Sony officially announced the release of the FX3 full-frame camera on February 23, with advanced imaging features from Alpha mirrorless cameras to create an ultimate cinematic look.
FX3 is the newest addition to Sony's Cinema Line, offering a fully-featured compact camera that answers young creators' needs, especially one-person shooters. The Sony FX3 features first-class focus performance, optical image stabilization, handheld shooting design, and advanced heat dissipation for longer shooting times.
"The FX3 was designed to turn creative vision into reality. It allows creators to bring their visual expression into the world of cinema through immersive content. We will continue to support the world's creators through Sony's Cinema Line Series," said Ryo Ochi, General Manager, Digital Imaging Division, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific.
Cinematic Look
From the start, Sony pushes the FX3 as a Cinematic look camera that features its industry-leading imaging technology.
The full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor 10.2 megapixels is designed for movie recording and 12.1 effective megapixels for stills. The latest BIONZ XR processing engine powers its image data processing, enabling low light performance with high sensitivity and low noise.
The standard ISO range for the Sony FX3 is 80 to 102,400 (expandable to 409,600 when shooting a movie), and the dynamic range is a wide 15+ stops.
Following the FX9 and FX6, the FX3 will allow users to use S-Cinetone to produce the camera's cinematic look. The color science is based on Sony's flagship VENICE camera and has natural mid-tone, soft colors, and smooth highlights.
Sony FX3 boasts the ability to record 4K video at up to 120fps, which is a blast. It also captures smooth slow-motion imagery (up to 5x) at QFHD (3840 x 2160) resolution with autofocus.
Designed for Solo-Shooting
The new Sony FX3 is designed for handheld shooting, gimbal, and drone work.
The full-frame camera weighs in at just 715g, including the battery and memory cards, and the body itself is only 77.8 x 129 x 84.5mm in size – without protrusions.
Sony FX3 has five thread holes (1/4-inch) around the body for easy mounting. The in-box XLR handle unit attaches to the top of the camera.
The XLR handle unit also fits into the Multi Interface Shoe and adds three thread holes for accessories.
Two XLR/TRS audio inputs can record high-quality audio directly to the FX3 via the units. The FX3 can provide 24-bit audio recording over 4-channels.
It has a Fast Hybrid autofocus system with 627 points focal plane and phase-detection during movie recording.
The camera also features real-time touch tracking by merely touching the subject of the screen. This feature initiates autofocus and subject tracking.
There is also Real-time Eye AF, which pinpoints eyes even when subjects look down or up at steep angles, building on the technology from the camera's Alpha range.
Other Autofocus features packed in the camera are AF Transition Speed, AF Subject Shift Sensitivity, intuitive control, and AF support when focusing manually.
To keep things steady for those shooting single-handed, Sony has equipped 5-axis optical in-body image stabilization.
The in-body high precision stabilization unit and gyro sensors offer an Active Mode dedicated to video recording in each format, including 4K.
The good thing with this in-body image stabilization is that E-mount lenses without built-in stabilization can still be stabilized.
FX records image stabilization metadata so advanced practical adjustment can be applied through the post-production process utilizing Catalyst Browse/Prepare.
Expandability and Operability for Content Creators
Operability
The Sony FX3 has been designed with the single-person filmmaker in mind with a carefully planned layout that puts familiar buttons and options quickly in reach.
ISO, iris, and white balance adjustment buttons are all located on the grip and top of the body to enable complete control with one hand. It also has 140 functions assignable to the 15 custom keys.
A zoom lever is placed on the top of the grip to control power zooms, such as the Sony FE 4/PZ 28-135 G OSS.
Two recording lamps, one at the upper front and the other upper rear of the camera, enable the operator to see when that camera is rolling quickly.
An exciting feature is the side opening vari-angle touch screen monitor. It is handy for a gimbal-mounted shot and awkward angles.
A flexible exposure mode allows the camera to have similar control over the Auto/Manual operation of the iris, shutter speed, and ISO. These options can all be set manually.
Short presses of the assigned custom buttons enable the switching between locking the dial/manual and a long press on-off switching for the auto settings.
Reliability
One of the significant issues that videographers using mirrorless cameras have had to contend with is the heat. The FX3 features a combination of fans for active cooling to ensure uninterrupted 4K 60p recording without thermal shutdown.
Its USB PD (Power Delivery) supports fast charging for uninterrupted recording.
The camera's design also considers the need for the body to be dust and moisture-resistant design. Durable magnesium alloy has been used for the chassis.
Expandability
In line with both Alpha and Cinema Line cameras, the FX3 is fully compatible with S-Log3 gamma with S-Gamut3 and several other recording functions.
The Cine color space offers a high dynamic range and wide color gamut To preserve the video's rich color and tonal graduation.
The internal recording has come along with the FX3 supporting XAVC S and XAVC S-I formats in 4K (QFHD) and FHD (Full HD), and XAVC HS (MPEG-H HEVC/H.265, 4K only) format.
4K 60p video is recorded in 10-bit 4:2:2 or 16-bit RAW format that can output to an external device through the FX3 HDMI Type-A jack.
Two slots CFExpress Type A slots offer ultra-fast storage media options. These can be configured to record simultaneously or as a relay.
For connectivity, it has a high-speed wireless LAN functionality (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band), and wired LAN connection through a compatible USB-to-Ethernet adaptor are also included, further increasing single shooters' abilities.
Tethered shooting from FX3 through the Imaging Edge Desktop application "Remote" via Wi-Fi or Superspeed USB 5Gbps connection over USB Type-C terminal will be of significant interest to many.
Pricing and Availability
The new Sony FX3 full-frame Cinema Line camera will soon be available in the Philippines. FX3 is priced at 3900 USD (~ 190,000 PHP) at various Sony Philippines authorized dealers.
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