Sony just announced a new Cinema camera called the FX2 and it’s literally in a class of it’s own… Basically Sony created a hybrid cinema camera as apposed to a hybrid photography camera when compared the ZV series and Alpha Series cameras.
Key Features:
- 33MP Full-Frame CMOS Exmor R Sensor
- 4K up to 60 fps | 1080p up to 120 fps
- DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) up to 59.94 fps [600 Mb/s]
- 33MP Stills in S-Log3 at 800/4000 ISO
- AI-Powered Auto Focus & Framing
- Dynamic Active AI-Based Stabilization
- 10-Bit 4:2:2 XAVC S-I, 16-Bit Raw Output
- S-Cinetone/S-Log3/HLG, 15+ Stops DR
- 3.68m-Dot 0.7x OLED EVF with 90° Tilt
- CFexpress Type A & SD Card Slots
- 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi for 4K Live Streaming
- 5-axis stab
- Improved Grip
- Mechanical shutter – 1st curtain 1/400sec max
- 1/50sec max sync speed
- ISO 100 – 204,800 Extended
- USB Streaming
- Weather Sealing/ Active Cooling w/ built in fan
- Weight = 1.3 lb / 594 g (Body Only)
- Cost = $2699 US (Body Only), $3099 US (w/ XLR handle)
This is a different approach from Sony and who is this camera for you may wonder?
Film students, directors, filmmakers, and honestly somebody like me who is a content creator that’s been in the game a while and wants a compact pro grade video camera without compromising photography features. This is like an A7C II on steroids from my perspective, and I use that camera for all my lens testing and outdoor review content. I actually use my A74 in the studio as my A cameras, because I prefer the smaller camera body and Ai Features the A7C II offer for my everyday use.
At a price point of around $2600 US for just the camera body, and $2999 US for the body and XLR handle, it’s a lot cheaper than the FX3 and FX30 cameras. It is missing full frame 4k/60 and 4k/120 so the much lower resolution FX3 still has it’s place in the line-up, and the FX30 also has the more powerful better video specs do to the smaller sensor size. The FX2 offers a lot more though in regards to having a 3.68 million dot viewfinder, full frame and APS-C formats, awesome photography abilities, and the latest and greatest tech from Sony such as the Ai chip which offers next level auto focus.
So the FX2 is a Cinema camera first, and awesome photography camera second.. So it has the Cinema operating system, include the Big 6 Menu which is found on the way more expensive cinema cameras (see below) , Cine EI, Cine EI Quick, and Flexible ISO recording methods for video.
In addition the Sensor which is very similar to the 33mp one found in the Sony A74, but has been tuned differently to provide a matching color profile to the existing cinema cameras for a seamless color matching work flow.
Although this looks similar to the FX3 and FX30 cameras, the FX2 has laundry list of upgrades, including a newly updated camera body with a killer viewfinder that tilts up 90 degrees. They also updated the active cooling system with a Sigma-shaped Graphite-alloy making it even more robust allowing for up to 13 hours recording in 4k/60p without any over heating issues. This is very impressive as the camera uses over sampling for this mode from 4.6k which really generates a lot of heat, but also very crispy Super 35 cropped footage. It also over samples from 7k for the full frame 4k footage in 24p, and 30p… The sensor also has a dual base ISO of 800 and 4000. You can also import luts so your footage looks how you want in camera. Sony also included a few new custom looks in this camera.
With a maximum bit rate of 600Mb/s via the XAVC S-I encoding, you can expect exceptionally high quality 10bit 4.2.2 footage out of this camera. It can also do XAVC S-I DCI. 24.00P which I believe makes it Netflix approved, but I could be wrong about that 😉
The FX2 also has the new AI Processing Unit which allows for next level AF tracking and features other features like Auto Framing, and Framing stabilizer for example. The AI processor also uses a new autoexposure algorithm, and Human Pose Estimation, to prioritize exposure areas for a 20% improvement in overall exposure accuracy. I was also told the Eye-AF tracking has been improved another 30%, which is helpful when subjects go behind things for a second, so it does not lose the focus in these challenging situations.
When it comes to photography this camera is basically and A7C II as far as the features go. It has a 1/4000sec max mechanical shutter speed, 759 phase detection points in stills mode and 495 points in video mode, covering 94% of the image area, are enhanced with AI-powered subject recognition performance and real-time tracking.
Another really cool feature is the ability to shoot Slog3 photos. So you will capture a 33mp image, but have the same exact log gamma curve, dynamic range, and color as if you were recording video. So you can apply test luts for example and get extremely accurate looks from the photos. Great for scouting various scenes on a potential shoot and testing how it will render, without having to process huge video files for example.
More features include Dynamic Active stabilization mode which crops in a lot, but provides extremely smooth hand held footage results. Photo capture has also been improved which allows for shot markers to be recorded on the video footage for easy internal photo extraction. Another feature is the Anamorphic support with a 1.33x and 2x de-squeeze built in…
One odd thing is the Mode button is now gone, and it has a home button on the back. The Fn button acts as a mode button if you hold it down for a second or two… Interesting, as it’s certainly harder to access the modes now if you are somebody changing them often, such as your memory recall presets… Thanks to Matt Johnson for sharing this in his excellent review linked below…
This camera will also support the Monitor and Control app which allows for total camera control of up to 4 cameras simultaneously. An amazing app i still want to play with and make a tutorial on, because the power is just incredible, and the app is free! It only works with the newest cameras though, and not all of them…
Weighing in at a modes 679 grams, the FX2 is fairly light weight and they also improved the grip and added another 1/4 20 on the bottom of the camera for even more mounting options…In addition another custom button was added on the actual viewfinder neck.
Gerald’s Excellent Review
I’m pretty much in agreement with Gerald here as if this camera was an option when the A74 came out, I would have purchased the FX2. Same goes for the A7C II, I would have purchased the FX2 instead…
Matt WhoisMatt Johnson’s Excellent Review
Closing Remarks
So what do you all think of the new FX2?
I’m excited, but to be honest it doesn’t take to much from Sony to get me amped up, but I seriously want one of these cameras to replace my A7C II and A74. I may keep one or the other for a studio camera, just so I don’t have to change cameras out all the time. I like leaving the studio camera in place for less friction when it’s time to record in the studio.
I want this camera for my professional work as the A7C II is great, but not quite there build quality wise I feel like. Only one card slot and the viewfinder is a seriously weak link on the A7C II. The A74 is larger than I want to use most of the time and it lacks the Ai Processor which I have grown to love a rely on. So I may just pick one of these up as a personal upgrade as I have some gig coming up that will be outside in July, so crazy high temps and possible bad weather as well.
Well that is my take on this new Cinema Hybrid camera from Sony, and please feel free to ask questions if you have them…
Would you like me to review this camera? I want to make a users guide/ beginners guide for it 100%, but the review I am on the fence…
All the best, Jay
