Sony FX6 main specifications
• 4K 10.2MP full frame sensor• 120p Ultra Resolution
• 4K DCI up to 60p
• Base ISO 800 (Cine EI S-Log3)
• More than 15 stops for DR
• High sensitivity setting of 12800 ISO
• Focus automatic AF with face detection and Eye-AF
• 4K 4: 2: 2 10-bit internal recording
• S-Cinetone
• External RAW recording with Atomos Shogun7
• HD at 180 fps
• Electronic variable ND filter
• Four channels of audio recording
• 12G / 6G / 3G SDI
• TC In / Out
• Possibility to download LUTS
Let's get the facts first: The FX6 features a 10.2MP full-frame backlit CMOS Exmor R sensor, which means it's a native 4K full-frame sensor. Unlike its older brother the Sony FX9, which features a 6K to 4K sensor for recording.
Sony has not been able to confirm whether it uses the a7S III sensor in the FX6, yet it looks like that from what we can say (and if you do the math, it matches too - if you take the 12.1MP 3: 2 sensor from the a7S III to match the FX6's aspect ratio, You almost end up with the 10.2MP sensor)
It's important to note that there is no 4K cropping mode for Super35mm on the FX6. This is also identical to the a7S III. In my opinion, this is the biggest downside to the camera because that means you can't really use it effectively with a lot of old lenses, especially the professional PL-mount lenses that usually cover the S35's image circle.
BIONZ XR camera processor
The Sony FX6 uses the same BIONX XR image processor as the a7S III. The processor is claimed to be able to read the sensor 3x faster than the a7S II and twice as fast than most conventional mirrorless hybrid sensors. This new processor is said to be 4 times faster than the processor used in the FS5.Due to the low number of megapixels, the sensor reading is very fast, which means that the rotating shutter is almost not present. In theory, the rotary shutter should perform better than the FX9 and on par with the a7S III.
Now, the biggest drawback when using a smaller 4K sensor is that you can only shoot 4K at full frame. If you switch to the S35 1.5x shooting mode, you are limited to recording in HD. You must be seriously aware of this because if you are shooting documentaries or events, you will encounter serious limitations with the focus range. This alone makes the FX9 more attractive for certain shooting scenarios.
By utilizing this smaller megapixel sensor in the FX6, Sony can give you UHD resolution of up to 120p with full pixel readout and without pixel binning. From all reports, UHD 120p is pretty good with the a7S III, so it's somewhat safe to assume the same would be true with the FX6.
The sensor on the FX6 should allow you to shoot comfortably in very low-light environments without generating too much image noise. Given the FX6's target audience, this is something many users will appreciate.
Dual sensitivity of ISO 800 and ISO 12,800
The Sony FX6 has a native dual ISO. Although Sony has not been publicly confirmed, the a7S III also has a dual ISO system with similar original ISO standards, as it renders the clearest image in these two modes. The FX6's native low ISO is not 640 as it is on the a7S III, however it is 800, but the original high ISO is ISO 12800 for both.As I can assure in the hands-on review at first glance, the FX6 appears to have the same low-light capabilities as the a7S III, if not more due to better handling (less noise). We'll continue to test this very closely with the FX6 production unit.
Dynamic Range
Sony claims dynamic range is over 15 stops on the FX6. This will be tested by us as usual in our lab tests, and the manufacturers' claims usually do not match our scientific comparison tests.Assuming we are dealing with the same or similar sensor as the a7S III here, we have high hopes for this camera, because the a7S III was really good in our lab testing (keep in mind, we retested back to the original 12800 ISO that changed from 16000 in the production version For that camera, it will update lab test a7S III accordingly soon).
The appearance of S-Cinetone & Slog 3
Like the FX9, the camera has a built-in S-Cinetone profile, Sony's "Venice look" profile that gives the complexion funky tones and eliminates the "coolness" of Sony's look many people have encountered in the past. Of course the camera also has Slog 3 built in as well.Fast Hybrid Autofocus - even in S&Q modes
Like the a7S III and FX9, the Sony FX6 features exceptional autofocus capabilities with face and eye recognition and tracking. Unlike the a7s III, on-screen touch tracking doesn't work for things, however you can track faces very well. The 720p screen used on the FX6 is the same as the FX9, which is a touchscreen, but it is not as responsive or versatile as it is on the a7S III.High Frame Rate - slow motion up to 120fps in 4K and 240fps in HD
The FX6's high frame rate modes match those of the a7S III: it can capture up to 120fps in 4K and up to 240fps in HD, both at full sensor readout. This is impressive compared to its older sibling, the FX9, which can only do 30p with a full sensor reading. You have to crop down to the 5K crop mode which covers about 83% of the sensor in order to be able to record 50 or 60 pixels.Codecs - XAVC-I and XAVC-L, just like FX9
Amazingly, the Sony FX6 shares the codecs with the FX9, not with the a7S III: both XAVC-I (in-frame) and XAVC-L (Long GOP) in the MXF shell are present, all H.264-based. There is no H.265-based codec like the a7S III's XAVC HS 4K UHD 120p. This means good compatibility of all the codecs recorded in FX6 with current editing platforms, as those are already known from FS7 and FX9.Recording media
Here's more similarities to the a7S III, instead of the FX9: FX6 uses SDXC V90 (UHS-II / UHS-I) or CFexpress Type A (Sony Tough) cards as recording media. This means there are no XQD cards like there are on the FS7 or FX9, but rather the fastest new cards on the market. CFexpress Type A cards are quite pricey but it gives you all registration options from the FX6, and more manufacturers are soon entering this market which will lead to lower prices.The result
Sony seems to have really done its homework with the FX6 and is probably the most capable little camera it has ever produced. It remains to be seen how the market will take it, but I think it will become very popular. Having used the pre-production version of the camera for a few days for my initial practical review, I'm excited about it - despite the fact that I've bought the FX9 and in many ways, the FX6 at half the price outperforms it. I am really curious to see how other FX9 owners will interact with the introduction of the FX6.
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