A Smaller Sony For A Bigger Experience

Monday night saw me in the Stirling Street Shop for a presentation of a new Sony camera dedicated to video shooting. And this one may come a little closer to my own experience as a new video shooter. It is a smaller-sensor camera than the currently fashionable full-frame type. It uses the APS-C sensor and has the classic Sony E-Mount. This means that a ast number of existing Sony and other maker's lenses will bayonet right on. The debate about the size of sensor is not canvassed here - the choice is deliberate to allow the lens choice, smallness of camera, and increased depth of field. I gather from Sheryl's introduction and the experiences of the professional cinematographer who was given a chance to use the camera for a weekend that it is fully capable of most of the features of the full-frame version - the FX3. The marketing phrase from Sony that asks us to leap into the world of film-making is particularly appealing in that this camera doesn't need to be enclosed in an after-market cage to carry the accessories and ancillaries of a full video shoot - there are attachment points galore on the body itself. The ergonomics of the controls are good and the inbuilt features of IBIS make it an imminently portable rig. There were some surfing shots taken, and a motorcar run that demonstrated the 4K and 120 FPS capabilities. Apparently the bird-eye detection facility is a delight for the ornitho-shooters. As it is sealed and reliable, trips out in the field are not a problem. Is this the main camera for a major studio to shoot a blockbuster on? I gather not, though I can see it far more capable than my own cameras for enthusiast work . As a cameras for extra shooting afield, however, it is ideal, A traveller could bring back far more professional work than with many other systems. Word has it we'll see it at the end of the month and the price seems reasonable for the level of sophistication built in.