If you have been looking for a full-frame Sony cinema camera but it is hard to stomach the price of an FX3, the Sony FX2 may be the perfect camera for you. That is, if you can look past one of its biggest compromises: a 1.5x crop in 4K 60fps. In this post, I am reviewing the FX2 from the perspective of a freelance filmmaker who uses their camera to film weddings, commercials, and documentaries to make money. I am going to tell you if this is the camera you should buy.
For the sake of ethics, this review is not paid or sponsored by Sony, but they did loan me the camera for testing. Also, if you want to see all the equipment I recommend for filmmaking, you can download my free filmmaker gear guide here.
The Sony A7IV Sensor in a Cinema Body
The first thing you need to know is that the FX2 shares its DNA with a very popular photography-focused camera. Just like the FX3 shares its sensor with the Sony A7SIII and the FX30 shares its sensor with the A6700, the FX2 shares its 33-megapixel sensor with the Sony A7IV. This means you are getting many of those same capabilities but in a body that offers features filmmakers have been requesting at a cheaper price than the FX3.
A Refined Cinema Body and a Tilting EVF
The body feels like a strong evolution of the FX3 and FX30. You still get that iconic gray cinema camera look with mounting points and plenty of customizable buttons. Sony even eliminated some of the flip-out panels, so the microphone and headphone jacks are now fully exposed and positioned so the screen won’t hit your mic jack.
However, the biggest difference is that this camera comes with an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Sony previously removed the EVF from their cinema line to make them more “video focused,” but they brought it back with a trick up its sleeve. This EVF can tilt up to 90 degrees vertically. As a filmmaker, you often have the camera mounted low at chest height, and having an articulating EVF feels much more natural. It is a game changer for confirming your shot when filming outdoors in bright sunlight.
Improved Ergonomics and Cooling
Sony also added a larger hand grip, which makes the camera incredibly comfortable to hold during 10 or 12-hour wedding days. Additionally, there is a larger cooling fan vent and an improved heat dissipation structure. While I never worried about the FX3 overheating, more protection is always welcome, especially for those of us filming in the Texas heat.
The “Mode Button” Frustration
One change I do not like is the elimination of the dedicated mode button. On the FX3, you could press a button to immediately switch between your 24fps and 60fps presets. On the FX2, you have to hold down the function menu button for a second to bring up the mode menu. It is a big interrupter to a fast workflow. You can remap a custom button to fix this, but it is still a weird step backward in design.
Image Quality and Low Light
Because this sensor is from the A7IV, the image quality is excellent. You get 4:2:2 10-bit colors and S-Log 3 support. If you are editing your videos like a pro, you will love how this footage matches other Sony cameras. It even includes Cine EI mode and support for internal LUTs.
When it comes to low light, the FX2 has dual base ISOs at 800 and 4,000. This is a slight boost over the A7IV. While the FX3 is still the low-light king with its second base ISO at 12,800, the FX2 is more than capable for dark wedding receptions. I have pushed this sensor to ISO 16,000 before and the results were completely usable.
The Big Catch: The 4K 60fps Crop
Here is the compromise: while the FX2 can film in 4K up to 60fps, it has a 1.5x crop when shooting in 4K 60. If you want 120fps, you have to drop down to 1080p HD. This is the “big catch” that separates this camera from the more expensive FX3. However, if you mostly film in 24fps or 30fps, you actually get a sharper image oversampled from 7K, which looks fantastic.
Is the Sony FX2 Right For You?
The FX2 might just be the “Goldilocks” camera for many filmmakers. The FX30 sensor may be too small for some, and the FX3 might be too expensive. The FX2 gives you full-frame quality, a tilting EVF, and AI-enhanced autofocus in a refined cinema body. If you can live with the 4K 60fps crop, this is a powerhouse of a camera for the price.