Sony has announced the FX5, a flagship full-frame cinema camera that introduces open gate recording and internal X-OCN RAW capture, positioning itself as a versatile yet high-end tool for professional filmmakers seeking mobility and advanced features.
Sony has unveiled the FX5, a new full-frame Cinema Line camera that pushes the series into territory long requested by professional filmmakers: Open Gate recording and internal X-OCN RAW capture. The company says the model uses a newly developed stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor and its latest BIONZ XR2 image processor, giving the camera more than 15 stops of dynamic range, three base ISO settings and support for recording up to 5K at 60fps, 4K at 120fps and Full HD at 240fps. In practical terms, that places the FX5 closer to Sony’s higher-end cinema cameras while keeping the body compact enough for handheld and run-and-gun work.
According to Sony, the camera is intended to bridge the gap between the FX3 and the company’s more advanced production tools by bringing features such as Open Gate capture and in-camera RAW recording into the FX range for the first time. The FX5 also includes AI-powered Real-time Recognition Autofocus, improved in-body stabilisation and a larger multi-angle LCD with the CineAlta-inspired BIG6 interface. Sony says the body adds expanded professional connectivity, including wired LAN support, dual USB-C ports and compatibility with remote monitoring through its smartphone and tablet app.
The launch also comes with two optional accessories aimed at production crews: a detachable OLED viewfinder and an XLR handle unit with 32-bit float audio recording. Sony says the handle supports up to four-channel input, while the new viewfinder is designed for flexible monitoring in a range of shooting positions. The company has also outlined a planned firmware update for 2027 that would add higher-frame-rate RAW recording, an optimised vertical shooting interface and frame-grab functionality, underlining that the FX5 is being positioned as a platform meant to grow with future workflows.
Sony has set mid-August availability in the US, with the FX5 body priced at $4,899.99 and the version bundled with the XLR handle at $5,499.99. The company also says recycled plastic makes up about 30% or more of the camera’s body parts and that the factories building it use renewable energy, part of a wider push to present the FX5 as both a technical and operational upgrade. Early test shoots from cinematographer Claudio Miranda and director Gareth Edwards suggest Sony is aiming squarely at filmmakers who want high-end image quality without sacrificing mobility.
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