Sony FX30
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Oversampled 4K up to 60p | In-body stabilization | 10-bit 4:2:2 S-Log3 capture
What we like:
- Excellent video autofocus
- Video optimized interface and design
- Wide variety of capture formats and framerates
What we don't:
- No mechanical shutter for stills
- Underwhelming optical stabilization
- No EVF for working in bright light
The Sony FX30 is a video-focused 4K APS-C mirrorless camera with image stabilization from the company's Cinema line of cameras.
The FX30 has the same rig-ready body as the full-frame FX3, with an array of 1/4-20 threaded mounts and custom buttons to ensure convenient access to key settings. It has three command dials with options to selectively lock certain controls to avoid accidental operation.
The FX30's Super35 sensor means less rolling shutter than the more expensive full-frame FX models.
Autofocus works well, particularly for human subjects, where it can continue to track your chosen subject even if they turn away or there are other potential subjects in the frame. You get a good degree of control over the speed and responsiveness of the focus drive.
The FX30 can capture UHD 4K from its full 6K sensor width at up to 60p, and can do so in a choice of 10-bit formats. The footage is very detailed and its Log footage very gradable. There are plenty of video focus and exposure tools (though no waveform display) and the option to add a top handle with XLR inputs for 4ch audio.
The FX30 has no mechanical shutter and uses a BSI CMOS sensor, rather than the faster (and more expensive) Stacked CMOS design, meaning its images are at risk of rolling shutter and distorted verticals if there's a lot of movement in the scene. It can shoot stills, but that's not its main strength.
The FX30 approaches the small-scale/independent production market from the video side, rather than the stills/hybrid side, and offers a powerful selection of video features to support the high-quality footage it will output.
