Sony FX2

[ac6000cw]

Jordan's take on it:

 

[eatstoomuchjam]

Quote

Although it doesn’t break any new ground, the FX2 at least brings some welcome new features for video users for not much more money than the Sony a7 IV. 

@Andrew Reid At least here in the US, the FX2 is $3,500 and the A7 IV is selling for about $2,500.  Is it different there?  At least here, I'd say the FX2 costs a lot more than the A7 IV - like, enough to just buy a pretty nice cage and a lens or two more.

It'll certainly sell/move some units, but even though the rotating EVF is nice and the body has the pleasant boxy look that goes with Sony's cinema line, I don't think this would be the hybrid that I would buy at that price.  A used R5C is about $3,000 and a used Z8 is about $3,200.  I just don't see how this camera competes with either of them in any meaningful way...  unless you have a bunch of Sony glass and want better stills than the FX3 (available used for only a little more, about $3,700 here).

[eatstoomuchjam]

Uh oh.  Did someone at Petapixel say something to make the bosses at Sony mad?  Maybe they had to go back and edit out any minor criticism they might have had.  😅

[ac6000cw]

I assume it was released too early, before the official announcement in a few minutes time...

 

[ND64]

3 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Maybe they had to go back and edit out any minor criticism they might have had.

They released the video 1.5 hours sooner than Sony's own scheduled video. 

[eatstoomuchjam]

Jumping the gun makes a lot more sense than Chris/Jordan being actually critical of Sony.  😅

[eatstoomuchjam]

1 hour ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

At least here in the US, the FX2 is $3,500 and the A7 IV is selling for about $2,500.  Is it different there?

I was wrong about this.  I guess it's $2,700 in the US or $3,100 with the XLR handle.  That's a lot better.  Question withdrawn!

(Though I'd still be far more apt to get the R5C or Z8 than the FX2, but at least now it's not more expensive than they are)

[Andrew Reid]

1 hour ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

@Andrew Reid At least here in the US, the FX2 is $3,500 and the A7 IV is selling for about $2,500.  Is it different there?  At least here, I'd say the FX2 costs a lot more than the A7 IV - like, enough to just buy a pretty nice cage and a lens or two more.

$2698 at B&H for the Sony FX2

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1899230-REG/sony_fx2_digital_cinema_camera.html

Interesting price especially considering the Trump Tariff mess.

And cheaper than the S1 II by $600.

[ND64]

2 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Though I'd still be far more apt to get the R5C or Z8 than the FX2, but at least now it's not more expensive than they are

I guess their original intention was matching A7iv price but had to release it with baked in tariff inflation.

[Andrew Reid]

33 minutes ago, ND64 said:

They released the video 1.5 hours sooner than Sony's own scheduled video. 

How dare the client journalists disobey their masters.

[Andrew Reid]

3 minutes ago, ND64 said:

I guess their original intention was matching A7iv price but had to release it with baked in tariff inflation.

Maybe they quietly imported thousands of them back in February, before the tariffs.

I find it strange that the price isn't a lot higher, maybe B&H plan to show the taxes and tariffs on a separate line when you get to the checkout.

[Phil A]

It's 3200 EUR here in Germany compared to the A7 IV for 2100. This could have been an amazing camera if it came out a few years ago, now it's just kinda 'whatever' with the hardware limitations.

Personally I couldn't life with the rolling shutter, the PetaPixel video has shown well in some shots the kinda crazy wobble/jelly you can get shooting 24p handheld (same reason I hated my A6300 back in the day). But the real disrespectful part is the resolution of the display, that's like tech from 10 years ago with not even half the pixels of the FX30 screen.

I find the form factor great and if this would have had a sensor more like the Z6III / S1II it would have been an amazing option.

[eatstoomuchjam]

25 minutes ago, ND64 said:

I guess their original intention was matching A7iv price but had to release it with baked in tariff inflation.

That doesn't match the usual style (FX3 is more expensive than A7S III, FX30 is more expensive than A6700) - and if $2,500 is MSRP for A7 IV, selling the cine version for around $200 more is right in line with those other models.

If I were choosing between A7 IV and FX2, FX2 would win hands-down.  I'd definitely spend $200 for the flippy EVF.  But then I might have my head checked because the Z6 III + Sony FE adapter would still cost less, use any Sony lenses, and record 6K full sensor width video internally with decent RS (and with a raw option!) - and going from 24 to 33 megapixels for still photos is... 🤷‍♂️

(Looking for a B Cam to FX6 that can also take some nice still photos, it's totally fine and people aren't crazy for buying it - but it's just not the choice that I would make right now)

-----

The other thing that seems interesting with this release is that it seems to suggest that Sony don't have a lot of other new bodies in the pipeline.  If they do, this release would seem to be an attempt to grab cash from people who are still willing to buy the older sensor and will be annoyed when cameras with the new sensor are released.

Otherwise, if Sony have a bunch of shiny new mirrorless cameras coming soon and supporting better-than-4k recording, etc, why release this one now?  The competition is releasing cool mirrorless bodies with superior capabilities and Sony is re-releasing a camera from 2022, but stuffed into a different body.  If they keep sitting on these models for another year, we might see the production pendulum swing back to Canon (or Nikon, if they write "RED" on some upcoming mirrorless model and make no other changes from one of their existing cameras).

[ac6000cw]

£2700 in the UK versus £2150 (£2000 with current cashback promotion) for A7 IV

[Chrille]

Somehow all this camera does is make my A74 feel more valuable…

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, Phil A said:

I find the form factor great and if this would have had a sensor more like the Z6III / S1II it would have been an amazing option

That is about where I am at with this one…

I am looking to almost certainly go fully Sony or Nikon for bodies next year for one single overriding factor and that is lenses.

Less bodies and less lenses than I currently have without sacrificing any of my needs and actually making my (working) life easier/better.

My thought process so far was: A7RV stills plus ZV-E1 roaming video plus 2x FX30 static video.

I can see a potential option here to run with a pair of FX2’s as hybrid units using one with a wider zoom and one with a longer zoom, plus the FX30’s, but will need to look at this further.

It would reduce my lens needs down even further than anticipated…

Currently 5 bodies + 9 lenses.

First option with A7RV 4 bodies + 5 lenses.

Second option 4 bodies + 4 lenses.

Pros = less kit and zero lens swaps = 👍

I like the form factor.

Cons = doesn’t have the 6k 30p open gate I currently use 😏

Not watched a single review yet but will get around to that and still waiting to see what Nikon do with this ‘ZR’ that might be more interesting…

[MrSMW]

Oh and another Sony con and that is fit a higher res rear LCD would ya, ya cheapskates!

 

[mtol]

3 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

Interesting price especially considering the Trump Tariff mess.

And cheaper than the S1 II by $600.

Sony seems to have better pricing strategy, but I'd say the S1II is still worth a premium over the FX2.

[ntblowz]

33 minutes ago, mtol said:

Sony seems to have better pricing strategy, but I'd say the S1II is still worth a premium over the FX2.

Funny when it comes to Sony it seems a lot more forgiving spec wise.

Suddenly rolling shutter is not an issue while on S1RII it was blast to oblivion

4k60k crop = not an issue anymore? Really? I have super sampled 4k60p FF from R8 years ago which blast this 4k60p crop from other manufacturers anytime of the day as you get noise and DR penalty vs non crop 4k25p full sensor readout. At least Panasonic was trying to squeeze more juice by having cinemascope 4k60p from the same sensor, but Sony still have no Opengate with this release. It could have but choose not to cause they know people will give it a pass because it is Sony.

4k120p should be mandatory in year 2025 now at this price point, not giving another 4k60p crop.

Well this release does make the R5c I bought used feel a lot more value, got it for few hundred less than this FX2 and totally kill it spec wise. (Plannig to shoot VR content which Canon is the only way for interchangeable lens system.

The only good news is at least the new price is alot lower than rumored so much more accessible, but Z6III feel so much better for cheaper.. wait that what people said about S1II release as well. (same sensor but $1000 less)

[eatstoomuchjam]

9 minutes ago, ntblowz said:

Suddenly rolling shutter is not an issue while on S1RII it was blast to oblivion

Are you talking about internet reviewers?  Because here, it seems like the reception has been pretty similar to those other cameras - extremely lukewarm feelings for an extremely lukewarm product.

(And RS is really a spectrum - 32ms RS is pretty bad and you will see it in a lot of footage, RS under 20ms is fine unless you're whipping the camera around, 20-32ms depends more on what you're doing - 27-28ms for this camera is definitely more on the "you will notice it" side)

11 minutes ago, ntblowz said:

Well this release does make the R5c I bought used feel a lot more value

The R5 and R5c are great values.  Other than someone having a pile of Sony lenses and a big investment in that ecosystem, I don't personally see any real reason that somebody would choose an FX2 over a used R5c or Z8.  Even less in the latter case since I'm told the Nikon Z to Sony FE adapter is quite good.

Really, I'm not even totally certain why somebody would buy the FX2 over a Z6 III, unless "has a flippy EVF" is their main criteria for buying a camera.  😉