toolkit | Kit check
Colour made easy Shooting a motorcycle race called for S-Cinetone rather than Raw for speedier editing and the colours were bold but not over-the-top
The faster readout also contributes to more accurate autofocus and helps process huge amounts of image data
multiple crops. Open gate also provides more freedom to straighten horizons, adjust composition or add digital stabilisation while still maintaining high resolution. For filmmakers using anamorphic lenses, it’s even more valuable. Recording the entire sensor preserves the maximum image area before de-squeezing, allowing wider fields of view and making better use of specialist optics. Open gate inevitably creates larger files and requires a little more processing power in post, and does limit frame rate options. Once you’ve experienced the freedom of having the whole sensor available, it’s difficult to go back to recording only part of it. The benefits stack up At the heart of the FX5 is a stacked full-frame sensor and it brings real-world benefits. Unlike a conventional CMOS sensor, a stacked design has built-in memory so data is read far more quickly. The most noticeable advantage is a significant reduction in rolling shutter. Quick pans, handheld movements and rapidly moving subjects produce far less of the ‘jello effect’ that plagues slower sensors, making the FX5 a much better choice for action, sport and gimbal work. It also enables higher frame rates, quicker autofocus calculations and more responsive subject tracking. In our motocross tests, the FX5 coped confidently with bikes charging across the frame, while rapid camera movements
produced minimal skew. The faster readout also contributes to more accurate autofocus and helps process huge amounts of image data without compromise. Although it isn’t a global shutter sensor like Sony’s A9 III, the FX5’s stacked architecture narrows the gap considerably. Combined with excellent dynamic range and impressive low-light performance, it is the biggest hardware upgrade over the FX3 and underpins many of the camera’s headline features. Make mine a triple Sony has given the FX5 three base ISO settings - 800, 4000 and 12,800 – and it’s a total winner. Where the older FX3 had dual base ISO, these were at 800 and 12,800. There’s simply a massive difference between them, which requires changing in ND filters that can affect colour. ISO 800 remains the sweet spot for well-lit productions, while ISO 4000 is ideal for indoor locations and dull conditions, offering a clean image. Even ISO 12,800 delivers surprisingly usable footage, with noise controlled and colours consistent rather than washed out or blotchy. Dual Gain technology takes things a step further by reading the sensor twice – once
at low gain and once at high gain – before combining the information into a single image for maximum dynamic range without introducing objectionable noise. But reading the data twice slows down the available frame rates and worsens rolling shutter. It’s there if you need it and know its limitations. The result of all this is a camera that feels remarkably adaptable across changing lighting conditions. Whether shooting bright exteriors, dim interiors or fast- moving documentary work where lighting can’t be controlled, the FX5 maintains impressive image quality and gives filmmakers greater confidence to keep rolling rather than reaching for extra lights or constantly adjusting exposure. The need for speed One criticism we have levelled at many recent cameras is the lack of progress in slow motion, especially uncropped and in high quality. Like the Freefly Ember, Pixboom has answered the call with its 1000fps, 4K specialist high-speed camera. But in the vast majority of non-specialist cameras, 120fps at 4K is the top number. The new FX5 offers 4.5K in 120p at launch in 17:9 and 16:9 sizes, and a promised firmware upgrade will bring 4K in 240p –
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September/October 2026
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