Sony FX30 vs FX3: Which Cinema Line Camera Should You Buy?

The Sony FX30 and FX3 are the same compact cinema body with different sensors: Super 35 in the FX30, full frame in the FX3. Buy the FX30 if you want Sony's cinema tools at a much lower price, and buy the FX3 if low-light performance and full-frame depth of field matter more than the extra cost.

A quick note on where I stand. I shoot on an FX3, so I know the body and menus it shares with the FX30. Everything below about the FX30, and every test number for either camera, comes from published reviews and Sony's own specifications.

Same body, different sensor

From the outside you will struggle to tell these cameras apart. CineD reports that both share the exact same body apart from the sensor. PetaPixel says the FX30 is slightly lighter than the FX3 but otherwise identical on the outside.

The inside is where they split. Digital Camera World describes the FX3 as essentially a reskinned A7S III for cinema users, while the FX30's internal tech is all new. The FX30 uses a 26MP back-illuminated sensor that Sony quotes at 20.1MP for 16:9 video.

The FX30 sits below the FX3 in Sony's Cinema Line, and PetaPixel reports Sony positions it as an entry point for newer filmmakers. That positioning shows up in the price, the sensor and a handful of stills features covered below.

Spec comparison

Spec	Sony FX30	Sony FX3
Sensor size	Super 35 (APS-C), 23.3 x 15.5mm	Full frame, 35.6 x 23.8mm
Stills resolution	26MP, 6,192 x 4,128	Not covered in our sources
4K capture	Oversampled from 6K	Direct sampling
Top 4K frame rate	60p full width, 120p with 1.6x crop	Up to 120fps
Internal recording	10-bit 4:2:2, All-I or Long GOP, H.264/H.265	10-bit 4:2:2
ISO range	100 to 32,000, dual base 800 and 2,500	Up to 409,600
Sony's dynamic range claim	14+ stops in S-Log3	15+ stops
RAW video out	16-bit over HDMI	16-bit over HDMI
Launch price, body only	$1,799	Not covered in our sources

Sensor size: what it changes for you

Depth of field and lenses

Super 35 is the format a lot of cinema has been shot on for years, and Fstoppers argues a crop sensor can be an advantage because it opens up lenses built for that format along with lighter, less expensive glass. Y.M.Cinema notes the FX30's 1.5x crop means a 35mm lens behaves more like a 50mm in field of view. The same piece says full-frame users will love the shallow depth of field and wide field of view the FX3 provides.

In practice, that means you need wider lenses on the FX30 to get the same framing. If you already own full-frame E-mount glass, it will cover the FX30's sensor without trouble. CineD's view is that the FX3 gets the most out of this form factor, but the FX30 may be a perfect choice if you don't need full frame or want to avoid larger lenses. For lens ideas, see our guide to the best beginner lenses for Sony FX30 video.

Low light and dynamic range

The FX3 has the clear low-light edge on paper, with a sensor rated up to ISO 409,600 against the FX30's ISO 32,000. Y.M.Cinema credits the FX3's fewer, larger pixels and its high-sensitivity ISO 12800 mode for its low-light strength.

The FX30 has a dual base ISO of 800 and 2,500. Sony says noise at ISO 2,500 should be about the same as at ISO 800. That gives you a clean option for dim interiors without jumping to the extreme ISOs the FX3 offers.

Dynamic range claims need a grain of salt on both cameras. Sony claims 15+ stops for the FX3, while Videomaker's tests saw 14+ stops with the 14th stop hard to see. Sony claims 14+ stops for the FX30 in S-Log3, while CineD's lab measured 11.4 stops at SNR=2 in 4K at ISO 800. CineD treats SNR=2 as a conservative threshold for usable shadow detail. These tests used different methods, so don't line the two numbers up side by side as if they were measured the same way.

Slow motion and frame rates

The FX30 records 4K up to 60p from the full Super 35 width, with oversampling from the 6K area of the sensor. For 4K at 120p, the camera crops in a further 1.6x. That crop stacks on top of the Super 35 crop, so your wide lens gets noticeably tighter in slow motion.

Videomaker lists the FX3 at 4K up to 120fps and 240fps in HD. If slow motion is a big part of what you shoot, test whether the FX30's cropped 120p framing works with the lenses you plan to use.

Shutter angle is worth checking too. Fstoppers wished the FX30 offered shutter angle at the time of its review. Sony's current FX30 Help Guide specifications list shutter angle values from 5.6° up to 360° when recording at 119.88p or 100p, or in slow and quick motion. If you buy a used FX30, update the firmware and look for the setting before assuming it is missing.

Stabilization and handheld shooting

The FX30 has Sony's five-axis IBIS. Digital Camera World points to the IBIS unit and the cooling vents as the reason the body is thicker than Sony's older APS-C cameras. A built-in fan lets it record 4K60 without interruption, and it can run indefinitely on USB Power Delivery.

The weak spot for handheld work is rolling shutter. Y.M.Cinema reports the FX30 has been criticized for rolling shutter artifacts during handheld pans and fast action. CineD's lab measured 15.9 ms of rolling shutter in full-sensor 4K. Slower pans and a steadier grip go a long way. If you are weighing a gimbal, read Sony FX30 stabilization: do you need a gimbal?

For vlogging and run-and-gun work, size counts for a lot. Fstoppers found the FX30's small size useful for filming without drawing attention, and called it a very easy camera to grab and use. There is no viewfinder, only a vari-angle screen, and Fstoppers found LCDs hard to see on very sunny days.

Color, log and settings

Both cameras speak the same color language, which is one of the strongest reasons to pair them. The FX30 includes S-Cinetone, user LUTs, Flexible ISO, Cine EI and Cine EI Quick modes from Sony's higher-end cinema cameras. Fstoppers notes footage from the FX30 should drop into the workflow of other Sony cinema cameras because it shares most of their shooting modes and color spaces.

S-Log3 records a flat-looking image with much wider dynamic range than standard Rec.709. You can overlay a monitor LUT so you see a normal image while recording log. Cine EI locks the camera to a base ISO, which on the FX30 means 800 for bright scenes or 2,500 for low light.

If grading sounds like a chore, start with S-Cinetone. PetaPixel reports Sony built it in so newer shooters get footage that looks good straight out of camera. Our S-Cinetone explainer and FX30 video settings guide walk through the menus step by step.

Autofocus is strong on the FX30. PetaPixel reports 495 points covering 90% of the frame, real-time Eye AF for humans, animals and birds, plus Focus Map and Breathing Compensation.

Photos: where the FX30 falls short

If you also shoot stills, this section may decide it for you. CineD lists what the FX30 lacks compared with the FX3: no mechanical shutter, no continuous still shooting, no uncompressed RAW, no sensor anti-dust function and no AF illuminator. It also does not work with an external flash. PetaPixel reports Sony says the sensor is not fast enough to work with strobes.

That doesn't make it a bad stills camera. Digital Camera World called the FX30 a highly capable stills camera and praised the tonal rendering and dynamic range of its JPEGs. Sony also color-matched the stills to the video, so you can use them for location scouting. For portraits with flash or fast action bursts, though, the FX30 is the wrong tool.

Rigging, audio and accessories

Both bodies have built-in mounting holes, so you don't need a cage for a basic setup. Fstoppers found the top holes line up with the hot shoe in a way that makes a NATO rail block it, which matters if you use generic accessories instead of Sony's handle.

Audio expandability matches between the two. The FX30 supports Sony XLR handles and a digital multi-interface shoe. It also supports timecode sync through an optional adapter and BNC cable. The FX30 launched in a kit with the XLR handle for $2,199.

Because the bodies share a form factor, the same cages, rigs and accessories fit both cameras. That also makes it easy to start on an FX30 and later move to an FX3, or run them side by side.

Price

The FX30 launched at $1,799 body only. In its comparison, Y.M.Cinema reported the FX3 at $3,898 and the FX30 as low as $1,500 in recent deals, a gap of about $2,400. Prices move with sales and bundles, so check current listings before you decide.

Fstoppers made a point worth keeping: at the FX30's price, a small production company could buy more than one, and having more cameras can matter more than higher-end features on some productions.

Which one should you buy

Buy the FX30 if

• You shoot mostly video and want Sony's cinema color, log and Cine EI tools for less money.
• You like smaller, lighter Super 35 lenses, or you want a B-camera that matches other Sony cinema bodies.
• You are newer to cinema cameras. Sony aims the FX30 at young creators and beginners.

Digital Camera World gave the FX30 five stars and said it makes the FX3 look a bit limited too. It also noted that casual vloggers and hybrid shooters may still prefer a conventional mirrorless camera. If you are unsure a cinema body fits your work at all, read when a cinema camera makes sense for creators.

Buy the FX3 if

• You often shoot in dim light, where the FX3's full-frame sensor and higher ISO ceiling help.
• You want full-frame depth of field and a wider field of view from your lenses.
• You shoot stills with flash or bursts, which the FX30 doesn't support.
• You want 240fps in HD.

The FX3 also has a proven track record on big productions, including a custom rig built for Gareth Edwards' "The Creator".

Whichever you pick, spend your first week learning the menus and picture profiles before a paid shoot. Our FX30 first-time setup guide is a good place to start, and most of it applies to the FX3 as well since they share the same menu system.