We ordered our FX5 on July 22 and we are still waiting for it to arrive. But we got an update…
Sony announced the FX5 on July 22, 2026, bringing a 5K full-frame sensor, internal X-OCN RAW and 3:2 open gate to a compact camera body. Demand exceeded expectations as Japanese preorders opened, and production delays pushed back the original August launch. Sony’s latest update sets November 20 as the release date in Japan. Sony FX5 announcement · Demand notice · Release update
When will the FX5 arrive?
The November 20 date is for Japan. It does not confirm when our FX5 or others waiting in the U.S. will receive theirs. Stay tuned for the full update below…
Why the FX5 makes sense beside a VENICE 2
I often like to pair a VENICE 2 or Alexa with a smaller camera for rigs or tight spaces and that more often than not winds up being the FX3. The FX3 fits into tight spaces without having to set up the RIALTO extension system (which I usually don’t have time to convert to). I have seen ACs build it out so the RIALTO is on rails in front of the main camera block giving you the flexibility to use it as a big build on sticks one minute and then pop the RIALTO off and stick it somewhere the next. But I often find even this to be too cumbersome sometimes. For me personally, I think this is where the FX5 comes in. It offers that same convenience as an FX3, with more resolution for VFX and more flexibility in the grade.
The FX5 records 5K and 16-bit X-OCN compressed RAW internally, including X-OCN LT. That gives me a smaller camera with a recording format I already use on the VENICE 2. It’s a useful option when a second VENICE body would be too large for the shot or too expensive for the camera package. Sony FX5 recording details · VENICE 2 specifications
Dynamic range and grading latitude
Sony rates both the FX3 and FX5 at 15+ stops of dynamic range, but that doesn’t tell me how much highlight and shadow detail I’ll actually be able to use in the grade. The FX5’s Dual Gain capture and internal X-OCN recording give me good reasons to expect more flexibility. I want to see how far I can bring up the shadows before noise or color become a problem, and how much detail I can keep in the highlights. Sony FX3 specifications · Sony FX5 specifications
In CineD’s FX5 test, X-OCN LT gave about 11 stops of exposure latitude versus nine in XAVC S-I, after grading and noise reduction. They called that last stop in RAW borderline. That’s a useful result, though I still want to see how the FX5 compares with our FX3. CineD FX5 lab test
Open gate for anamorphic work
I’m also looking forward to 3:2 open gate for anamorphic work. Having the full sensor height to work with gives me more options than a 16:9 recording, especially when I need to crop the image for different delivery formats.
The FX5 records 5K open gate at up to 60 fps, or 30 fps with Dual Gain enabled. Open gate requires X-OCN recording at launch. Sony recording modes
Why keep the FX6?
OK, here’s where I have to be honest. Like most, I’m sad that Sony chose not to make a new form factor and include internal ND in the FX5 body. But unlike others, I don’t think this means the FX5 is useless or that the FX6 is dead. I see the advantage of making the FX5 body as small as possible. This is where I still believe in a future for the FX6 and Burano. The FX6 will continue having a place for documentary and corporate work. If I’m following someone around a golf course, I can adjust exposure with the built-in electronic variable ND as the light changes and keep the same f-stop. That’s a lot more convenient than changing external filters while trying to keep up with someone. Sony FX6
I’ll be using external ND when I need it, just as I do with the FX3. But I think I’m not alone in accepting this as a fair compromise in a smaller camera alongside the VENICE 2 and FX6 workflows we’re already used to. FX5 specifications
Why keep investing in Sony?
The FX5 also has me thinking about where Sony is taking the rest of the system, especially with RIALTO 65. I like seeing a manufacturer continue to support and improve equipment people already own (especially since I already own this particular system, haha!).
ARRI has gone smaller with the ALEXA 265, which follows the ALEXA 65 and shares some workflow features and accessories with the ALEXA 35. ARRI ALEXA 265 announcement
What interests me about Sony’s approach with RIALTO 65 is being able to add a 65mm sensor head to the VENICE 2 recording body I’m already using. I’d be able to keep the AXS cards and X-OCN workflow too. Sony announced it on October 29, with availability expected in the first half of 2027. I’d still need the right lenses that cover the sensor. Time to go shopping again! Sony RIALTO 65 details
I want the equipment I’m buying to keep being useful as the system develops. Being able to add a capability like 65mm without replacing the VENICE 2 recording body is a big part of why I’m putting so much into Sony right now.
OK, so when IS the FX5 coming?
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a straight answer, but ACR has been told to expect its FX5 in 2027. Sony has not confirmed a delivery date. Have any of you been told something different?
Contact ACR for the latest on FX5 rental availability.
Watch the full episode above. Shot in Palm at ACR Studios with the Podcast Package. Book it: 602-888-8407 or azcamerarentals.com.