Review of the SONY FX6: A most CONFUSING camera!

I absoluetly love what your doing here!!!!

Excellent review. I have the FS5M2 and have been lusting after the FX6 for ever.

This is 2 years too late, but the reviews are worth it for nothing about the camera, they play out like a mini documentary

I LOVE my FX6!

Is it better than fx3 in low light situations??

That intro was so impressive in subscribing just for that 👍 (never even heard of you before)

@phillipBloom - Hi Phillip, I have come here from the revisit of "Now I see" using Topaz upscale. As I have purchased your filming classes from Mzed, its clear that you and I are on opposite ends of the scale, both in commercial intent and knowledge. My take away in brief is " IF ONLY SONY COULD SORT OUT THE NOISE SUPPRESSION KILLING DETAIL IN THE A7S3" , I have the camera for me. For an amateur interested in wildlife ( and much of the interesting wildlife is nocturnal ), loss of detail in fur etc is a killer of Attenborough-esk dreams ( the home movie version ) but then again, the ease of use, touch screen tracking of the A7S3 make it attractive for the inexperienced with unpredictable subjects like some of my favourite subjects, Owls and Caracal.Either way, I don't see myself futsing in the dark with something pro level whilst trying to keep an eye on the subject, film and focus....this thing is amazing for a production type environment but I don't see it being for a run and gun, quick draw and shoot environment like the one I hope to someday shoot. I say this as the A7S series has held the answer for many years but there is no real point if feather and fur detail is mush..........someday I will shoot that love letter to BBC Wildlife documentaries but not without the detail. I appreciate these videos, I really do, I now know that there is more that I don't know than ever before, and forwarned is forearmed, thank you for this........and yes, that built in variable ND without colour shift, no point having detail and then fighting funky colour, at least not at my level of knowledge, OY VEY is how I believe this problem is disctibed over in New York / B&H....

This was exceptional. I cannot think of a “review” I have every enjoyed watching as much as I enjoyed watching this. Enjoyed being the key phrase here. Thank you. Thank you so much.

The A7SIII is perfect as it is for someone who shoots video but still takes quite a few photos (like me). The FX3 SHOULD have been more video focused than the A7SIII, but it wasn't (see: no dual 1/4"-20 for tripod mounting, and no 3/8" whatsoever). And so it was actually worse in some ways for video than the A7SIII was (albeit with a cage). Sony continues to do stupid things like include an absolutely BRILLIANT eVND in the FX6, but no IBIS for handheld use - which is absolutely idiotic considering it's light enough to BE used as such (unlike the FX9 or the Venice, which explicitly are not). On top of that, the actual dimensions of the body itself are weird to me because it's light enough to be used as a gimbal camera (which would make life easier considering the lack of IBIS), but it's physically too bulky to be used properly (for example, going from high to low in underslung mode). Also, the A7SIII captures real-time audio at 120fps - and has discrete 3.5mm inputs AND headphone monitoring. Why, then, does the FX6, with all its extra buttons and surface real estate, NOT have either of those options at all? It's a piss-poor bargain for the price.

The biggest problem with the FX6 is Sony's DELIBERATE restriction of XAVC-L to only 8bit in 4k. The FS5 can do XAVC-L in 10 bit in 1080p (so can the FX6). That was the reason the FS5 was the best long-recording compact HD 10 bit camera. The FS5 was a pro 1080p camera while the Fx6 is billed as 'a pro 4k' camera. You'd think part of the "step up" to a 4k pro camera would be the equivalent utility in 4k. Sony deliberately made sure there was no small-file size codec in 10 bit 4k on the fx6 so it would make more money with its propitiatory CF Express type a cards; as they are the only cards that Sony says work with the Fx6's XAVC-I 4k 10 bit; especially at higher frame-rates. Then the issue becomes: even XAVC-I at 600mb/s has an extremely poor image compared to raw out to prores 422; which has a similar data rate/file sizes. So you pay more for more expensive cards (and more of them) then don't even get rewarded by better image quality. A totally cynical money grabbing scheme from Sony.

Returning to this video from the future now we have the 2.00 firmware. Such an amazing camera and so challenging to find one of these units (at least in the US) at the moment. I truly think this for most video shooters is the best way to spend 6000usd. Thanks Phillip for the excellent review and the fantastic cinematography all throughout this video!

So wats the better cinema camera

Great review 🤌 Thank You Philip 🙏

It looks like a camcorder from the 90'. Especially that handle is really ugly. That's a huge turn off for me. Not buying untill and unless they do something about the handle design.

Looking at the FX6, did Sony have any firmware updates that addressed some of your concerns?

Are you going to do a video on the new V2 firmware?

Only in London do the street performers play the harp. Walking around Detroit, there was a dude beating a tune in a torn Home Depot bucket yesterday lol.
Great video btw

Hello together,
Thank you Philipe for your review, it was very helpful.
Im planning to shoot a short nature documentary with the fx6. I do understand what CineEI is and how it works but I’m still not sure wether I should use it or stay in custom. I mean you can choose to record in slog3 on both recording methods and if you shoot with 800 or 12800 iso in customs there is no diffrence in dynamic range.
Could someone give me a tip on whats easier to shoot with? Also I‘m gonna shoot a lot in dark situation, at night basically, so I don’t know if the high sensitivity iso of 12800 is going to be enough when I shoot in Cine EI. So I’m thinking that maybe its better to have a better image by using the cameras low light capabilities but in return I would sacrifice some of the dynamic range.

If someone has experience with the fx6, I would love to get your feedback ob what you think is best when it comes to film with this camera :)

Thanks a lot and best regards
Lucas

This was awesome video @philip Bloom have they since then added the touch focus?

Hi there what camera did use to make this video and lens

I come from the future. What do you think of the Nikon Z9 instead of the fx6 and canon c 70. Same price range. 8k, perfect autofocus...I mean perfect. And great color science. Yes is not netflix aproved...but.

I still come back and rewatch this all the time just to relax me. Thanks for the vid. Hopefully we get the touch focus update soon like the fx9.

Color science seems to be not very accurate, even after grading.

So I’m confused the autofocus on this camera is only touch? Is the autofocus bad? I’m confused

Philip - As a professional cinematographer i’m stunned of how amazing this video is. I own two FX6 and love them. Been thinking about buying Neat for a long time.. well, you convinced me. Have a great day- keep making amazing videos like this.

Oh.. I also fell asleep at some point of the video, but that’s because of how calm and nice your voice and the beautiful footage is. A beauty for the eye and brain.

This was really good! I have not watched one of your reviews for some time but will be doing so from now on. I, like many, am having the ASIV / FX3 / FX6 quandary and am going to go with the ASIV as hybrid and the FX6 for video work. However the XLR on the handle issue (as with FX3) is just crazy. But nothing is perfect. Thanks for all the work you put into these Philip and great to see your cats again :)

If this camera could record in 6k then I'd consider purchasing one.

Having just received the FX6, I can confirm it is indeed a most confusing camera. For years, I shot on the EX1R, then FS700, a7Sii, and presently, a7Siii, and the FX6/menus felt like an entirely different language. I'm nearly finished watching the Doug Jensen masterclass, and still feels as if I've barely scratched the surface. While I'm not thrilled about having only two ISOs in Cine EI, I do look forward to getting some projects under my belt with it.

Just bought an FX6. Your review is so on point to my experiences with it so far. Great job. Cheers from Germany - Hope to see you again soon!

I am very confused now. But in a more thorough manner. Thank you for bringing out the finer details!

love your reviews

@Philip Bloom, thanks for your video. I bought the FX6 and was a bit confused too. I wanted to use it with the base iso 12800 and the noise suppression with a mid of high level, but when I tried it with that, there was a kind of ghosting effect on the material. Especially when you use the high level. Did you have experience with that kind of problem? Or anyone of you and knows how to fix it?

Great review as always and even managed to capture Ethan from the sidemen on the bridge at the end!

I might be crazy, but I don't really like how this footage looks. Am I the only one?

now that I finally have my own FX6 I have watched this video again probably for the 5th time :P

Subscribing 👍🏾 beautiful shots throughout. Love your work.

The realisation that it was unpaid 😂

those cat transitions 😂

I bought it and iam soooo disappointed ... i mean 8 bit 4k long gop, crippled autofokus. I have both the a7siii and the fx6 and the fx6 is just a pain

I started to watch this review because I am interested in buying one of this FX6 and I got more confused. Lol, not really! But what I discovered is that now I want to watch all your reviews even if I am not interested in the equipment you review. Your shooting style, the music, the way you cut your videos is amazing. And the icing on the cake is your wonderful sense of humor.

You should be making big budget films, not equipment reviews!

Amazing review. But that little tidbit about neat video and having it be the first effect on a clip... that was worth the whole 40 minutes right there.

Op

Sounds like the A7Siii is the better choice for now

That was the BEST review i have ever watched! Really enjoyed it, thanks

Hi there, hope you will answer, that is very important for me to make a decision - to buy or no to buy: do you think, it will work properly if I´ll attach the Rode VXLR 3.5mm TRS Female to XLR Male Adapter and then via that adapter switch lav mic system - Rode Wireless Go? Thanks in advance

Am I the only one or are his reviews extremely confusing?

Any updates on the auto focus selection issue?