SONY FX30 | Better than you think!
The APS-C addition to Sony's Cinema Line
This is the Sony FX30 the latest addition to Sony's Cinema line and it's better than you think here's why!
The main criticism I've come across about this camera is that the sensor size is not full frame but rather APS-C and as I agree full frame definitely has its benefits it's also important to remember that the majority of movies are shot on Super 35 which is comparable, not the same, but comparable to APS-C. To filmmakers, there are several benefits to shooting APS-C that can often be overlooked.
When making films, dependency on autofocus can rob you of a very powerful opportunity to tell your story. on APS-C and smaller sensor cameras, objects tend to roll out of focus a little bit slower than they do on Full Frame making your
1st AC's life easier and brings down the amount of takes you might need for a specific scene when pulling Focus manually.
One weakness of smaller sensor cameras can also be their strengths in certain situations if you have a scene where you want to focus on the emotion on the actor's face the 1.5 crop allows you to get a tighter shot and rarely amplify the performance another benefit is lens choice not only do you have all the E-Mount lenses to choose from, but if you get a PL converter you also have access to a whole world of Super 35mm lenses used throughout the history of Cinema. Giving you the opportunity to achieve a look that's not possible with modern lens manufacturing
One of the most appealing aspects about the Sony FX30 for me is the cost-to-benefit ratio. This small camera is packed with many of the features that you find in the FX3 that is double the price.
In my opinion, one of the things that has the biggest impact in creating cinematic images, from a hardware perspective, is bit depth. There is a massive perceived difference in realism and colour gradation when it comes to 10-bit colour. When you move away from 8-bit to 10 bit you're also moving away from your limitations of millions of colours to now a billion colours opening up a whole new world of flexibility in post-production.
The FX30 allows you to shoot 10-bit 4:2:2 internally and amazingly it allows you to record 16-bit externally raw when using an external recorder. This can only be done in log mode but personally, I think that is anyway the better way to go for me this is what makes this camera such an appealing option for small-budget filmmakers. The FX30 is an exciting proposition and opens up the world of cinematography to so many more people what do you think about this new camera?
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