Sony FX3 is officially its smallest and cheapest cinema camera for professional filmmakers
(Image credit: Sony)The Sony FX3 has officially landed - and as expected, it's Sony's smallest and cheapest cinema camera to date and an exciting alternative to the excellent Sony...
16/10/2021
(Image credit: Sony)
The Sony FX3 has officially landed - and as expected, it's Sony's smallest and cheapest cinema camera to date and an exciting alternative to the excellent
Sony A7S III
.
In fact, it's fair to say that the FX3 is actually a redesigned A7S III, with both cameras largely sharing the same specs. Both are 12.1MP full-frame cameras compatible with Sony E-mount lenses and can shoot 4K/60p video.
But the FX3 is part of Sony's Cinema range, meaning it's designed specifically for professional filmmakers, rather than the hybrid shooters targeted by the Alpha-badged A7S III. According to Sony, the latter is more aimed at those who need to shoot a mix of high-quality stills and video, such as wedding and concert photographers.
The Sony FX3 has a very different control layout to the Sony A7S III, including a zoom lever and top plate joystick.
(Image credit: Sony)
So how do the two cameras differ? The main physical differences are that the FX3 lacks the built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) seen on the A7S III, but benefits from active fan-assisted cooling (for longer continuous shooting) and a handle accessory supplied.
This handle (below) lets you shoot smooth shots from low angles and also smartly increases the FX3's audio options. Indeed, the handle fits into its multi-interface shoe and includes dual XLR/TRS sockets. It's the go-to standard for professional audio recording and gives it the same sound options as the Sony FX6, a much larger camera that costs a bit more of a pain $6,000 / £6,000 / AU$9,500 .
It's possible to add these XLR terminals to a camera like the Sony A7S III using an adapter kit, but it's a clumsier solution than the FX3's grip. The fact that this XLR handle is included with the FX3 also explains why it is slightly more expensive than the Sony A7S III.
The Sony FX3 grip attachment is supplied with the camera and includes two XLR/TRS sockets for pro-level audio.
(Image credit: Sony)
The FX3 also benefits from other extras specific to filmmaking, including a rather attractive pilot light (below), which clearly indicates when the camera is recording to avoid mishaps.
Also on the back of the FX3 is a 3-inch, 1.44m-dot touchscreen, which flips to the side for those looking to film themselves. And just like the A7S III, on the side you also get two CFexpress/SD card slots and a full-size HDMI port, which can output 16-bit raw video (although Sony has yet to says which external loggers will be supported).
On the back of the FX3 is a useful indicator light to confirm when it's recording - it accompanies the red frame around the screen, which you can get on the A7S III.
(Image credit: Sony)
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Thanks to the inclusion of the same back-illuminated 12.1MP full-frame sensor as the A7S III, which promises 15 stops of dynamic range, the FX3 promises to shoot equally excellent video quality, especially in low-light situations.
There's an option to shoot 4K/120p slo-mo footage, and the FX3 also has the popular S-Cinetone color profile, which recently arrived on the A7S I II via a firmware update.
Because it's designed for solo, run-and-gun filmmaking, the FX3 also features In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) as well as Electronic Active Mode, which gives you even more stabilization power at the expense of a 10% crop.
We didn't find Sony's stabilization to be the best, however, FX3 shooters may still need to consider using a gimbal or Sony's Catalyst software in the editing room.
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For a camera that weighs just 715g with card and battery (just 16g more than the A7S III) the Sony FX3 certainly packs some powerful shooting features. It can record 4K video with 4:2:2 10-bit color sampling internally, and can also output 16-bit raw video to an external recorder via its full-size HDMI port.
Surely the combination of that firepower and the size of the FX3 is a recipe for overheating? Well, thanks to another difference from the Sony A7S III - an active cooling system with built-in fans - Sony promises "uninterrupted" 4K/60p shooting, with a maximum continuous recording time of 13 hours. The FX3 may not be capable of shooting 8K video, but it's pretty impressive for such a small camera and it outperforms the A7S III in that regard.
Sony FX3 vs Sony A7S III: What specs do they share?
(Image credit: Sony)
12.1MP BSI full-frame sensorBionz XR processorShooting 4K/120p or FHD/240p videoInternal 10-bit 4:2:2 recordingExtended ISO range of 80-409,600 15-stop dynamic rangeHave S-Cinetone, S- Log3/25-axis image stabilizationSame hybrid AF autofocus system16-bit raw video via HDMI portTwo CFexpress Type A/SD slotsSame NP-FZ100 batteryDust and moisture resistantSame system touchscreen menu
Slightly less impressive is the lack of built-in ND filters, which are very useful for filmmakers, especially when shooting in bright conditions.
Sony says that's because they wanted to make the FX3 as compact as possible, but it's an omission that could make it less appealing to some filmmakers.
cinema paradise
Still, despite this lack of built-in ND filters, there's no doubt that the Sony FX3 has a very impressive feature set for such a compact camera.
It's not the first small cinema camera we've seen that packs the power of a much bigger body. the
Canon EOS C70
recently pulled off a similar trick, packing most of the features of the Canon C300 Mark II into an incredibly portable and user-friendly form factor.
While the EOS C70 combines a Super 35mm sensor (similar in size to APS-C) with a DSLR-sized body, the Sony FX3 goes one step further with its full-frame sensor and body. super-compact. That said, the EOS C70 claims an extra stop of dynamic range (at 16 stops), so it'll be interesting to see how the two compare in the field.
The Sony FX3 isn't quite pocket-sized. , but it's one of the smallest 4K full-frame cinema cameras on the market.
(Image credit: Sony)
It's not just Sony and Canon beating it for solo money or rookie filmmakers either - we've recently seen the arrival of the much cheaper
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro
. This camera combines a Super 35mm sensor with, yes, built-in ND filters for a fairly reasonable price of $2,495 / £1,879 / AU$3,935.
Naturally, the full-frame Sony FX3, which comes with Sony's industry-leading autofocus and other goodies like dual CFexpress Type A/SD card slots, is a bit more expensive. It will be available to buy for $3,899 / £4,200 (around AU$7,460) when it becomes available from mid-March.
But if you consider how many Sony FX6 features it manages to pack into a 715g body, it just might match the popularity of the Sony A7S III - and maybe even tempt some of that camera's owners to the side. movie theater.
(Image credit: Sony)
< p>A drone's best friend?Prior to the launch of the Sony FX3, some speculated that the camera was tailor-made for the upcoming
sony airpeak drone
. And Sony has confirmed to us that the two will indeed make a good, albeit expensive, combo.
When we asked if there were any particular aspects of the FX3 that were designed to help it work with the Sony Airpeak, a Sony spokesperson told us: "The FX3 is the perfect format to pair with a drone including the Airpeak drone, but we are unable to comment on specifics."
Sony's early promos for its Airpeak drone showed its gimbal sporting the A7S III, but Sony told us the FX3 is also an ideal match for its first flying camera.
(Image credit: Sony)
That means we'll soon be able to see exactly how the two come together when Sony unveils more about its first drone soon. Sony previously announced that it would launch "a new business focused on professional photography and video production in the spring of 2021", which means between March and May.
The FX3's suitability for Airpeak isn't a huge surprise, given that early press shots of the drone showed it carrying a Sony A7S III - a camera that weighs just 16g less than the FX3.
The lack of an EVF on the FX3, which isn't really necessary on a drone camera, also makes it a potentially neater fit on the Airpeak's gimbal, which has been optimized for cameras of this size. We look forward to seeing the two working in tandem very soon.
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Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson is the Camera Editor for TechRadar at Future. He writes and oversees reviews of the latest cameras on TechRadar and handles all photography tutorials. Mark was previously Digital Editor (Cameras) at Trusted Reviews, Acting Editor at Stuff.tv, as well as Features Editor and Reviews Editor at Stuff magazine.
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