SONY PXW-FX9

Whether you’re shooting documentaries, events, reality TV, education, or corporate productions, the PXW-FX9 XDCAM 6K Full-Frame Camera System from Sony has you covered with its powerful and flexible 4K interchangeable lens camera system. The PXW-FX9 features a full-frame, oversampled 6K Exmor R CMOS sensor that allows you to capture 4K images with cinematic depth of field. The camera’s E-mount is machined from stainless steel and allows you to use E-mount lenses.

The PXW-FX9 input and output features include 12G-SDI and HDMI outputs for 4K, a 3G-SDI output for HD, and genlock and timecode when using a multicamera setup. The Fast Hybrid AF autofocus system allows for accurate focus and even allows facial detection to automatically detect human form with 561 points of detection. Advanced image stabilization is achieved using the PXW-FX9’s internal gyroscope for shots so smooth it’ll look like you used a gimbal. Its 4-channel audio recording allows you to use external microphones and record ambient sound with the internal mics simultaneously.

The camera features a 15-stop dynamic range and records 10-bit 4:2:2 to dual XQD media card slots that support simultaneous and relay recording, as well as multiple backup recording modes that utilize proxy files. The camera can record UHD (3840 x 2160) and HD (1920 x 1080) internally at a selectable frame rate from 1 fps up to 60 fps in XAVC-I, XAVC-Long, and MPEG HD formats. And with a future firmware update, it will be able to record HD at up to 180 fps and output 16-bit raw 4K/2K footage up to 120 fps. In addition to its wide dynamic range, its enhanced color and light features include a dual base ISO of 800/4000, which is helpful when in low-light situations or using a slower lens. Its 7-stop electronic variable HD filter can perform in auto or manual mode, smoothly adjusting from 1/4 to 1/128 density. The camera’s default S-Cinetone color look offers the same soft, vivid tone as with Sony’s VENICE camera.

6K CMOS Exmor R Sensor

The PXW-FX9’s oversampled full-frame 6K sensor provides recording in DCI 4K, UHD, and HD resolutions. Powerful image processing with debayering and down-sampling ensures image quality beyond the limits of conventional Super 35mm sensors. The back-illuminated CMOS image sensor also uses Sony’s Exmor R technology for improved sensitivity and noise reduction. Compared to a 4K Super 35mm sensor, the FX9’s 6K sensor has over twice the surface area while providing a wider angle of view and shallower depth of field.

15 Stops Of Dynamic Range

The FX9 offers an exceptional 15+ stops of dynamic range – beyond the normal range of human perception – allowing for creative freedom in color grading and post. Camera operators can concentrate on framing the scene they want while relying upon the FX9 to capture every nuance and detail using 4K 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording.

Dual Base ISO

FX9 features a base sensitivity of ISO 800, providing the optimal dynamic range for typical documentary applications such as shooting outside or in brightly lit interiors. A secondary High Base sensitivity of ISO 4000 excels in low light conditions such as early morning and evening shoots while maintaining superb image quality. ISO 4000 is also ideal whenever you’re using slow lenses. Combining Dual Base ISO with the camera’s electronic variable ND Filter provides superb creative control in almost any shooting environment, with truly next generation responsiveness to changing conditions.

S-Cinetone Look

S-Cinetone is the default look of FX9 that’s tuned to meet the requirements of today’s content creators with rich mid-range colours, alluring facial tones and a softer tonal look – developed with the same expertise as Sony’s world-leading VENICE digital cinematography camera. S-Cinetone means that straight out of the camera your content looks fresh and vivid, with subjects that really stand out while retaining plenty of latitude in post production thanks to the high performance full-frame image sensor.

Electronic ND Filter

Fast Hybrid Auto Focus

Effortlessly track fast-moving subjects with pin-sharp focus, even when using wide-lens aperture settings to maintain a shallow depth of field with the camera’s full-frame sensor. Enhanced Fast Hybrid AF combines phase detection AF for fast, accurate subject tracking with contrast AF for exceptional focus accuracy. In addition, Face Detection intelligently recognizes and locks on to human faces. The dedicated 561-point phase detection AF sensor covers approximately 94% of the whole image area width and 96% of height, allowing for consistently accurate, responsive AF tracking, even with fast-moving subjects.
Seven-level AF transition speeds from fast-switching between subjects as quickly as possible to slow, where speed is reduced to fit a more measured shooting style, such as a historical TV drama.
Five-level AF subject shift sensitivity ranges from locked-on, ignoring other moving subjects in the frame, to responsive that switches focus from one subject to another—ideal for snapping between race cars as they speed by.