Finally, the wait is over. Sony unveiled the long-awaited third member of its cinema camera lineup — the FX6. The camera’s development was first announced earlier this fall, and now, Sony has revealed all of the specs of this powerful camera.
Going in to this review, I was curious about where the FX6 would fit into the Sony eco-system. After playing with the demo for a few weeks, it became clear exactly where this camera fits in. The FX6 is the perfect camera for the one-man-band DP.
Sony FX6 Cinema Camera ()
Like many directors of photography (DPs), I don’t just shoot one type of project. Some days, I’m in the studio on a tripod shooting interviews, others I’m out in the field shooting documentaries or sports. In order for me to do my job, I need a camera that’s light, easy to use, and flexible to challenging environments. This camera checks all the boxes.
The FX6 packs an all-new 4K, back-illuminated, 10.2MP full frame sensor which boasts an impressive 15 stops of dynamic range. Speaking of dynamic range, to get the most out of this awesome new sensor, you’re going to want to shoot RAW. This camera is capable of sending a 16-bit RAW feed via SDI to an external recorder.
The new Bionz XR processor, which is eight times faster than its predecessor, powers this beast of a sensor. This allows for a wide array of new features that never could have been possible before on such a small camera, the first of which is a vast array of frame rate options. The FX6 is capable of shooting all the way up to 120fps in 4K and 240fps in 1080p. Shooting high frame rates requires a lot of light; historically this has limited the ability to utilize slow motion. However, with a dual base ISO of 800 and 12,800, the FX6 had no trouble shooting slow motion even in low light situations.
Sony has packed in features that help you get through your shoot as quickly as possible. One of these features that I found really helpful was the side-mounted hand grip. It took a little getting used to at first, but as the camera is so light, I found it was actually easier to move from shot to shot compared to carrying a camera on my shoulder.
The new included touch screen LED monitor makes navigating the vast menu system a breeze. What really helps you capture your shot list quickly though is the FX6’s ridiculously accurate auto focus. In fact, the auto focus on this camera is so good, I shot my entire review without ever manually focusing the camera. Before using this camera, the autofocus on a cinema camera just never worked as well as it needed to and was strictly reserved for deep focus gimbal shots. With the new Face and Eye Only AF mode, though, the FX6 will hold focus on a face in frame, even at wide open apertures. You can even dial in the AF sensitivity to make changes in focus feel more natural.
Neutral density filters are a fact of life when shooting video. A few years ago, camera manufacturers started integrating them into camera bodies. But, they functioned similarly to having a matte box with drop-in filters. You were limited to pre-set levels of ND and there was no in-between. This can be a huge nuisance for run-and-gun shooters who don’t have complete control of their lighting environments.
The FX6, however, comes with a built-in electronic, stop-less, variable ND filter that smoothly dials in between 0 and 7 stops of ND. This means that you’ll never have to compromise between exposure and depth-of-field again. What it also does is it gives the operator more choice when it comes to lenses. You can quickly swap lenses without having to worry about changing filters. You can even use vintage film lenses without having to buy countless different sized ND filters. If your lighting conditions are rapidly changing, you can utilize the Auto ND mode. It will adjust smoothly as lighting conditions change.
Between its vast array of frame rates, super light-sensitive full frame sensor, internal variable ND, and incredible auto focus, I’m convinced that the FX6 is now the benchmark in the entry-level cinema camera market. I thought I’d be happy with my FS7 forever, but I think I just found its upgrade.
Feature photo via AdoramaTV
