System

Challenging night shots and low-light environments are no longer a disadvantage for the FX5. Camera; It offers three different base ISO values: ISO 800, ISO 4000 and ISO 12800. This feature helps to obtain clear images by minimizing the amount of noise when changing to different lighting conditions.

In addition, the “Dual Gain” shooting function, used for the first time in the Sony FX series, simultaneously combines low and high gain data from the sensor, allowing the device to offer an incredible dynamic range of over 15 stops.

Ergonomics, Price and Release Date

The body, which is very similar to FX3 in terms of physical size but is a little heavier due to its hardware structure, uses the CineAlta menu system that production groups are familiar with. Users can view images on the monitor in the correct proportion thanks to the built-in de-squeeze function added to the device for anomorphic lenses.

The 3.5-inch, 2.76 million-dot, 4-axis movable bright touch screen makes things easier when shooting at difficult angles. A special cooling fan is placed inside the case to prevent overheating during long-term high-resolution recordings.

The device works with the new NP-SA100 battery, whose capacity has been increased 1.3 times compared to previous generations in order to increase battery life. Featuring dual CFexpress Type A and SDXC memory card slots, the camera offers industry standard connections such as dual USB Type-C ports, full-size HDMI output and wired LAN input, providing both power and information transfer at the same time. Although it does not have a built-in electronic viewfinder, Sony introduces the detachable DVF-EL1 viewfinder, designed specifically for this model, as an optional accessory.

Sony FX5, which created a great impact in the industry, is released in mid-August. While the price for users who want to purchase the camera only as a body is set at $4900, the set, which includes the XLR-H2 handle unit offering advanced audio inputs, takes its place on the shelves with a price tag of $5500.