toolkit | Kit check
There is also a brand-new XLR audio handle that slides into the MI Shoe and enables 32-bit float recording internally. Both significantly expand the camera’s capabilities, but there’s a catch: they occupy the same mounting point, so you have to choose one or the other. The new £650⁄$698 OLED EVF is a huge improvement for anyone who regularly shoots outdoors. While the larger, brighter LCD is excellent, direct sunlight can still make it difficult to judge exposure and focus accurately. The viewfinder offers a high-resolution, 7.07-million-dot HDR image that makes handheld shooting feel much more like using a traditional cinema camera. Not only that, it tilts 90° up so you can have more options for viewing, The £779⁄$798 XLR handle transforms the FX5 into a serious production tool, adding two professional XLR⁄TRS inputs, supporting four-channel audio and 32-bit float. You can buy the camera in a kit with the handle for £5199⁄$5498, but no kit comes with the EVF. Not being able to use both accessories together is an understandable compromise on such a compact camera, but one that prospective buyers should consider carefully when deciding how they will use the FX5 most often. However, aftermarket brands like Tilta and Mid49 are working on hardware solutions to allow simultaneous use of the XLR and EVF. And on the subject of optional extras, the in-body image stabilisation can be
removed by a Sony service centre – but there is a cost and it can’t be reversed. The IBIS is excellent, but for seriously hardcore filmmakers who don’t want a moveable sensor as the camera will be mounted on a moving vehicle or gimbal, it’s a good option. The camera is packed with lots of other great features, such as an optional timecode cable, triple the cooling airflow of the FX3 thanks to a new fan, twin tripod mounts on the bottom plate, a plug-in power port and Ethernet port, tally lamps and the AI-powered subject recognition AF and white-balance. Then there’s an improved clear image zoom, gyro metadata for post-production stabilisation and even more. That’s pretty much everything that serious filmmakers need, apart from internal ND filters or an SDI output. The FX5 isn’t trying to be a hybrid stills camera. It’s a dedicated cinema camera that packs flagship performance into a remarkably compact body – and it feels every inch the professional filmmaking tool Sony intended it to be.
Overall rating: 96 /100 Sony‘s finest compact cinema camera yet and arguably the class leader. Not cheap but exceptional performance makes the investment easy to justify. Outstanding image quality, speed and autofocus in every shooting situation. Value for money: 24/ 25 Verdict Sony hasn’t simply replaced the FX3 but has redefined what a compact Cinema Line camera can be. The combination of internal X-OCN Raw, open gate recording, a stacked sensor and Cine Alta-inspired operation makes it one of the most capable filmmaking tools in its class. Especially when 240fps in 4K arrives. Sony users will find upgrading hard to resist, while filmmakers using Canon, Panasonic or Blackmagic now have a compelling reason to look across the fence, even if some of the FX5 specs are available on rival cameras. Nothing has got it all like the Sony. If you don‘t need internal ND filters, this is one of the finest compact cinema cameras money can buy. Features: 24/25 Packed with cutting-edge tools that redefine compact cinema camera capabilities. Handling: 23/25 You will come to love the new menus, but there are compromises over accessories. Performance: 25/25
Ready to roll Use the XLR handle (top) for 32-bit audio or a plug-in EVF; the screen and controls are new
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September/October 2026
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