Testing the Sony ILME-FX30

[@WiP999]

The FX30 is a gamechanger just like the FS7 in its day. Nobody seems to be mentioning Speedboosters and how that gives back a stop of light with the full frame look. An FX30 with speedbooster and a set of fast vintage primes represents a killer filmmaking package.

[@nyambe]

Wowed. What an honor having you review this camera! Thanks!!!

[@happy1wandering]

Big respect sir! One of the best cinematographers and teachers out there. Period! Please post more educational stuff !!!!

[@TexpatOTG]

Was on the fence about the fx30. This video is really helpful. Thanks.

[@gillesmatheronpro]

What we see here is of immense value. No wonder why this gentleman is a reference in the business...

[@stevenewnham3620]

Thanks mate, we've recently acquired a couple of 2 camera FX6/FX30 kits so this is really useful to us along with your explanation of the FX6's new color science ins and outs. As always very clear, concise presentations.

[@jeffschaap]

As always you do a great job of highlighting the strengths while being realistic about it's foibles. I've owned this camera for several months and yet I learned new things by watching this. Always enjoy your content Alistair. Thanks for what you do for the community.

[@REKFilmsMontana]

Yes I recently bought this camera and absolutely love it. after shooting my last 7 short films on a Sony A6500, I am really looking forward to doing my future projects on the FX30.

[@justalittledaf]

Recently bought this camera and love it. Thank you for specifying the dual native ISO's for the "S-Cinetone" profile, because I haven't been able to find it in other KZbin channels.

[@Ryan-Payne]

Now I haven't seen the video yet, but a few weeks ago I wondered what the Fs7 vs the FX30 would be like image wise, considering a used FS7 is very similar in price to an FX30 but alas there wasn't a single video on it, today I search again and I'm super happy to find a video form the Sony master himself!

[@cdprasad4u]

Finally i got the top notch certification, thankyou sir waited for very long.

[@bestcameralens]

On the moire and aliasing fx30 is superior. On colors I can see some difference. They improved the greenish tint on skin tone that most people didn't like. This was very useful! Dynamic range test is quite cleverly done. Thanks for sharing!

[@quivigerjoel4889]

J'ai acheté la FX 30 c'est vraiment du bon materiel top

[@Harley1Lovegrove]

a very useful and informative video. Thank you

[@fionnmcarthur5420]

Really good review, thanks for taking the time. Picked up an FX30 couple weeks ago as a B Cam to my FS7. Footage looks superb and it’s a brilliant little package. But I did find on a 2 day shoot away from home last week that I ended up drifting back onto the FS7. If you’re up against a deadline and need to nail large amount of GVs and interviews in a short North of Scotland winter’s day then you can’t beat that form factor, or the inbuilt ND.

[@ol1175]

I love this camera !!!

[@fiendishghoul4068]

Really interesting video. I’ve been using a BMPCC4k for a number of years to (mostly) film music videos…and while I love Braw and the huge screen of the Blackmagic, I do crave IBIS and decent autofocus - I’m wondering if the ‘drop’ in flexibility of the Sony’s codec is worth it for the gain of the things it can do that the Blackmagic can’t.

[@Ronbc000]

The best info. Thanks 👍

[@robertaltman222]

Great analysis/review. I am loving my FX 30! I looked at the CineD tests and they seem to show a lower dynamic range for the FX30 than you- any thoughts on this (I actually assume that your testing is probably correct- it would seem that testing methodology errors would decrease the measured DR rather than increase it…)?

[@OpenDGuitar]

Great info, and you answered my question: I have an FS5 with the 18-105 zoom, so knowing it will work will save money/offer a chance to pick alternate lenses on purchase. Slightly concerned about low light use.

[@IoannisCrouch]

Thank you! Very interesting and well presented.

[@MTBs]

Great review, thanks!

[@joeakestudiosstudiob9300]

Thank you Alister very reassuring.

[@GlassfilmWeddings]

the few slog 3 luts ive downloaded from a few sony sites are different. Whats the exact site to get the proper rec709 lut for slog 3 fx3

[@ElMeach]

Hi, Alistair! My Fx30 just arrived 3 days ago, and I have to say it produces very little but I did noticed some moire yesterday against a screen. As one who has been fighting against moire for 15 years, because I have been recording screens of many sizes( from cellphones to megascreens for reviews tutorials and product launches) using camcorders, dslrs and mirrorles, I can tell you moire could change depending on the size of the subject producing the moire against the size of the pixels of the camera recording those lines. What I mean to say is depending on the camera model the moire is going to change. Sometimes doing more zoom or getting nearer or farther away so the alignment of the lines producing moire could reveal them. You may have been on a good distance for the Fx30.

[@alisterchapman]

This is why I used a zone plate chart. The chart accounts for that as the frequency of the pattern goes from very low to very high, so distance or focal length doesn't matter. The chart will reveal aliasing or moire issues regardless.

[@QuarzenZechenSoehne]

I thought apsc and s35 were the same, apsc being the photo camera name and s35 for video cameras. thanks for the video

[@seancloutier2577]

great review...I already picked up a pair to replace my a6400 units

[@jaffarconsultancy]

Another question. What would be your recommended setting for zebras on this camera?

[@ralphbullis40]

I've been putting one through its paces and it seems like quite a camera, regardless of price.

[@MountainHutFilms]

I have been trying to decide since its release whether to buy the FX30. I have invested heavily in Sony APS-C lens for my a6300 preferring this route to the full frame route for reasons of less weight and size, as you mention. Have been waiting years for Sony to release a 10 bit APS-C camera - ever since i heard you talk about HDR in a Sony event in Cardiff four or five years ago. My reluctance with the FX30 is partly the lack of a viewfinder. There are workarounds, but they add to the weight and the setup time, reducing the run and gun advantages of a small cinema line camera. I see no reason why a cinema line video centric camera cannot have a inbuilt viewfinder. Sony are missing a huge selling point in this respect in my opinion. It was good to hear you say that in all but the most extreme low light situations the FX30 performs usefully. But i do wonder why in a cinema line video centric camera they did not use an aps-c sensor, with say 12 megapixels, which presumably would take it closer in low light performance to the FX3 ? Do we really benefit from a 26 sensor in a camera that is not that useful for stills ? I would welcome your observations on this. Firmware updates - the additional train, car and aeroplane tracking algorithms in the A7R5 surely could be made available in the FX 30 (and indeed the A1) via a software update. Lastly it would be really nice, indeed essential, if they added anamorphic desqueeze. Sony are you listening ? But a great review and i will very likely buy this camera soon.

[@jaffarconsultancy]

Thanks! Did I understand you correctly that when shooting slog3 on this camera you do not have to overexpose 1.3 stops like you had to on older cameras?

[@alisterchapman1556]

No, no need to shoot extra bright.

[@jaffarconsultancy]

@@alisterchapman1556 Thanks! There is a lot of confusion on this particular issue in social media groups. But I will take your expert opinion on this!

[@JeffBourke]

Has anyone used the 4.7 k raw? Does it crop to 4.7 k for the raw?

[@MrApplebumPS]

excellent review. being a FX3 owner I don’t see myself buying this camera though.

[@mjolsztyn]

Thank you for your review. Which ND filter you can recommend for fx30?

[@ekphotography]

NiSi

[@bmkimages]

Great review

[@karlnotyourbusiness4429]

Why not assign your top buttons to zoom in and zoom out. Wrks nice on A7S III and A7 IV

[@thetruthseeker23]

Great review. Personally I'm not too concerned about rolling shutter! Looking forward to the video on embedded LUTS.

[@petrub27]

You should be.

[@thetruthseeker23]

@@petrub27 Why? I see it a lot in major films.

[@JeffBourke]

Compared to Sonys previous 6000 series it’s like a stacked sensor 😂

[@MarcinSteczkowski]

Thank you. Do you know how that is mach to Sony A7IV? Is it East to use it together like A and B camera?

[@alisterchapman]

I don't know, I haven't tested them side by side.

[@MarcinSteczkowski]

@@alisterchapman thank you. I’m waiting for your next video. Actually because of You I came into Sony family :D

[@JeffBourke]

My 2 problems with the FX30 that the other camera shills don’t cover. When you are using your saved settings, it’s impossible to white balance off a white card. When you use a display LUT and log, the histogram moves with the exposure index rather than the recorded image.

[@EugenBrinzoiu]

Agree 100% about the white balance inconvenience .

[@alisterchapman]

Its very common when using CineEI to measure the LUT, the whole point of Exposure Index is to look at and measure the LUT and base your exposure on the chosen EI as this allows you to check how the all important mid range is being exposed with greater accuracy than trying to measure the compressed range of the Log. If using a light meter it is the EI value you put into the light meter, not the base ISO and you then expect the EI image to be correct with the right correct brightness. If you are basing your exposure decisions on highlights then there is little point in using EI, just expose for the highlights, you don't need a LUT or Exposure Index for that. But really it's the mid range that is the most important and what your audience will notice the most if it is not exposed well. If you want a camera with waveform and better exposure measurement tools then they are available but generally cost a lot more.

[@ekphotography]

all Sony's are the same, with my A7IV when using the memory recall or custom buttons on top, you cannot do custom whit balance, totally stupid but it is what it is..

[@jalexanderevans]

I think most DR tests use a signal/noise ratio so noise is taken into account in the DR estimate

[@alisterchapman1556]

But the noise can be seen on the waveform and in the footage of the chart so you can see the point where the noise becomes an issue. The FX30 and FX6 both show a 15th stop burried in the noise. The FS7 is clearly much noisier. Exactly how much noise is an issue will depend on the type of shot and how much noise you find acceptable.

[@jalexanderevans]

@@alisterchapman1556 yeah, I just have trouble saying the fx30 has the same dynamic range when the noise limits the usability of the dynamic range much sooner

[@alisterchapman]

@@jalexanderevans But the noise doesn't limit it. You can see the noise floor in the DR chart and you can see the amplitude of the noise. If anything at 800 ISO the FX30 has less noise than the FX6.

[@Acomyztly]

👍

[@carpballet]

“The difference between this and the FX 30…” WTF

[@sammorganmoore]

but a camera without a hole in the back to look in and see you image in the sun is useless?

[@alisterchapman]

Sure, some kind of hood will be needed for some situations, but on a gimbal or many other applications you can't use a fixed EVF anyway.