Sony has launched the PXW-FX9 XDCAM camera at this year's International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, hoping to woo content creators with a full-frame 6K sensor, dual-base ISO and zippy hybrid autofocus.
"With the new FX9, we are striking an attractive balance between agility and creative performance," said Sony's Neal Manowitz. "We've combined the cinematic appeal of full-frame with advanced professional filmmaking capabilities in a package that's extremely portable, and backed by the extraordinary versatility of Sony E-mount."
The FX9 is built around a newly-developed 20.5 megapixel full-frame Exmor R CMOS image sensor. At launch, video pros will be able to record movies at 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution, but a future update will bring a bump to 4,096 x 2,160. The camera is capable of oversampled 4K 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording, and slow motion fans will be able to capture Full HD video at 120 frames per second.
There are 15 stops of dynamic range on offer and, like the S1H from Panasonic, the FX9 has two light sensitivity baselines to work from – ISO800 and ISO4,000 – for "best capture scenes from broad daylight to the middle of the night."
The hybrid AF system boasts a 561-point phase detection autofocus sensor that's reported to cover around 94 percent of the width of the imaging area and 96 percent of the height, which Sony says should result in accurate tracking of fast-moving subjects while maintaining a shallow depth of field. Instant exposure level changes are made possible by the inclusion of a continuously variable Electronic Variable Neutral Density Filter.
Elsewhere, the camera features a 3.5-inch, 2.76-million-dot LCD panel, has built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and rocks an omni-directional condenser microphone. The FX9 is compatible with Sony's new UWP-D series wireless mics, an extension kit will offer Super35 10-bit 4K video at 120 fps and 16-bit RAW output in a future update, and the camera will work with the newly-launched FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G E-mount lens.
The PXW-FX9 is due for release towards the end of the year for an as-yet-undisclosed price. The video below has more.
Source: Sony
