Open-gate full-frame cinema camera arrives ... Sony launches FX5 in South Korea

[Financial News] Sony Korea is bringing the FX5 cinema camera to South Korea. It uses the entire full-frame sensor to shoot in various aspect ratios. It is the first camera in Sony’s Cinema Line FX series to support open-gate shooting.
Sony Korea said it will launch the FX5 full-frame cinema camera for video creators on the 30th. The FX5 features an open-gate function that captures the entire full-frame sensor in a 3:2 aspect ratio. Footage can be edited into various aspect ratios, including landscape and portrait, making the camera suitable for a wide range of uses, from films, sports and documentaries to online content.
The FX5 is equipped with a newly developed stacked 5K full-frame Exmor RS CMOS sensor and BIONZ XR2 image-processing engine. When shooting in S-Log3, it offers a dynamic range of at least 15 stops and supports three base ISO settings: standard ISO 800, medium-sensitivity ISO 4000 and high-sensitivity ISO 12800. Dual-gain shooting mode helps preserve detail in shadow areas and reduce noise.
Sony’s 16-bit scene-linear RAW format, X-OCN, can be recorded internally, enabling high-quality footage without an external recorder. The camera shoots at up to 60 fps in 5K, 120 fps in 4K and 240 fps in Full HD. Alongside X-OCN LT, it also supports the X-OCN C1 and C2 codecs, which reduce data size.
AI-based subject recognition detects not only a person’s eyes but also the position of their head and body to focus on them. Real-time Tracking follows moving subjects, and the camera also supports automatic white balance that uses visible-light and infrared sensors along with deep-learning-based lighting estimates. It also has a de-squeeze function that displays footage shot with an anamorphic lens at the correct aspect ratio.
The compact body features optical five-axis image stabilization. Support for both Active and Dynamic Active modes helps reduce shake when shooting handheld or with a gimbal. The camera also has a 3.5-inch, four-axis multi-angle LCD monitor that is larger than the FX3’s. The screen can be adjusted up and down, as well as left and right, and displays key shooting information such as frame rate, exposure and LUTs.
Accessories that expand audio capabilities will also be released. When the XLR handle unit, the XLR-H2, is attached, the camera supports recording at up to 96 kHz in 32-bit float and recording on up to four channels. The detachable OLED viewfinder, DVF-EL1, and timecode adapter cable, VMC-BNCU1, are also available as options.
Sony is expanding its lineup for video creators in the Cinema Line with models including the FX5, the compact full-frame FX2 and the FX3 for solo creators. The FX5 body and accessories will go on sale through Sony Store’s official online retailers starting at 11 a.m. on the 30th.
[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter