LIVE: Sony FX30 is the latest edition to the cinema lineup with an APS-C sensor
Sony has launched the FX30, its latest cinema camera with an APS-C sensor get the Livestream low down here
Digital Camera World's Editor, James has been a professional photographer since 2014 and has been a tech and photography journalist for 17 years. He has plenty of experience using the best Sony cameras, including photographing the Turkish Olympic teams with the Sony A9 II ahead of the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
New Sony camera: what is it?
All we know for sure is that the new product will be a Sony Cinema Line camera. However, given that the manufacturer makes everything from consumer cameras to motion picture cameras, it could be at any end of the spectrum.
Recently Sony has released a full salvo of cinema cameras spanning all sectors, from the Sony FR7 – a "robotic cinema camera" that's basically an E-mount PTZ camera – along with the 8.6K CineAlta Venice 2 and ultra-handleable Sony FX3.
The company has really been bolstering its cinema camera offerings this year from the bottom to the top. Could we be seeing another Venice variant, aimed at Hollywood and the motion picture industry, or will this be a vlogger oriented camera targeting the content creation sphere?
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Best cinema cameras
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We're just a few hours away from the big reveal, and already the comments section is ablaze with wish lists and crossed fingers about what to expect.
One of the most popular requests is integrated ND filters.
"If it gets built-in ND then I am going to buy it" (furkan ali)
"Sony, please add your built in eVND to this camera. We need a small camera that can stay small (no rigging) for travel and EDC." (AngryRabbit Productions)
And some very peculiar requests / guesses for what the new camera might be.
"Let's hope for a ZV-1 II announcement." (Martin Meramdzhiev)
Okay, that one is sensible.
"Its time to get a replacement for the Venice 2" (Andreas)
Uhh, the CineAlta Venice 2 was only launched 9 months ago!
"Sony please make a YouTuber camera!! We need new RX100 iii !! With usb C" (dat boi)
There is already a replacement for the RX100 III… four of them, in fact. The latest one being the Sony RX100 VII.
So we are mere hours away from Sony announcing the company's latest camera to the cinema line-up, there have been many rumors about what this camera might be, and even the community on YouTube has suggested a few interesting ideas. But we will soon know all about this camera once Sony hits the LIVE button on today's Livestream event.
The Sony camera launch will take place today at 10:00 EDT / 15:00 BST, which is 00:00 AEST. Right now, there is precious little information about the camera, other than that it will be part of Sony's Cinema Line, but as soon as we hear more information we will bring it to you - better yet you can watch the Sony Livestream with us as we have pasted it below for your viewing:
One of the most popular requests for this new Sony camera is integrated ND filters. "If it gets built-in ND then I am going to buy it" (furkan ali)
"Sony, please add your built in eVND to this camera. We need a small camera that can stay small (no rigging) for travel and EDC." (AngryRabbit Productions)
We are now just 2 hours away from Sony announcing their latest cinema camera to join the company's line-up - what this camera might look like and its specs are something unknown for now.
But why don't we take a journey of the Sony cinema line-up to see where this new camera could be going on in a realm of quick turnarounds, and social media dominating the market.
The Sony cinema line dates back over 20 years with the release of the HDW-F900, the world's first 24p digital cinema camera. It's Sony's expertise in sensor technology, image quality, and recognizing what filmmakers and creators want in a camera that has evolved the cinema line today.
Neal Manowitz, Deputy President of Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics, has said,
"The voice of our customer is critical to everything we do. We have the deepest respect for filmmakers, cinematographers, and storytellers, and will continue to evolve our product line to meet and exceed their demands."
The current cinema line from Sony includes the FX9, FX6, FX3, FR7, Venice, and Vencie 2 series of cameras.
Now those 6 cameras span a large range from an enthusiast, prosumer, professional, and Hollywood studio - so you can imagine each one as your go up the line gets extra features for various use-case scenarios. Let's explore them:
So let's start from the very top and work our way down the list, starting with the Sony Venice. The original CineAlta Venice was released in 2016 and featured a 24.7MP full-frame 6K (6048 x 4032) CMOS sensor with integrated ND filters in 8-stages, 15+ stops of dynamic range, dual native ISO range, a wide color gamut, RAW, and ProRes recording, with a unique extension system that allowed you to separate the sensor from the camera body for unique shots.
This was and still is considered the very best that Sony produces and has been used to shoot countless Hollywood and streaming blockbusters such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Bridgerton, The Crown, and Award-winning Apple original CODA.
So to say that this camera is built for the big screen is an understatement, however, Sony has now launched the Venice 2, pushing the envelope of what we thought possible.
Venice 2
The new Venice 2 might look very similar to the original Venice, but it is in fact 44mm smaller and 10% lighter – which makes it perfect for use with a drone or Steadicam. It does, however, feature the same color science as the original Venice that helps capture natural skin tones and fine details.
There will be two sensor options available – either the newly developed 8.6K sensor or the 6K sensor from the original Venice. While the original 6K sensor will allow for higher frame rates, the 8.6K sensor obviously has a much higher resolution, able to capture images at 8640 x 5760 while the 6K sensor offers up to 6048 x 4032. Both offer powerful oversampling capabilities for an incredible 4K as well.
One of the major improvements on the original Venice is that you no longer need an external AXS-R7 recorder to record 4K RAW footage. Filmmakers will be able to internally record 16-bit X-OCN (X-Original Camera Negative), a new codec from Sony that brings the flexibility usually only available with 16-bit linear RAW files. It can also capture in 4K ProRes 4444 and 422 HQ with no need for an external recorder.
Sony worked with several of the industry's top cinematographers to test the camera's image quality without using any professional lighting. The award-winning cinematographer Robert McLachlan, who worked on Game of Thrones, Westworld and Lovecraft Country, was one of the test cinematographers to offer his opinion.
"I really wish we'd had a large format, 8.6K sensor like Sony Venice 2 on my past work. It would have made it feel even more epic and, at the same time, more engaging, thanks to the increased resolution, richness, and dimensionality. The increased speed, cleaner highlights, and shadows together with the potential for super-shallow depth of field would have been a huge asset."
Sony FX9
The FX9 from Sony is the highest of the professional range, in the style of a camcorder with interchangeable lenses it is equipped with a 20.5MP Exmore CMOS sensor that is capable of oversampling 6K footage into crisp 4K DCI visuals. it offers 15-stops of dynamic range, dual-native ISO of 800 and 4,000, and 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording, or even 16-bit if you use an external recorder.
The FX9 can record in 5K and Super35 modes that can capture 4K at 60fps, while in 5K shooting 83% of the sensor will result in a 5008x2540 image. The sawn-song of the FX series, and especially the FX9 is its autofocus. Fast Hybrid AF with 561 phase-detection points that cover approximately 94% of the whole image area width and 96% of the height, the FX9 can give you accurate, responsive AF tracking, even with fast-moving subjects.
On top of that, there's Face Detection and Eye AF that locks on to humans' faces for accurate and sharp focus.
Sony FX6
The FX6 is the little brother to the FX9, featured in a similar body-design, but smaller in size the FX6 features a 10.2-megapixel sensor that is back-illuminated and equipped with an Bionz XR processor that offers 4x faster speeds than its predecessor the Sony FS5.
The Sony FX6 is defined by its 4K image in a smaller body, still offering 15+ stops of dynamic range along with professional features like S-Cinetone, S-Log3,and S-Gamut3 profiles for better, richer color-grading. The FX6 can even record RAW without the need for the optional extension pack - making the FX6 a very popular option with solo-filmmakers and studios alike.
Sony FX3
The Sony FX3 is the newest in the Sony Cine line (until today's announcement) this handy little body has a shared recording function with the Sony A7S III, but it is a very compact cinema-style body. The FX3 features a 10.2MP back-illuminated Exmore R CMOS sensor and Bionz XR processor from the FX6 and Sony A7S III, but unlike the Alpha series, the FX3 does not shoot stills too - this is a pure video camera.
Filmmakers can record up to 4K at 120fps and shoot slow-motion footage up to 5x at QFHD, or 3K to you and me at an image size of 3840x2160. The FX3 does not feature dual-native ISO but its range is extensive offering a range from 80-102,400 and can be expandable up to 409,600. This nifty little camera offers 15+ stops of dynamic range while recording in S-Log3 and S-Gamut3 for extensive color grading. The FX3 can also support internal recording in XAVC formats for space-saving measures or at the conventional H.262 at 4K. 40K 60fps can be recorded in 10-bit 4:2:2 or 16-bit RAW with the use of an external recording device over HDMI.
The FX3 is the perfect camera for those wanting pro-grade video features in a compact body while traveling or for using it as a B-cam for either of the higher FX models.
We are now only 30-minutes away from finding out what Sony will unveil to the manufactures cinema lineup- The live event is taking place today at 10:00 EDT / 15:00 BST, which is 00:00 AEST. Right now, there is precious little information about the camera, other than that it will be part of Sony's Cinema Line, but as soon as we hear more information we will bring it to you - better yet you can watch the Sony Livestream with us as we have pasted it below for your viewing:
The chat is heating up in the YouTube comment section, all excited about this new release, only 621 are currently waiting with just 20 minutes to go, but I can see that skyrocketing once the live stream starts.
5 Minutes, this is a 5-minute call for the Livestream of Sony's new cinema camera! -watch along with us via the YouTube stream below:
And we are LIVE!
it look to be another small camera
It is called the Sony FX30, becomes the new edition to the Sony cinema line
new back-illuminated Super35 APS-C size back-illuminated sensor that can capture 26MP still images and 4K UHD video with 6K oversampling.
Equipped with Sony’s BIONZ XR processor, it offers a dual base ISO 800/2500 sensitivity for S-Log3 shooting and an overall ISO range of 100-32,000, and a 14+ stop dynamic range.
Automatic ISO can change in slight-increments so you can continue capturing without worrying about highlight blow out.
The FX30 can capture 4K video at up to 120p, though there is a tiny crop factor of 1.04x for 4K 60p and a larger crop factor of 1.4x for 4K 120p .
Users can also import their own LUTs to capture the image just how they want it to look in post.
FX30 can aslo capture video at 10-bit 4:2:2 All-Intra quality and offers a choice of XAVC HS 4K H.265, XAVC S 4K H.264, and XAVC S-I 4K H.264 recording formats
FX30 will feature advanced Auto focus and a new Active mode for those that like to shoot handheld, which can smooth out your footage, saving you time editing.
There’s no EVF, but it does have a vari-angle rear screen, and the expectation for more advanced users is that they may choose to attach an external monitor anyway.
Internal storage consists of dual SD/CFexpress Type A card slots, with only the fastest S&Q and HD 240p recording (and proxy recording) needing the faster card format
The FX30 can also be connected to computers and laptops and be used as an external webcam
Sony are pitching the FX30 as a "first camera" for those serious about taking their filmmaking to the next level with professional features.
The FX30 will be supplied in two versions. The ILME-FX30B is the body-only version and will sell for £2,100 (about $2,260/AU$3,498), but there will also be an ILME-FX30 version that includes Sony’s XLR adaptor/handle unit, which itself has a further three mounting holes. This version will sell for £2,500 (about $2,690/AU$4,160).