In 2020, many new cameras have been brought to us in the cinema and mirrorless fields, but the beginning of 2021 does not seem to be completed yet. Just a week ago, Blackmagic Design released
Built-in ND, upgraded 1500 nit tilt screen and optional EVF. Yes, we have not completed the release of the camera at all!
new
with
It is a mirrorless camera, but the difference between the two cameras is very big, but they do not have an EVF. This may be partly to reduce prices. Obviously, both Sony and Canon have conducted some research to make them feel that users don’t need it. Many box cameras don't even have an LCD screen, so at least there are touch screens on the C70 and FX3, but I think the viewfinder is essential for normal operation (especially outdoors). It is not easy to shoot with a small LCD screen. If I concentrate, I tend to feel uncertain. In addition, I may miss things that are not needed in the framework.
I like S-Cinetone very much. This is the best color I got from a Sony mirrorless camera, and it is closely related to S-Cinetone. The samples I shot around San Diego were also shot with S-Cinetone. The skin tone is very good, and the profile gives you some room for color gradation. This is a good start, for me, no correction is needed.
Many people want powerful, small and large-format cameras, especially for universal joints and anti-collision cams or B-Cams. It is undeniable that a small and powerful form factor has great advantages, and Sony FX3 uses this precise form factor.
C70 and FX3 have excellent specifications, and when used with Sony FX3, they are very compact. It is an engineering feat to make such a compact full-frame camera that can shoot at 4K 120fps without melting. The added internal fan system is the key to maintaining its heat dissipation.
I am not going to introduce all the specifications, because
. Take a cup of your favorite drink with you. I will express my opinion on FX3 and its availability.
FX3 is very small. It looks like a fatter A7 camera. When the Sony 24-70 F2.8 is installed, the space between the lens and the grip is very small. My fingers are pressed against the lens. Like other Alpha cameras, the mount is also located on the compact body, and with some fatter Sony lenses, they can go over the bottom of the camera. This can be a problem when using a sled or mounted on a teleprompter.
FX3 is basically a7s III, but specifically for video. I can also see that Sony designed FX3 for use on its new products
Where EVF is not needed.
The four sides of the fuselage are flat and made of lightweight and strong magnesium alloy. It has 3 1/4 inch 20 taps on the top, 1 tap on each side, and 3 taps on the bottom for mounting to a tripod or adding a QR board. If you are not using MI handles, you can use two additional 1/4" 20s.
The top mounting bracket is located on the left, there is not much room to install anything. Maybe use articulated arms or sandals. The one on the side is placed above the HDMI door. This tap cannot be used without blocking the HDMI output. Either way, the space is quite narrow.
The faucet on the left is the most usable of all installation points because it will not block anything. Wait. It will block your hands, so if you use a tripod without holding the FX3, it will work.
Sony said that FX3 has a cageless design because it adds mounting points around the fuselage. Although these can come in handy, I think many people still choose cages because the options are quite thin. After attaching the handle, you have three mounting points on the top. Left and right. At the bottom is a 1/4-20 inch for mounting to a tripod or adding a QR board.
In video mode, the menu structure is the same as the new a7s III. It is much better than other Sony menus, but I wish there was a simpler menu. In fact, it should have the same structure as FX6 because it is considered part of the product series. With this, I know that adding a large number of photography settings to provide users with a large number of settings is not easy, but FX3 looks like the camera that FX6 and FX9 users want to use, and making it familiar is a big advantage. .
The LCD screen also looks the same as the a7s III. For cameras without EVF, it is better to have a larger screen, but due to the smaller size of the FX3, this is not possible. Reusing the components of existing cameras has great economic significance.
The LCD screen can be fully hinged and flipped to the selfie position without blocking; however, if an HDMI cable or other port is used, they will block the view. It also needs to flip the screen before fully opening the screen. This is no big deal because it is easy to open and flip, but if you want to view the entire image, the obscured image will make it unhelpful, and in addition, if you use the front cable, it is difficult to use the touch function. Screen. If you want to use the IO option on the camera, this is a common problem with all flip-up screens.
You might think that such a small body will overheat, but due to the design of the fan, my cooking camera has no problems.
You can choose to turn off the fan in the record, "Auto", "Minimum" or "Off".
The bottom is the air intake, and the exhaust is on the side. The fan is very quiet, which is not a problem at all. This is an impressive design.
Since FX3 is mainly a camera, there is no need to set up stills on the body, and it provides a neater layout for FX3 buttons and shortcuts. In static mode, you can program the buttons to have different settings. This is very convenient and very customizable.
This menu is a separate menu for video and still images. To switch functions, just press the MODE button to call up options. In video mode, you cannot shoot still images. I went through the menu to see if I can set the front button to take a still image, but that option is not available. However, in still mode, the "REC" button will trigger video recording.
On the right, there are several shortcuts grouped together. On the front is a miniature zoom rocker for compatible lenses. Unfortunately, I did not have any tests. Although I mentioned that the camera does not have a dedicated button for shooting, it can capture still images. FX3 shoots 12.1 megapixel still images similar to a7s III.
When shooting still images, many functions are cross-used, so white balance, IRIS and ISO can be used in both modes.
If you put these two cameras in one price category, they will not be in the same one. The price of C70 is more than 2,000 dollars higher than FX3, so it really shouldn't. However, I know you will still compare them.
As you can see, its size is much smaller than C70.
Sony has added MI hot shoes to several cameras. The MI hot shoe can be used to pass audio directly to the camera and supports flash accessories. The list of MI compatible accessories is huge. I like this feature very much because it can eliminate cable connections and provide you with multiple options for existing modules. If it can also be used for small EVF, but it is designed for audio, it will be amazing.
The included handle is a new design, with MI contacts at the bottom of the handle, which can be mounted on the body. It uses two thumbscrews to firmly fix the handle to the body, and it works very well. It does have a certain degree of flexibility, but it will not affect performance. The weight is really light.
The handle is made of plastic and is very lightweight. It has three mounting points-two on the top and one on the back. I like the handle because it is small and light. It feels safe to use two thumbscrews. I also like that you don't need a hex wrench to lock it. If you really need to tighten the coin, take a coin out of your pocket.
The included TRS/XLR module looks similar to
(
), but it cannot be removed from the handle. It has two full-size XLR channels and a shotgun mount. Unfortunately, there is no ECM-XM1 with a shotgun microphone like the KLR-K3M.
I hope to delete the module if I don’t want to use the handle, but that’s impossible. I do understand why it is an overall design. The handle and XLR module will require MI contacts, which will add more design, and installing them on the handle may cause some problems because they remain firmly installed. I think this can be attributed to cost savings and lower kit prices. Similarly, you can use XLR-K3M instead of the new MI controller as needed, and I don’t understand why you can’t use the FX3 controller on other Alpha cameras, but it cannot be locked, which is a very dangerous thing.
The MI XLR module has the same functions you see in XLR-K3M in most cases. FX3 can record up to four audio channels. impressive. It has two TRS/XLR inputs and one 3.5mm. You can also use the 3.5mm input of the camera at the same time. You will have to use the camera's audio settings to change the level. The camera’s 3.5mm jack is a stereo jack, so technically speaking, with a 3.5mm splitter, you can have 5-channel audio.
Remember how difficult it was to capture audio with DSLR? Sony simplifies audio processing with the MI bottom box.
The following are some possible audio settings.
The audio level dial will be somewhat attenuated. This is a good thing, because the turntable does not rotate on its own due to vibration, and there is also a transparent plastic cover to prevent accidental replacement of the buttons. You can still use the dial because the lid allows some gaps. Each of the two channels has a line, a microphone and a microphone with 48V phantom power.
I like the ability to adjust the dB level settings because not all microphones have the same sensitivity.
Overall, I like the MI handle, which is included, which makes it one of the best accessories I have seen in a long time. The price of the a7s III is $400 lower than the FX3, so with the MI handle, it is actually cheaper than the XLR-K3M that adds $598 to the a7s III.
FX3 uses the new CFexpress Type A and SDX SD card. When shooting with S&Q 10-bit 4:2:2 Intra 60p, the only fast CFexpress Type A card (VPG200 or higher) is required. The data volume can be up to 1200 Mbps.
If you can't see the high quality and high frame rate of your own shooting, the V60 or V90 will be very useful. CFexpress Type A cards are expensive.
versus
Due to the fast reading speed of the sensor, the roller blinds are very small. Jello has always been a problem with all CMOS cameras, and Sony has solved this problem with a better processor than the global shutter.
FX3 is designed for compactness. If you have used a Sony mirrorless camera before, you will be able to use FX3 at home. For me, I miss EVF very much. This is partly due to my age and the need to wear reading glasses. Shooting with only a 3-inch LCD is not ideal. I will add an EVF or high-brightness monitor to the camera.
I like the brightness of the FX3 with MI controller. It feels good when you have low light or a tripod in your hand. By adding three mounting points, an EVF or display can be easily added using suitable hardware.
Thanks to the internal cooling system, the camera will not overheat and the fan is very quiet. Atomos Ninja V recorder is much larger than FX3. Speaking of tape recorders. When using Atomos Ninja V, you can record ProRes Raw via HDMI. This makes the FX3 a very versatile camera with little shaking and no power consumption.
For me, the absence of EVF is a problem. When I went out to do some tests, I found that it was not good to shoot with LCD alone. It is too small for full-time use, and it is difficult to use outside. I think Sony wants users to add a monitor or EVF. I do hope that Sony can add it, it is indeed a missing feature. The a7s III is one of the best EVFs on the market, and knowing that it is frustrating, it is not on FX3. However, if your budget is limited, PortKeys LEYE is a good cheap EVF option. I checked LEYE, so check it out.
The downside is that the Canon C70’s CORE SWX Nano battery has a power tap, while the FX3 does not have the power supply option of LEYE because it uses a built-in battery instead of a larger battery with a power tap.
To solve this problem, I looked for an external battery that can provide 5V voltage via USB. The battery is more like a square design. This Miisso 10,000mAh battery looks like an excellent choice. I want it to be smaller, but it must be done and it works well. It will only increase the EVF by 240 grams or 8.46 ounces, and can continue to supply power for several hours.
Nothing can be seen here ? Actually, I want FX3 to have the electronic ND that FX6 has, but if it does, make more room for it. For many alpha or mixed shooters who already use variable ND filters or set intensity versions, this won't be a big problem. Personally, I don't like to use lens filters when shooting videos. It slows me down. I hope that one day the internal ND that does not take up space becomes possible. What a glorious day it will be.
FX3 is not an Alpha camera, but a part of the Cinema Camera FX series, but there is no 180-degree shutter option. Instead, it uses a still camera type shutter setting. Although this is not a big deal, it shouldn't be an option either. When shooting video at 24 fps, set the shutter to 1/48 second. This is the correct shutter setting for 24 fps. On FX3, set it to 1/50 second. If you change the frame rate, you also need to change the shutter speed. If the FX3's shutter is set to 180 degrees, the shutter speed will follow the frame rate, so you don't need to change it manually, thus avoiding slow or fast shutter settings.
Sony has created a camera that, in most cases, is occupied by one person alone. It is indeed a hybrid camera, and it has completely turned into a camera with some impressive still image options. Sound familiar? If you are a Sony alpha a7 series video shooter and want the same form factor, then FX3 is perfect for you. It is frustrating if you have already invested in a7s III, because I think FX3 is what you have always wanted in hybrid cars. Personally, I would choose FX3 instead of a7s III to shoot videos, because I don't really care about the photographic aspect of the camera, and the price is really good for the specifications provided by FX3. If you don’t have a solution yet, you only need to budget for the display or EVF.
We have seen many cameras without EVF, such as Z Cam, RED, Canon C70, and C200 and C300 MKIII without EVF options, as well as BMD Pocket 4K, 6K. They all sell well, so it's no surprise that FX3 doesn't have one, but I miss it very much. I also feel that the lack of timecode input is a huge shortcoming, because Sony refers to FX3 as a movie camera. If you want to use FX3 as a b-cam, you must add a TC device (such as Tentacle Sync) or record temporary audio and use a tablet.
Another reason for missing it is how FX3 outputs images to an external monitor. If you want to check the camera information, the image will be greatly reduced. All I have left is to see the whole image in an external EVF or monitor with a complete or severely cropped image. It reminds me of using the monitor in static mode. There may be an external EVF mode, so the image and camera are set to the correct 16×9 format.
The color science on FX3 is great. S-Cinetone is my favorite because it has excellent skin tones and the black levels are not crushed. If necessary, it can provide beautiful images that are easy to grade. There are rumors that a7s III will soon launch S-Cinetone, which makes FX3 less attractive.
This
; In comparison, the a7s III is $3,498; the price of the Canon C70 is $5,499, which is $1600 higher than the FX3. This is a big difference, and since the C70 is much more expensive, it may not be a good comparison. However, the C70 provides you with more features, such as a built-in ND and a larger LCD screen. The body is bigger... the more I think about it, they will only share the shortcomings of not having EVF. ?
If you add
) The total price of a7s III is 4096 US dollars, which makes a7s III more expensive than FX3, but FX3 is not equipped with ECM-XM1 gun microphone. As far as I know, this microphone cannot be purchased separately from XLR-K3M. If you can find the ECM-XM1 and it seems that you cannot buy it separately, the $196.01 difference seems to be a big expense. It can be found as a second-hand part or part, and the price is about $130.00.
The real competitors of FX3 are the a7s III and the new BMD Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro with internal ND and optional EVF. Leaving it BMD broke again.
Erik is an 18th Emmy Award-winning DP. He has more than 20 years of experience in the field of photojournalism and works in newsrooms across the United States.
In the past ten years, Erik migrated to broadcast television and film production, where he discovered a passion for visual storytelling and production.
In addition, Erik is an outstanding educator who teaches filmmaking through Linkedin Learning and courses on Lynda.com.
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