Sony has taken a great camera like the FS7/FS7ii and made it even better with its successor — the Sony FX9 camera. It’s hard to imagine wanting to upgrade from the FS7ii since it’s been such a workhorse in the industry. Although, with the new features of the Sony FX9, it’s pretty much a no-brainer. Over the last few years, I’ve had the privilege to give input on the FX9’s development and have been very excited for its release so I can share my thoughts on this next-generation camera.
Sensor
The first notable thing on the FX9 is its new Full-Frame (FF) Oversampled 6k Exmor R CMOS sensor. Yes, I said oversampled 6k. This means the sensor is capturing a 6k image that is sampled down to give you an extremely sharp 4k image. This is a big step for professional Sony cameras because prior to Sony’s new Cinema Line, cameras have had a S35 sensor. I have to say the image is beautiful. The Full-Frame sensor means you can now shoot wider, get a more shallow depth of field, better low light sensitivity, and smoother skin tones.
When shooting in the FF 6k mode, you can only shoot up to 30 FPS. However, with the new version 2.1 update, you can now shoot in an FF 5k mode that allows you to achieve 60 FPS. While I am on the subject of sensor size, the FX9 also has a 4k S35 scan mode that has a maximum frame rate of 60 FPS, which is especially useful if you still have S35/APS-C lenses like the Sony E PZ 18-110mm F4.0 OSS lens.
High Frame Rate
The FX9 does have a High Frame Rate (HFR) mode of 180 FPS in FF 2k or 120 FPS in S35 2k. Just like the previous FS7/FS7ii, you cannot apply a Monitor LUT to the viewfinder while shooting HFR in Cine EI. Therefore, you will need to either bake in the LUT to the file or use an external recorder like the Atomos Ninja V/V+ to help monitor and expose the image correctly.
Dual ISO and Cine EI
Apart from the new Full-Frame Sensor, the FX9 now has a Dual Base ISO of 800 in low and 4000 in high. This has been a game changer for me while shooting all sorts of content whether it’s commercials, documentaries, or wildlife. It’s important to note that the FX9 shoots in two modes: Custom and Cine EI. Custom Mode is for more of a traditional video style of shooting — meaning, what you see is what you get. Meanwhile, Cine EI is more a film style of shooting that requires a post-production process to achieve your desired look. This is important with Dial ISO because if you shoot at base 800 ISO or 4000 ISO in Custom Mode, they will be baked in.
When shooting in Cine EI, you are always recording at the native base ISO setting and either over or under exposing the image to your taste. When shooting in Cine EI, I recommend shooting S-Gamut3.Cine/Slog3 to get the best results in post-production. This will give you the most control over the image and allow much greater manipulation of the shot.
The problem that most people have with Slog 3 is not properly exposing the shot. In previous Sony cameras that have Slog 3, if you expose at the native ISO or greater, the darks/shadows will be very noisy. What you need to do is overexpose the image by either 1–2 stops to suppress the noise. Luckily, the FX9 makes it extremely easy to do. When you have a Monitor LUT applied and you change the ISO, it changes the brightness of the Monitor LUT and not the signal being recorded. This causes you to either over or under expose the shot. In Cine EI mode, the camera is always recording at the base ISO.
If I am at the low base ISO of 800 and I set my ISO to 200, my Monitor LUT will get darker. It will cause me to expose the image brighter and my image will be virtually noise-free.
S-Cinetone/s709
When Sony came out with the Sony Venice, they developed a new color science that was much more pleasing for skin tones and gave a beautiful roll-off on the highlight. The FX9 now has this same color science with its S-Cinetone settings. You can get S-Cinetone in both the Custom Mode and the Cine EI mode. In Custom Mode, it’s called S-Cinetone and it’s baked into the final image. You can also change the Monitor LUT to S-Cinetone but it’s called s709. In post-production, you can view your footage in Sony Catalyst and quickly create a LUT file. You can then apply your footage in your favorite edit software and begin your creative color grading. This is my preferred method for shooting and editing but requires much more time in post.
HDR/HLG
The FX9 does have the ability to produce High Dynamic Range (HDR) video. This can be achieved in two ways: shoot in Slog 3 and spend a lot of time in post-production converting it to HDR, or simply shoot in Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG). HLG is designed for the quicker turnaround shoot and has been around for many years now. You just need to switch to HLG mode, compose the shot, expose it properly, and record it. To expose HLG properly, the FX9 has a Gamma Assist Function that is applied to the Viewfinder because the FX9’s LCD View Finder is not HDR. You can also use an external HDR monitor to help you expose for HDR specs like the Atomos Ninja V/V+.
Stabilization
The Sony FX9 does not have an in-camera stabilization, but all is not lost. The FX9 is a meta data king. It records the internal gyro information into the files meta data that Sony Catalyst can use to stabilize your footage. I use this method all the time and am always blown away with the results. It does a far better job than other warp stabilizers because it’s using meta data versus analyzing footage.
A quick note I learned the hard way: If your lens has a built-in Image Stabilizer (IS) and is activated, then you cannot stabilize your footage again in Sony Catalyst.
Electronic Variable ND Filters
One of my favorite parts of this camera is the Electronic Variable ND filter. If you have never heard of this feature, prepare your mind to be blown. Loads of cameras on the market have three ND filters built in, such as ¼, 1/16, and 1/64. The problem with this older method is that, after activating the ND filters, you still need to sacrifice settings like Aperture, Shutter, ISO. Sony’s Electronic Variable NDs can now change from the three common presets to Variable, which allows you to dial in the perfect amount of ND filtration with up to seven stops.
For example, if my ideal ND filtration is 1/6 or 1/17 or 1/128, I can now set my ND filter to exactly that number. Taking it one step further, you can also set the Variable ND filter to Auto ND. This allows for a super smooth transition from light to dark (or vice versa) without needing to push any buttons. If I am shooting outside, there is a good chance I have this feature on.
Auto Focus
One of the key features of the FX9 development is Auto Focus. At first, I was not to thrilled about the idea because I prefer to manually focus. Although, after using this camera for over a year now, I can’t live without it. The auto focus tracking and face detection is so impressive. It can do a far better job than I ever could with my style shooting. The Auto focus is highly configurable and can change to adapt to your setting. It can even lock on to a subject and follow it by ignoring foreground objects.
16 Bit RAW
Like or need to shoot RAW? Well, the FX9 can now shoot 16-bit Linear Raw via the External XDCA that can be purchased separately. To record the 16-bit Raw signal, you will need to have an external recorder like the Atomos Ninja V/V+ that will take the 16-bit linear RAW signal and convert it to 10-bit ProRes RAW while still utilizing all the benefits of the 16-bit signal. There is currently no recorder on the market that records and outputs a full 16-bit RAW file. This means your camera is future-proof as technology catches up.
Final Thought
The Sony FX9 can be purchased at a competitive price of $10,998 for the body only. Needless to say, the upgrade to the Sony FX9 is completely worth it given its new line of features. This camera has really helped me step up my game.
