At IBC 2019 in Amsterdam, Sony has unveiled the PXW-FX9, its first XDCAM camera featuring an advanced 6K full-frame sensor and Fast Hybrid Auto Focus (AF) system. The new camera is designed to offer content creators greater creative freedom and flexibility to capture images that truly resonate with audiences.
Building on the success of the PXW-FS7 and PXW-FS7M2, the FX9 combines high mobility with an advanced AF system, bokeh and slow-motion capabilities with its newly-developed sensor. The FX9 also inherits its color science and a Dual Base ISO from the Venice digital motion picture camera, creating a tool designed for documentaries, music videos, drama productions and event shooting.
The FX9 benefits from the versatility, portability and performance design of an FS7 series “Run & Gun” style camera, while also offering High Dynamic Range and full-frame shooting features.
“We are always listening to our customer’s voice, pushing to deliver innovation that allows them to realize their full artistic intention,” says Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “With the new FX9, we are striking an attractive balance between agility and creative performance. We’ve combined the cinematic appeal of full-frame with advanced professional filmmaking capabilities in a package that’s extremely portable and backed by the extraordinary versatility of Sony E-mount.”
Features
The newly-developed Exmor RTM sensor offers wide dynamic range with high sensitivity, low noise and over 15 stops of latitude that can be recorded internally in 4K 4:2:2 10bit. Oversampling of the full-frame 6K sensor’s readout allows professionals to create high-quality 4K footage with bokeh effects through shallow depth of field, while wide-angle shooting opens new possibilities for content creators to express their creativity.
A dual base ISO of 800 and 4000 enables the image sensor’s characteristics to best capture scenes from broad daylight to the middle of the night. With S-Cinetone color science, the new sensor can also create soft facial tones. The camera can also capture content up to five times slow-motion with Full HD 120fps shooting played back at 24p.
The shallow depth of field available with a full-frame image sensor requires precise focus control, and the enhanced Fast Hybrid AF system, with customizable transition speeds and sensitivity settings, combines phase detection AF designed for fast, accurate subject tracking with contrast AF for focus accuracy. The dedicated 561-point phase-detection AF sensor covers approximately 94% in width and 96% in height of the imaging area, designed for consistently accurate, responsive tracking – even with fast-moving subjects while maintaining shallow depth of field.
Creative freedom
Inspired by the high mobility “Run & Gun” style approach from the FS7 series of cameras, the FX9 offers content creators shooting flexibility thanks to a continuously variable Electronic Variable ND Filter. This enables instant exposure level changes depending on the filming environment, such as moving from an inside space to outdoors or while filming in changing natural light conditions.
Additionally, the FX9’s image stabilization metadata can be imported to Sony’s Catalyst Browse/Prepare⁴ software, to create stable visuals even in handheld mode. Sony is also working to encourage third-party non-linear editing tools to adopt this functionality.
“What narrative cinematographers, documentary filmmakers, music video directors and broadcasters have in common is a need for a flexible camera that allows them to tell unique stories, no matter the environment in which they operate. As a next-generation professional camera, the FX9 captures stunning visuals with the lifelike image quality available from a full-frame sensor, while adding the benefits of advanced auto focus features and customization. This makes it the ultimate creative tool for modern storytellers,” concludes Neal Manowitz.
The FX9 will be available towards the end of 2019. For more information, please visit www.pro.sony/ibc or www.sonycine.com.
