Sony FX3 vs FX5: Is It Worth Upgrading?

If you shoot video professionally, there is a good chance the Sony FX3 has been on your radar for a while. It is one of those cameras that managed to find a sweet spot between a compact body, excellent image quality and genuinely useful video features.

But now Sony has introduced the FX5, and suddenly there is a new question for FX3 owners.

Is the FX5 actually worth upgrading to?

The short answer is yes, the FX5 is a better camera.

The more useful answer is that it depends on what you actually shoot.

For a lot of videographers, the FX3 is still more than capable of producing excellent professional footage. If you are a London videographer shooting weddings, corporate films, interviews, social content or promotional videos, there is nothing about the FX3 that suddenly makes it obsolete.

However, the FX5 does bring some significant improvements that could make a real difference to certain types of production.

The Sony FX3 is still an excellent camera

Before looking at the FX5, it is worth remembering just how good the FX3 is.

The FX3 has a full frame sensor, 15+ stops of claimed dynamic range, excellent low light performance and 4K recording at up to 120fps. It also has Sony's excellent autofocus system and S Cinetone, making it very easy to get great looking footage without spending hours grading every shot.

One of the biggest advantages of the FX3 is its size.

It is small enough to put on a gimbal without creating a huge setup. It is easy to carry around all day, works brilliantly for handheld shooting and is particularly useful when you are working on your own.

For weddings and corporate work, that can be more important than having the latest specifications.

The FX3 also records 4K 120fps using full pixel readout, which is still an incredibly useful feature for slow motion.

So this is not a situation where the FX5 makes the FX3 look outdated overnight.

So what does the FX5 actually give you?

This is where things get interesting.

The FX5 introduces a completely new full frame stacked sensor and a new BIONZ XR2 processor with built in AI processing. Sony claims 15+ stops of dynamic range, while the camera introduces three base ISO settings at 800, 4000 and 12800.

That extra high base ISO is potentially a big deal for anyone regularly working in difficult lighting.

If you shoot events, weddings, night time footage or interiors where you do not have complete control over the lighting, being able to move between those base ISO settings could give you cleaner results while retaining plenty of dynamic range.

And this is one of the areas where the FX5 feels like more than just an FX3 replacement.

Open Gate is a big addition

One of the most interesting features of the FX5 is Open Gate recording.

The camera can use the full 3:2 area of the sensor, giving you more image area to work with when reframing footage later. Sony says the FX5 can record 5K up to 60fps in full frame 3:2 mode.

For anyone producing content for multiple platforms, this could be extremely useful.

You might shoot a single piece of footage and then create a traditional 16:9 version for YouTube, a vertical version for Instagram or TikTok and other crops for social media.

Instead of having to choose your framing quite so carefully while shooting, Open Gate gives you considerably more flexibility afterwards.

For modern commercial video production, that is a genuinely useful feature rather than simply something impressive to put on a specification sheet.

Internal RAW is probably the biggest reason to upgrade

The FX5 also introduces internal X OC N recording.

This is a big step up from the FX3 if you want a more serious RAW workflow, because the FX5 can record Sony's 16 bit scene linear X OC N internally without requiring an external recorder.

For larger productions where you want maximum flexibility in post production, this could be a very compelling reason to move to the FX5.

But there is an important point here. If you are delivering straightforward corporate films, weddings, social media content or promotional videos, you may not actually need RAW. XAVC footage from the FX3 is already extremely good.

There is little point spending more money on a camera because it can record a format that you rarely use.

The FX5 is also more sophisticated for professional production

The FX5 feels much more like a camera designed to sit comfortably in a professional production environment.

It has a larger 3.5 inch screen, more advanced monitoring and connectivity options, built in anamorphic de squeeze, improved stabilisation and a much more sophisticated audio setup when using the new XLR handle.

The FX5 also supports 32 bit float audio through its XLR handle, which could be particularly useful for interviews and documentary style shooting where audio levels can change unexpectedly.

For someone building a camera system around professional production rather than simply wanting a small cinema camera, the FX5 makes a lot of sense.

What about image quality?

This is probably the question most people will be asking.

Will the FX5 suddenly make your footage look dramatically better than the FX3?

I would not expect the difference to be night and day.

Both cameras are capable of producing excellent full frame footage with a cinematic look. The FX3 already has 15+ stops of dynamic range and very strong low light performance.

The FX5's advantages are more about how much flexibility you have around that image.

You get the new stacked sensor, three base ISOs, Dual Gain Shooting, Open Gate, internal X OC N, improved processing and more advanced monitoring and recording options.

In other words, the FX5 gives you more options.

It does not suddenly make the FX3 incapable of producing beautiful footage.

Is the FX5 better for weddings?

This is where I think the decision becomes more interesting.

If you are shooting weddings, the FX3 remains an incredibly practical camera.

Its compact size is a major advantage. You can put it on a gimbal, carry it around for hours and move quickly without feeling like you are carrying a full cinema camera.

The FX5 is still compact, but it is moving further towards a professional production camera.

The improved stabilisation, autofocus, low light capabilities and monitoring could all be useful during a wedding, particularly when conditions become difficult.

But if your FX3 is already producing footage that your clients love, I would not upgrade simply because the FX5 exists.

Your lenses, lighting, audio, shooting technique and ability to capture the right moment will still have a much bigger impact on the final film.

What about corporate and commercial work?

This is probably where I see the strongest argument for the FX5.

If you regularly shoot interviews, branded films, corporate productions and larger commercial projects, the extra capabilities start to make much more sense.

Open Gate gives you additional flexibility for different deliverables.

Internal X OC N gives you a much more serious RAW workflow.

The new sensor and three base ISO system give you more options in difficult lighting.

The larger screen and improved monitoring make the camera more comfortable to operate on professional shoots.

And the more advanced audio and connectivity options make it easier to build the camera into a larger production setup.

For a London videographer working across corporate and commercial productions, those things can genuinely save time on set and in post.

Should FX3 owners upgrade?

For me, there are three types of FX3 owner.

If the FX3 already does everything you need Keep it. There is no urgent reason to sell an FX3 simply because the FX5 has arrived.

If you are happy with the image quality, autofocus, low light performance and workflow, the FX3 is still a fantastic professional camera.

If you are starting to hit the limitations of the FX3

This is where the FX5 becomes much more interesting.

If you want Open Gate, internal X OC N, better low light flexibility, improved stabilisation or more professional monitoring and audio options, then the FX5 offers a meaningful upgrade.

You are not simply paying for a newer version of the same camera.

If you are buying your first serious Sony cinema camera

This is probably the easiest decision.

If the budget allows it and you know you are going to make use of the additional features, the FX5 is the more capable long term investment.

But the FX3 remains a fantastic option if size, weight and price are more important.

FX3 or FX5?

For me, it comes down to this.

Choose the FX3 if you want a small, lightweight cinema camera that can produce outstanding footage and work almost anywhere.

Choose the FX5 if you want a more advanced production camera with greater flexibility, Open Gate, internal RAW, improved low light options and more professional features.

And if you already own an FX3, I would not rush out and upgrade unless you can point to a specific FX5 feature that will actually improve the way you work.

That is probably the most important thing to remember.

New camera technology is exciting, but the best upgrade is the one that solves an actual problem.

For many filmmakers, the FX3 is still going to do exactly that.

For others, particularly those working on larger commercial productions or wanting more flexibility in post production, the FX5 could be a very worthwhile step up.

The FX3 has not suddenly become a bad camera.

The FX5 has simply raised the ceiling.