Sony FX5 brings full-frame 5K video to professional filmmakers

Sony has officially announced the highly anticipated Sony FX5 cinema camera, a compact yet powerful new member of its professional Cinema Line.

Designed for filmmakers and content creators, this advanced digital film camera produces impressive 5K video at up to 60 fps. It features a new 16.6-megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor, representing a major upgrade from the FX3 introduced in 2021.

The FX5 meets the technical requirements that top cinematographers expect. Its large sensor offers more than 15 stops of dynamic range in S-Log3 mode. The camera has triple base ISO settings—800, 4,000, and 12,800—and includes AI-powered noise reduction powered by the advanced BIONZ XR2 image processing engine.

A brand-new dual-gain shooting mode extracts even more from the sensor, significantly expanding image latitude whilst preserving delicate shadow detail.

The camera is compatible with Sony E-mount lenses. For the first time in the FX series, it supports open-gate shooting, enabling anamorphic lenses to cover the full sensor area. Handheld footage remains smooth with a 5-axis in-body image stabilizer and dynamic active mode. Additionally, an AI-driven autofocus system provides exact tracking of humans, animals, and birds.

Professionals can store 16-bit compressed RAW video files internally using Sony’s X-OCN format on CFexpress Type A or SDXC cards. The camera body includes a multi-angle 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen and offers an optional high-res OLED viewfinder.

The ILME-FX5 model’s enhanced audio features include a dedicated XLR handle, enabling four-channel, 32-bit float audio recording at 96 kHz, which effectively prevents clipping or distortion.

The camera also supports precise timecode synchronization, tri-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet connectivity, and built-in 4K live-streaming protocols.

The Sony FX5 is scheduled to ship in mid-August. It has a retail price of $4,899.99 for the standard body and $5,499.99 when bundled with the XLR audio handle.