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Sony Launches FX5 Compact Cinema Camera With Internal 16‑Bit RAW and Open Gate

Bringing VENICE‑grade 16‑bit X‑OCN RAW and 3:2 Open Gate into a backpack‑friendly body, the FX5 can reshape buyer choices and media costs for compact cinema shooters.

Overview

  • Sony officially announced the FX5 on July 22, 2026, and opened pre‑orders with shipments scheduled for mid‑August.
  • The camera packs a new 16.6MP stacked Exmor RS full‑frame sensor and a BIONZ XR2 processor with an integrated AI unit to enable internal 16‑bit X‑OCN RAW and 3:2 Open Gate recording.
  • At launch the FX5 records up to 5K at 60 fps and 4K at 120 fps with promised higher‑speed Open Gate and 4K240 modes to arrive in a planned firmware v2.0 in 2027.
  • Sony priced the FX5 above the FX3 at $4,899 body‑only and $5,499 bundled with the XLR handle, and the camera omits an internal electronic variable ND while using CFexpress Type A/SD card slots.
  • The FX5 brings VENICE workflow tools such as false color, waveform and vector scopes into a small body and is expected to pressure FX3 pricing, increase demand for higher‑speed media, and require NLE and Sony Catalyst updates before some RAW variants are widely usable.