A few photos have emerged showing Sony’s next camera, depicting a look that combines the body profile of the Alpha series with cinema camera buttons. Called the FX3, it has much in common with the design philosophy of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.
In the two images that leaked online, it appears that the camera is much more than an idea and is probably currently being tested in the field.
The photo was removed by the original uploader but shared on Twitter. The text “Cinema Line FX3” is visible at the top of the camera opposite a traditional mountain shoe and which appears to be a multiple joystick and a large “recording button”.
The joystick, which would normally be on the back of the camera, may have been moved to make room for the much larger polygonal rear LCD that looks like the design found on the Panasonic Lumix S1H, which, although slightly clumsy. , is considered one of the best angled LCD designs in an SLR-like camera. The back of the FX3 otherwise looks a lot like other Sony Alpha bodies.
The main rectangle of the camera body appears to be made of metal and also screw points (such as a built-in cheese plate) for mounting the FX3 in larger camera equipment are clearly screwed. The protruding handle has the typical shutter button for still cameras and gear, but in the second image it looks like it was made of a different material than the rest of the body, probably plastic.
The inclusion of the front button apparently indicates that the FX3 is designed to take still photos as well as record videos, despite the designation “cinema line”.
The whole package looks very compact and similar to the a7C or the a7 III, which causes many people to assume that it is a compact cinema camera fully designed to compete directly with the S1H and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera in which, as mentioned, the FX3 has many design choices in common.
Further unverified rumors claim that the camera will record 4K at up to 120 frames per second, will not support 8K recording, will take CFexpress Type A cards (such as the a7S III and Alpha 1) and cost 3,750 Euro (~ $ 4,600) .
(via Sony Alpha rumors)