GEAR
SONY FX9 TEST
Shooting with the full 6006x4949 24.5-megapixels 6K area of the sensor, the maximum frame rate is 30fps in 4K or FHD resolution, with a C4K option coming soon. In 2K or FHD it’s 120fps, although 180fps will be coming via a firmware update. This will also allow a horizontal 5K crop of the sensor to give 60fps recorded in C4K, 4K or FHD. If you change to a Super35 crop of the sensor to give horizontal 4K at 4096x2160, then 60p in 4K or FHD is available at launch and C4K/60p will be coming soon. That will also bring 120fps in FHD or in 4K, but only through Raw output. In Super35 2Kmode, the camera can record at 120fps at launch. If all that sounds baffling, the headline figures are that, at launch, the camera can record internally at 4K/30p full frame, or 4K/60p with a Super35 crop. And 120fps is in either 2K with no crop or with a Super35 crop, to give your lenses a bit more length. Firmware upgrades will enable 180fps in FHD, and 120fps in 4K with a Super35 crop when recorded externally. The new sensor’s Dual Base ISO system also changes the spread of dynamic range. So if you are using the low base ISO of 800 in typically bright conditions, there are roughly the same number of stops of range above and below a mid-grey tone, to capture highlights and shadows. When you switch to the higher base ISO of 4000, then the assumption is differently when used in different base ISO settings” “The sensor essentially behaves
you will be working in lower light. So there are just five stops available above mid-grey and ten stops below to retainmore shadow detail. So, the sensor essentially behaves differently when used in different base ISO settings, even if the ISO you have physically set is the same. For example, in base ISO 800 with the actual ISO set to 2000, there are 7.33 stops above mid-grey and 7.66 stops below of dynamic range. Choose base ISO 4000 but physically set ISO to 2000, and there are five stops above mid-grey and ten stops below. This allows a switched-on filmmaker to prioritise the dynamic range specific to the actual shot, and is a clever way to customise your camera’s response. Like the FS5 and FS7 Mark II, there is an Electronic Variable ND Filter. This is the first time it’s been used on a full-frame camera. In fact, the FX9 is physically very like the FS7 Mark II, and accessory companies are findingmany of the FS7’s accessories already fit. It retains the popular lever-lock E-mount lens fitment of the FS7 Mark II, for example. However, the
camera is actually very different, with a newmetal chassis and new button layout, a redesigned grip, new battery, different MI shoe to allow use of more advanced digital wireless audio, a new battery and new viewfinder. For £14,760/$13,500 the camera can also be bought bundled with Sony’s 28-135mm f/4 G OSS electronically-controlled cine zoom lens that the original FS7K kit came with. On the FS7, this full-frame lens didn’t make much sense as at 28mm, the crop sensor made it not really wide enough. So Sony dropped this kit version and instead offered the PZ 18-110mm f/4 G OSS lens. Now, the 28-135mm is back andmakes perfect sense on the FX9 – and if you bought one with the original FS7 kit, as many filmmakers did, you’re in luck. It makes upgrading less expensive, and the lens is a great performer. One of the biggest selling points of the new camera is the enhanced Fast Hybrid AF systemwith customisable AF transition speeds and sensitivity settings. Many old- school filmmakers swear manual focus is the only way to go, but increasingly the AF systems from the likes of Sony are fast, intelligent and customisable. And, of course, you can always switch it off and go to full MF when you need to. The Sony system combines phase detection AF for fast, accurate subject tracking with contrast AF for accuracy. The sensor has 561 phase detection points that cover 94%of the width and 96%height of the imaging area. When used with E-mount AF glass, the user can adjust the focusing speed, how responsive the system is to the subject suddenly shifting out of the frame, the size of the focusing
ABOVE The FX9 is light enough to be used on a gimbal, can be handheld or tripod mounted
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WINTER 2019 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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