Kit check | toolkit
t’s hard to have missed the explosion of hype around Sony’s FX5. Since its launch, it has dominated camera
Specs that matter
headlines, social media feeds and YouTube channels, with filmmakers dissecting every specification and debating if it represents the biggest leap forward for the Cinema Line since the original FX3. We’ve also covered the announcement extensively. But specifications don’t make great films. What matters is how the FX5 performs on real productions, which of its new features genuinely change the way you shoot and whether it is worth buying – especially if you are already invested in another system. We were given early access to a pre- production FX5 before the official launch and used it where it counts. We tested it in the studio recording X-OCN Raw LT for the ultimate in quality, on commercial productions and trackside at a sweltering championship motocross event, where fast action, extreme heat and rapid turnaround put the camera under real pressure. Back at base, we ran our usual image quality, ISO and noise tests to complete the picture. Here’s our magnificent seven things that really matter about Sony’s latest Cinema Line model. In descending order, starting with the biggie… The Raw difference is real With the world going wild for the FX5’s open gate, triple-base ISO, 32-bit float and tilt-everywhere screen, it’s easy to overlook the biggest benefit this camera offers to the final work you produce, and that’s its internal Raw capture. This is the FX5’s biggest leap over the FX3, FX2, FX30, FX6 and all the mirrorless Alpha cameras. Rather than relying on an external recorder, the camera can capture 16-bit X-OCN Raw internally to CFexpress Type A cards in three flavours: LT, C1 and C2. LT is the biggest file size of all, made to match the files from the Burano and Venice II cameras. C1 and C2 are unique to the FX5 and are more compressed in a bid to reduce file sizes to a more manageable rate. This makes the workflow cleaner and far more practical for documentary and run-and- gun shooting. Our studio tests in X-OCN LT reveal exactly what Raw should offer, which is greater flexibility. But there are also dramatically improved pictures with lots of dynamic range and beautifully lifelike colours – the best colours we’ve ever had out of a Sony. Of course, shooting Raw demands an extra stage of post-processing and, at the moment, the only Raw converter we
What it is: 5K open gate full- frame cinema camera housing a 16.6-megapixel stacked BSI CMOS sensor with triple-base ISO, shooting up to 16-bit internal Raw in three flavours. Up to 4K/120p now with 4K/240p coming (eventually) Stills: None at all Autofocus: Phase, object and contrast detection Image stabilisation: 5-axis sensor-shift Lens mount: Sony E Audio: 32-bit float internal with optional XLR handle Screen: 4-axis, 3.5in touchscreen. Optional plug-in EVF Memory: 2x CFexpress Type A or SD Weight: 643g/1.4lb body only
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