Sony FX2 Cinema Line introduced

Sony introduces the FX2 Cinema Line Full-frame camera as a new member of the Cinema Line series. This camera emerges as a model designed for users who want to transition to professional cinema shooting and inherits the visual philosophy of Sony’s top-level VENICE series cameras.

Sony FX2 Cinema Line Specs and Price

The FX2 combines full-frame sensor technology with high image quality and offers cinematic expression capabilities inspired by Sony’s top-level VENICE cinema cameras. The camera is ideal for solo shooting with its high mobility, operability, expandability, and reliability features. It also includes advanced still image functions designed to support filmmaking.

The heart of the camera consists of a back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor and BIONZ XR image processing engine. This technological combination offers high sensitivity, wide latitude, and 33-megapixel resolution with advanced AI processing unit support. The FX2’s full-frame sensor provides 15+ stops of latitude when recording with S-Log3, ensuring even high-contrast scenes are captured in full detail.

The base ISO value for S-Log3 shooting can be set to 800 or 4000, and the camera offers S-Gamut3/S-Gamut3.Cine color gamut support. These features provide maximum editing efficiency when shooting with multiple cameras.

Three different Log recording modes are available for production flexibility: Flexible ISO, Cine EI, and Cine EI Quick. Cine EI mode is widely used in professional filmmaking for footage shot with post-production in mind.

The camera uses 7K oversampling in full-frame 4K shooting with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. 4K 60p recording capability is offered in Super 35mm mode. Outstanding quality is guaranteed with 10-bit depth, 4:2:2 color sampling, efficient MPEG-H HEVC/H.265 codec, and Intra recording features including DCI-4K.

The FX2 allows for importing LUT files and applying them on the LCD monitor and electronic viewfinder during shooting or playback. Up to 16 user LUT files can be imported from memory cards or Sony’s Creators’ Cloud service. The LUT used for recording is embedded in the video metadata for post-production.

Picture Profile presets make it easy to adjust color and gradation to create various moods in the camera. Among these is the valuable S-Cinetone that produces beautiful skin tones. Imported user LUTs can be saved as PPLUT 1-4 and applied during recording. The expanded range of 12 Creative Look profiles, including FL2 and FL3, offers comprehensive visual mood options for many recording needs.

A desqueeze display mode is available for anamorphic lenses. This mode allows monitoring in the standard CinemaScope 2.93:1 aspect ratio when shooting with anamorphic lenses. 1.3x and 2.0x desqueeze settings are offered, and Sony’s Monitor & Control app provides more detailed settings for monitoring on tablets or other external display devices.

The FPS menu includes features inherited from Cinema Line upper-level models. The Variable setting provides intuitive frame rate control: up to 2.5x slow motion in 4K resolution, or up to 5x slow motion when recording in Full HD at up to 120 fps.

Sony offers more than 70 high-performance E-mount lenses, from ultra-wide angles to super telephoto zooms, excellent primes, and powered zooms. Outstanding sound quality can be achieved when combined with Sony original microphones.

The FX2 has the same compact flat-top design as the Cinema Line FX3 and FX30. Ideal for handheld shooting, gimbal, and drone mounting, the camera has 1/4-20 (UNC) screw holes in three positions on the magnesium alloy exterior for accessory mounting. Two additional screw holes are located on the bottom panel for tripod mounting.

Equipped with a powerful AI processing unit, the FX2 has Real-time Recognition AF capability for humans, animals, birds, vehicles, and even insects. A detection frame shows the recognized subject, and tracking can be initiated by simply touching the subject on the monitor screen. Advanced human pose estimation technology accurately recognizes subject movement, and human eye recognition has been improved by approximately 30% compared to the FX3/FX30.

AF Assist allows seamless switching to manual focus for smooth focus transitions, while 7 autofocus transition speed settings and 5 sensitivity settings offer detailed control. Focus Map makes it easier to visualize depth of field by overlaying focus information on the live view display. The Breathing Compensation function can significantly enhance image stability.

The FX2’s Auto Framing feature automatically crops and tracks the subject to keep them in a prominent position when the camera is mounted on a tripod, producing footage that looks like it was shot by an experienced operator. The Framing Stabilizer function automatically keeps the subject in the same position within the frame.

Active Mode boosts stabilization while walking and shooting. For shooting at an even faster pace, there’s Dynamic Active Mode that uses electronic stabilization for up to 30% greater effect, making stable footage possible even when running. Corresponding stabilization metadata is embedded in the footage for efficient post-production.

A single switch selects MOVIE or STILL mode and instantly recalls all corresponding settings. In addition to providing 33-megapixel resolution and continuous burst shooting at up to 10 fps, the camera has a function that allows taking stills while recording or playing video with a previously imported user LUT.

Log mode is also available for stills. This makes it possible to shoot JPEG and HEIF still images with the S-Log3 gamma curve used during video shooting, so the same workflow can be easily applied during post-production.

Thanks to the approximately 3.68 million dot OLED viewfinder, it’s possible to focus on shooting even in bright or distracting environments. Magnification is 0.70x (50mm lens, infinity focus, -1m-1 diopter) and the viewing angle and eyepoint are optimized for video recording. The viewfinder itself can be rotated from 0° to +90° for easy viewing at almost any angle.

The FX2 inherits the BIG6 (Home) screen from high-end CineAlta cameras like VENICE. This screen allows easy monitoring of six essential parameters in MOVIE mode: FPS (frame rate), ISO, Shutter (speed/angle), Aperture or ND Filter, Look, and White Balance.

Heat buildup is prevented through a combination of internal cooling fan, highly thermal conductive graphite material used in the image stabilization unit, and innovative design that allows ample air intake even when the LCD monitor is closed. Uninterrupted video recording time is offered for formats up to 4K 59.94p.

High-capacity NP-FZ100 battery and effective power management provide up to 100 minutes of actual video time or up to 155 minutes of continuous shooting. For longer shooting times, continuous power can be supplied from a power adapter or mobile battery that supports USB Power Delivery (PD).

When the XLR Handle Unit XLR-H1 is attached, the FX2 can record high-quality audio through two XLR connectors and digital audio interface without the need for extra batteries or cables. Four-channel audio, 24-bit recording, and other settings can be easily applied.

The FX2 is a great choice for live streaming to a computer via USB (UVC/UAC) or wireless/wired LAN network. Video streaming up to 4K (3840 x 2160) 59.94p can be done via LAN while simultaneously recording to the camera’s memory card. LAN streaming protocols include RTMP, RTMPS, and SRT.

Two card slots support SDXC/SDHC UHS-II/UHS-I memory cards, with one also supporting CFexpress Type A cards. This provides numerous options for stable and reliable high-bitrate recording. Videos and stills can be recorded to different cards, and recording can automatically switch to a second card when the first is full.

The HDMI Type-A terminal provides 4K 60p (59.94p) 4:2:2 10-bit or 16-bit RAW video output to an external recorder for flexible post-production. 16-bit RAW video outputs at 4672 x 2628 resolution (16:9 aspect ratio), which also covers DCI-4K (4096 x 2160).

Sony’s Monitor & Control app not only provides intuitive remote operation and image monitoring on smartphone or tablet screens but also offers waveform and other displays for exposure confirmation and precise focusing. Multi-monitoring is available when multiple cameras are wirelessly connected to a single iPad.

Catalyst Browse and Catalyst Prepare apps allow convenient editing of video recorded in Log mode with embedded LUTs. Shot marks and OK/NG/KEEP flags added during recording can also be imported for easier shot selection.

Under Creators’ Cloud, recorded files can be directly uploaded to Creators’ Cloud storage from the camera without having to transfer via smartphone or other devices. Once in Creators’ Cloud, data can be transferred to other cloud services like Google Drive or Adobe Lightroom to suit the workflow.

Under Sony’s “Road to Zero” environmental plan, aimed at achieving zero environmental footprint by 2050, this product’s environmental footprint has been minimized from development through supply chain, production, and packaging. Non-plastic packaging materials are used, and plant-based non-woven fabrics are used for product bags, further reducing plastic use.

Accessibility features such as menu magnifier and screen reader that reads an expanded range of menu items aloud make it easier for everyone to enjoy digital imaging.

Advanced features like AI-based Real-time Recognition AF for a wide range of subjects and intuitive touch operation for subject tracking make the joys of photography and moviemaking available to the widest possible range of users.

The FX2’s price has been set at £2,699 and the camera is currently available for order.

Sony FX2 Cinema Line specs