Sony FX5 upgrades the FX3 with 5K open gate

Sony has unveiled the FX5, the successor to its 2021 FX3 compact cinema camera, with a long list of upgrades aimed at filmmakers who wanted more than the original could offer. The headline feature is open gate recording for the first time on a model in this line, but it is far from the only change.

The FX5 uses a new 16.6MP stacked full-frame sensor, up from the FX3's 12MP, and can record the sensor’s full 3:2 area. That pushes maximum video resolution from 4K to 5K. Sony also says the camera can reach 120fps in 5K and 240fps in 4K, while adding internal 16-bit RAW recording, triple-base ISO, and A7R VI-grade in-body image stabilization.

Sony has also brought over the Bionz XR2 twin processor and AI chip from the A7R VI, which the company says improve subject-tracking autofocus and low-light performance.

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Physically, the FX5 stays close to the FX3. It weighs 750g, just 35g more, and keeps multiple mounting points and custom buttons. The bigger grip now houses Sony’s NP-SA100 battery, first introduced in the A7R VI, which Sony says boosts battery life by around 30% to about 170 minutes of 5K recording.

The camera also gets Sony’s newer video-only UI, inherited from the Venice, Burano, and FX6, plus a multi-function dial, joystick, tally lamp, and pro monitoring tools including false color, waveform, vector, and focus map. TechRadar notes those tools are a first for a Sony camera at this level.

Pricing and August availability

Pricing starts at £4,700 for the body alone. A bundle with the new top handle costs £5,200, while the handle on its own is £780. The handle adds 32-bit float audio recording. Sony is also selling a new 7.07m-dot tilt OLED viewfinder for £650, though TechRadar notes it cannot be used at the same time as the top handle.

There are still trade-offs. The dual card slots support SD and CFexpress Type A, not Type B, which could raise media costs for buyers who do not already own Type A cards. Buyers will also have the option to irreversibly disable in-body image stabilization before purchase.

Some promised features will not be available at launch. Sony says 4K240p, 5K120p, vertical UI, screen-grab function, and Open Gate in XAVC codec will arrive later in a V2 firmware update, with timing still TBC. The camera and accessories are due from August.