Sony FX30 Cinema Line
26 Mpx, 120p
Sony FX30 – dull but deadly
4-10-2022
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Sony’s promoting the new Cinema Line FX30 as an «entry-level cinema camera» – affordable but with all the professional features. Although it manages this balancing act, the target group is likely to be small
With the FX30, Sony has introduced a boring new camera. Let me explain. Sony’s the queen of product niches. The company has a different camera for every target group, no matter how small. The regular Alpha 7 is a full-frame all-rounder at a reasonable price. The A7R specialises in high resolutions, the A7S in video and the A9 in sports. And the A1 covers everything, but costs a small fortune. That’s enough choice, you might think. But no – in early 2021, Sony crammed the technology of the video-focused Alpha 7S III into a new body, called it FX3 and marketed it as a «cinema camera». The difference compared to the the A7S line? A different case with a different button layout and a couple of threads to replace a cage.
And now, Sony’s gone and done it again. The new FX30 is designed to cater for yet another niche: ambitious filmmakers on a budget who aren’t planning on taking photos. Their latest product is an FX3 with an APS-C sensor and costs a little more than half than its big sister. Its features and case are pretty much identical.
Reliably good image quality
The FX30 has inherited all resolutions, codecs and frame rates from the FX3. This means it can shoot 4K at up to 120 frames per second (FPS) in 10-bit 4:2:2. The FX30 also has the cinematic colour profile «S-Cinetone» and the «Cine EI Mode». At a frame rate of 60 FPS or less, the 4K footage is created by oversampling, which uses the full 6K sensor. This works very well and the sharpness of the videos is excellent. At 120 FPS, however, the 4K image is then cut pixel by pixel from the sensor pixel by pixel, resulting in a 1.62× crop. This is a pity and one of the few disadvantages compared to more expensive full-frame models.
Besides, at first glance, I can hardly tell the difference between said image and video footage produced by cameras such as the FX3 or the A1. The APS-C sensor only has about half the surface area of a full-frame, so the dynamic range is lower and the image is noisier at high ISO values. Compared to my Sony A1, the FX30 is a good f-stop behind in both respects. The FX3 is known as a low-light queen and would probably be a bit cleaner again at higher ISOs. When using the picture profile «S-Cinetone», I’d describe the FX30 as useable up to ISO 6400. That’s still a good value, as I almost never shoot beyond ISO 800 anyway. In the following video, you can see a direct comparison of sample shots taken with the FX30 and A1 at different sensitivities:
Other than that, the FX30 has the same strengths as all current Sony cameras: The lightning-fast autofocus latches on to eyes extremely reliably and practically never goes off on a wild goose chase. The menues are organised in a tidy and logical fashion. All necessary ports are available, including a full-size HDMI output. There0s also an in-body image stabiliser. Overall, the FX30 appears to be a very well-rounded camera that works reliably and delivers clean videos – no matter the frame rate or image settings. This might sounds obvious, but it’s not in the video field, even with modern cameras. I also have nothing to complain about in terms of use. The buttons were clearly designed for filming, which I find pleasant.
Not great for photos
So can I shoot photos with the FX30, I hear you ask? Yes, if you must. The images have a resolution of 26 megapixels. However, there’s no mechanical shutter or viewfinder, and operating the camera makes less sense in photo mode. So to get back to the question, taking photos is possible and the results are decent, but it’s not much fun.
In addition, there’s a question that remains unanswered in my opinion. What will Sony do with its APS-C system in the future? So far there are some good lenses available for the smaller sensor, but the selection is small. As with most manufacturers, the focus is clearly on full-frame. These lenses can also be screwed onto the FX30 without any difficulty; however, this does make the price advantage for the complete system much smaller. And if you’re not dead set on the video-centric operation or 120 FPS, you’ll get a larger sensor and a real hybrid camera for just 400 francs more (or just 100 francs more with the current promotion) with the Sony Alpha 7 IV.
Verdict: rock-solid video camera at a moderate price
The Sony FX30 isn’t a particularly exciting new camera. It's simply a budget FX3. Sounds boring, but is actually a compliment. After all, the FX3 is still one of the best video cameras on the market. The new FX30 has inherited almost all of the strengths: practically infallible autofocus and a reliably flawless image in all settings, frame rates and codecs. The only fly in the ointment? The bigger crop at 120 FPS. And then there’s the fact that the FX30 doesn’t have a full-frame sensor. As expected, this results in higher image noise and a lower dynamic range. Having said that, the FX3 costs 5,000 francs with XLR handle compared to the FX30 with a price tag of 2,800. As a beginner, you probably won’t need the grip anyway, as you’re likely to be using a regular microphone. In that case, the price drops to 2,300 francs. With this in mind, I find the performance outstanding.
So who’s the Sony FX30 for? Two target groups come to mind On the one hand, YouTubers or film students on a tight budget looking to get started in professional video production. The FX30 is also a very good camera for vloggers – especially in combination with lightweight APS-C lenses such as the 11 mm f/1.8. On the other hand, the latest addition to the Sony range makes for a perfect second camera in addition to the FX3, Alpha 7S III or Alpha 1. This is because it can be seamlessly integrated into an existing Sony video workflow. Borth in terms of operation and image quality. The queen of product niches will thus gain a few more subjects.
Samuel Buchmann
Senior Editor
Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.chMy fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.