@@lexgraham I just got my FX30 a week ago and it has been a stellar piece of work. Even at 2500 iso in challenging scenarios with lots of contrast it still gives such an amazing video. I use it personally for real estate and it's a huge step up from an iPhone camera 😅 This video further proves that it's the user and not the camera's fault that there is "noise". 10/10 video, subscribed!
I would say, full frame is more psychological. People think they need it but don’t. The only reason I like full frame is so I can switch from full frame to super 35 and get 2 focal lengths out on one lens. However, I prefer super35/APSC for the smaller gear I can buy. I was about to buy an FX30 but I think I’ll get the LUMIX S5iiX.
@@daniellove162 I am also torn between the FX30 and the LUMIX S5IIX. This will be my first camera and I am leaning more towards the S5IIX based on the hybrid features for the occasional picture taken outing. I like that both have the ability to add an audio interface with two XLR connections for recording as I record electronic drums on occasion, but I read the Sony shoe XLR interface may me noisier than the one made for the LUMIX.
I fully agree. A lot of people have gone literally insane over camera specs, it's even worse than it was 15 years ago and keeps getting even worse. I often work as a second shooter in the wedding industry to make some extra money on the weekends when I'm not doing other work, and these wedding filmmaking business owners have worms in their brains about cameras. The FX3 people won't hire someone who shoots on an FX30; Sony shooters won't work with Canon shooters; Canon shooters won't work with Sony shooters... the Fuji and Panasonic people are one little clique. What an insane and ridiculous world. I would bet thousands of dollars that no one could tell the difference between any of the new flagship cameras of any of these brands if they are using the same lenses and have been color graded to match. NO ONE. Edit: And your comments about justifying their investment are spot on. People have such big egos and low self esteem (a terrible combination) that they will not only say the FX30 sucks, but they'll actually -laugh- at the FX30. This is from people who use the FX3... who are upset that there's a budget version of their camera that delivers identical picture quality. I don't even have an FX30, I just think it's ridiculous that the psychological disorders of videography business owners actually lead to newcomers to the industry being unable to find steady and reliable income to pay their rent. I bet there's at least one person out there who ended up homeless because of these topics, where they didn't find a paycheck because they accidentally got the camera that was given poor reviews on TH-cam or something.
I’ve been in the excluded category many times, I own fullframe and just because at the time it wasn’t Sony they said no. Another time I was using a bmpcc6k and got rejected cause it wasn’t a “real cinema” Camera. I couldn’t believe it!
I recently got my FX30, and my biggest worry was the "horrible" rolling shutter everyone was talking about. It's not there. Rolling shutter is good. Normal hand held stuff looks great.
@@jeanguillaume4589 Like I said bro, "normal handheld stuff" looks great. You want to do whip pans, can't help you, never done one, but you should know what you need, you're doing them. Ain't trying to sell you the FX30.
love this. people get all hung up on gear, numbers and lenes. but the best camera is always the one that gets the shot. filmming is about telling a story not about tech details. get the best shot you can, but get the shot.
Great and honest breakdown of this camera. I never understood the hate people have for the FX30. I shoot on the FX3, but have tried the FX30 when it first came out and was blown away by how close it was performance wise to the FX3. At the end of the day each camera has it's place in the bag, I am thinking of getting a FX30 as a B cam to my FX3 for interviews and other situations where i have a second shooter with me. Great vid, I am now a fan!
I mean the S5II is only 200$ more and is a better cine camera. It's not impossible but that's not how Sony operates. But my brain works better with the sony workflow and the AF is so good. The S5II is the first one to have decent AF. And I have small hands so APS-C is the perfect size, the sensor islarge enough and the body is not too large
absolutely agree with everything. low light is decent enough + could be easily fixed in DaVinci, the only thing I probably miss, its 120p without crop, but, on another hand, I had several occasions where cropped 120p was playing in my favor. currently saving for FX3 to be my A cam and practicing a lot with FX30. thanks for the vid!
You HAVE to make a vid on your color grading process (even if its just a LUT) because your colors look buttery smooth bro. Loving it. Btw as an A7s3 owner, I fully agree with everything you said. This camera is absolutely amazing & im considering it as a B-cam in the future
You are saying the same thing I was saying . I film music videos for artists and when the artist pay top dollar I rent a red , the image coming out of the fx 30 is high quality on par with the red . I filmed a music video for a rapper named chopper from the old tv show called making the band with the fx30 and he went crazy when he saw the footage. The low light shots we didn’t end lighting just the city lights and it came out amazing . That cine EI is on another level , the reason the fx30 looks like Netflix is because the fx3 is Netflix approved and the fx30 produces the same image quality.
Thank you, I have the Sony FX30 and it's a beast. All of these TH-camrs claiming the image isn't usable in lowlight should sell all of their gear and get a day job.
This camera is fantastic. I bought a pair. I dropped from Canon FF to the a6400. then moved to the FX30. The whole thing low light is not good enough, sure compared to the FX3. But the Arri Alexa is not a low light beast either. I can pump the camera to 6400 iso and on my 10 bit 4k Benq looks amazing. I am very happy. The big difference is the 10 bit. Color grading is so much easier and better.
You talk alot of sense and have won yourself a new subscriber! 🙂 It's refreshing to listen to a TH-camr who can describe a camera's place and purpose so well. 👌 It boggles my mind how a camera like the FX30 exists and gets bashed. It wipes the floor if you compare it to a camera like the FS5 which was released in 2015 for 6k odd. I was running around with a Shogun Inferno strapped to mine for years to get a decent 4k image 😅 Not meaning to bash the FS5 but just as way of comparison as to how far we have come. Kids are so spoiled these days!
Love how you put this all into perspective. You make the excellent point that this is a camera built to shoot under controlled conditions, and for its intended purpose it’s awesome. Not fair to evaluate it based on criteria that shouldn’t apply. And yeah, stop comparing it to FF cameras! Right on 👍
Ahh, I simply love this topic. You know what's funny? The majority of those people who complain about these things, such as colors, autofocus, sharpness are often the ones who don't know how to properly use that camera. In the last 2 years I've worked together with highly skilled filmmakers on various projects and I HAVE NEVER heard them complaining about these things, really. You know what I always find funny? People who complain about having no focus breathing compensation in the Sony A7S3...like...bro, you're a vlogger, is that really a freackin' dealbreaker? People have used mirrorless cameras for a decade and never complained about this and suddenly when they implement this feature, people start acting like they can't film anymore if the camera doesn't have this feature. Sure, it's a nice feature, but how the hell does that stop you from telling stories? I simply don't get this. As a Sony A7S3 user, even up until this day we're learning so many new things about this camera and, in my opinion, aren't even close to its limits, but hey, I guess many people want everything done for them, right? Also, the majority of people who complain about the noise being too high on these cameras are usually the ones who simply haven't invested enough time in learning how to colorgrade properly and you sir, have done an outstanding job with the shots, colors, composition here. Loved your low light shots, man!
I agree all the old guys have ZERO complaints cause they do a lot with a little. But the vloggers complaining about breathing compensation took me out 🤣🤣🤣 your on point though
"People want Full-frame in the cinema world because it takes the hard work out of having to light your scenes". Hit the nail on the head here, Lex. Full-frame is nice, but is not needed for professional results. The same goes for photography. I've switched from using a A7IV/FX3 to the XH2S as I thought the XH2S does both photo and video equally well and felt like its the perfect hybrid. I have zero regrets going to a APS-C system and aside from low-light and the difference isn't worth the added expense (at least in my case). I used the extra money thatI had selling my full-frame gear I bought more lighting equipment.
Great video. I was thinking the same thing about the reviews on this camera. A lot of people were complaining about the 'terrible' rolling shutter too, but it's actually really good! Not up there with the XH2S or FX3 but definitely at a pro level. Similar, in fact, to the C300 mkiii.
Great review bro! You're right, there were a lot of videos complaining about the noise. That comes from poorly shot underexposed footage. My experience was the same as yours and I enjoyed my time with it.
You're absolutely right on all points bro. I bought this to replace my bmpcc4k and comparing footage it's noise is on the same level. I'm moving more towards controlled lighting because even shooting in daytime extra lights and reflectors really take your footage up a couple levels.
I didn’t care what youtubers said about the camera, I still went for it even tho I was able to afford the fx3 or the canon c70, I went thru all the pros and cons on my own and found myself loving the fx30 more. Now I have everything I need for my fx30 but I have to wait till Aug to get mine 😭
You my friend, have just earned a subscriber from me. I was doing so much research between what I should get (ZV-E1, FX30 or A7Cii). You just sold me on the FX30. Initially I thought it was horrible in low light but your test just helped me a lot and convinced me to get the FX30. Thank you so much Lex. Keep putting out more content please
I've gotta say I'm impressed. We got the Sony A7iv because it's the go to camera I feel like now but I've been looking for a secondary camera to replace our Nikon and I've been trying to get a fair take on the FX30. Most people I've seen praise it but the price seems very good so I was worried there was a catch. Keep up the good quality work and you're gonna go far!
So true I’ve shot so much on this camera from sport events and promotional videos to music videos and it blows me away every single time low light was at the height of every TH-cam video I saw surrounding this camera and a lot of those videos couldn’t be further from the truth
Needed to hear this‼️🔥🔥 Upgraded from my a6400 to the Fx30, waiting for FedEx to drop it off as we speak 🙌🏽 you def justified it for me appreciate it 💯💯
Chose this recently over preordering the zv-e1. Got pulled back into professional work and the fx30 is the most cost effective way to have a reliable workhorse. Subbed!
You are so right. People can not compare apples to oranges. Not only is it unfair, but it is unethical to make statements that are incorrect. Keep up the great videos and thanks.
There are some, like myself, that prefer the genuine look that comes from using available light. This is most relevant for run and gun or travel style videos where you aren't carrying additional lights. Most YT'ers fall into this category which is why there is so much hate for the low light capabilities of crop sensor cameras in general. For serious filmmakers it makes sense to properly light a scene, but for the rest of us, that's not very practical. Love your channel BTW!
You don't get it. Even if you don't light your subject, the noise in the FX30 is so minimal rgsr it dies not matter. Looks you never shot po professional video. The mouse is there but it is so minimal that the average viewer would not even notice it! And as he said, if one so picky and anal, you can always clean it up in post.
I have the FX9 and when wanted a Gimbal shot I used the FX3... My image didn't match well as the resolution of FX9 was 6k down sampled to 4k and I shot on both FX's and there was a difference... Nearly went with A7iv but delayed the purchase and FX30 came out and it played well with the FX9 easily in post... Slightly sharper image and was a breeze in post... Great camera to go on the motorised slider, mounted it everywhere and also great on gimbal...
I believe a lot of youtubers are not really in the fields of Photography or Videography they are just reviewers. If you took them to a movie set or photo studio they wouldn't know what to do. You are a real film maker so you look at cameras differently
I agree, which is one of the main reasons that drove me to create this channel, I started to realize a lot of ppl don’t actually use the gear they talk about on set or on jobs
fX30 came in a time where I needed it the most,the FX3 was my 1st option but it was overkill and wanted something less than that but got the Sony reliability and the FX30 came out and I bought 5 immediately hahaha Multicam production was a step I wanted to take to diversify and stay up to date and what I needed camera wise is packed in the FX30
"I don't know if these guys are going in caves and hoping the camera does all the work FOR them..." - OMG you hit the nail on the head! I definitely have controlled situations, I have and use lighting - this is EXACTLY the video I needed to see - THANK YOU! Review after review people going into high contrast lighting situations and complaining that they can't pull back ALL the highlights and pull up ALL the shadow details - it's hard to suss out what this camera could do for ME since I don't just go out with a camera and "hope for the best!" I'm literally trying to gather info to decide which camera to get to shoot a movie - and right now the FX30 is my main choice, but trying to decide if I SHOULD cut into my budget (and it's a serious cut at the moment, so this decision needs to be as rock solid as possible) and get the FX3?
folks talk about crop as if they are losing something. Fact is, what you see in the view-finder or screen is what you get, whether APSC, or Micro 4/3, or full frame. Whatever you view is what fills the sensor regardless of size. All the hoopla about cropping and sensor size is just a bunch of Red Herring's for someone to believe they have something better than someone else. Fact is they all perform great. What you see is what you get. Some folk's are just never satisfied. So, ignore the Red Herring and use the camera set up you like and are comfortable with. That is all I got to say about that. 🤣
Dude, could not agree more with you. All you say is true. People should learn how to use their cameras before they pass judgement. All these talking heads on TH-cam reviewing FX30 just talk - but most of them have nothing to show for. They go on hour -long rant about cinematic quality of FX30, spent hours comparing rolling shutters , and look at noise with magnifying glass, comparing crop sensor to full frame - yet - their videos are amateurish takes of their cats and dogs in their backyards. Duh. People should just pick up camera - and SHOOT ! Only that way they will find out how great their FX30 is. Be good!
Just got one Insane quality for the price AF is pure magic - All in All so so easy to get high, predictable, consistent quality straight out of the box. Just so easy and fast to work with and get great results. Low light performance is actually very good. Only con really is s bit more rolling shutter but for my usage thats no issue.
Hey brother, I'm new at this, and I only have a Nikon Z30, but I really enjoyed your perspective in this video. All of these machines are really good. We need to get our lighting, composition and creative direction right first. Good stuff!
Excellent honest unbiased review. I am an old salt that is getting back in the production business. Was one of the first pros to use the Canon 5D MKII for video. Had to use old Nikon glass with adapter to get manual aperture lol. Cool look btw with vintage glass but I digress. Thank you for the awesome comments on this unit. I'm going Sony now building back my gear and was starting at the FX3 because of the ful frame sensor and my bias for it. BUT now I'm reconsidering. The low light looks absolutely incredible coming from the older bodies. Forget about the IS. I had the glide cam rig to make my shots smooth but now straight handheld is insanely good. What a time. Thank you, I'm subscribed!
Bro you nailed it and sold a Sony FX30... Lol. Back in the day I had a Panasonic GX80 that I never shot 4K video on because in a weird way the 1080p had a "natural film look". Fast forward to now I will definitely be using the 4K s-cinetone! It looks beautiful (and is rec709... Lol). Less work in post but gorgeous results! Thumbs up and sub... you didn't even have to ask! Blessings to your channel and keep that fire content coming!
@@lexgraham Yep, and there was a little grain texture also!... But that autofocus though.... Lol Their new camera has way better autofocus. I already have two great APSC lenses so all I need is the FX30 body!
Really appreciate your perspective. I was at the camera store the other day and was ready to pull the trigger, but the reported low light performance and the crop drove me away from it because I don’t also have money to buy more lighting. But.. looking at your footage, I’m sold.
I used to shoot news on a Sony BVW-200p so when people say that the FX30 is bad in low light I just laugh my ass off... they don't know bad in low light!
The fuji muddiness is more about the tone curve than the sharpness. It's an easy fix though. I shoot fuji and if you go to the luminance in the mid tones and lift it a bit you get a better high end with less muddiness.
Preach it! Great video man! Blown away by your discussion! I loved how you gave this camera some great pointers! I am still running 2 FS5M2 cameras and recently picked up an A7SIII. That Super 35 is great. Consider the movies that were filmed on Super 35 such as Terminator 2, Titanic, Apollo 13, and Black Hawk Down. That sensor is just fine!
You are talking about the fx30 like I was talking about the a6500 years back . People on TH-cam were saying how bad it was and the 1080p sucked but when I used it out of the box the footage looked like a movie . The 1080p that everyone said was awful was better than the 1080p in my 70d lol . I now have the fx30 and tbh the a6500 looks similar but I love the 4k60 , if the a6500 did 4k60 it will be on par with the fx30 .
dude youve got talent. that low light stuff, wow, super clean. Good job. Thanks for reinforcing my ideas about this camera. I dont get the elitist full frame mentality
I find it hilarious how videographers today often aspire to be cinematographers who really did know how to use lighting for dramatic purposes. Black & White Motion Picture film which was utilized to shoot classic Film Noir films used film stocks like Plus X had an ASA of 80 and the big breakthrough, Super XX at 160 ASA. Cinematography means "Painting with Light." So if one really one wants to be a real cinematographer, mediate and experiment as to how to utilize light, shadows and the absence of light to make dramatic statements. Takes lots of hard work to master. Still photographers today are often more aware of the importance of learning about lighting than videographers. Congrats Lex on putting the record straight: You don't need to have the lowest light sensor to make a great film, you need to be a great cinematographer! 😎😎
Real talk! I’m definitely getting the FX30, I need to get better at lighting. And the price point for this joint for what it offers is highway robbery!
You were already a huge inspiration for me when it comes to your well-graded X-H2S video's, but today you showed you are capable of fair reviews as well. It's amazing and refreshing to see that you are really rational and down-to-earth about making camera decisions .Also, great lightning and awesome audio in this video. I was really amazed by the footage, I thought it was the X-H2S, but you managed to make the FX30 really good. I probably haven't seen such good colors from Sony camera's on TH-cam. Especially 02:03 is amazing - as in straight from a music video (the composition is sublime too). And indeed, the endless search for better low-light performance is often void. I think there have been announced so many good relatively affordable camera's lately: the FX30, the S5II, the Fuji X-H2S. The footage looks all amazing and I would not have a problem using any of them - though I will likely upgrade to the X-H2S since I already own a Fuji X-T3 (which will become the B-cam) and I really love the F-log2 look, there is something so silky, rich and colorful about it.
Thanks i appreciate that wholeheartedly! 🙏🏾 and yeah I’ve used so many cameras but there is something special about the Fujifilm XH2s when using F-Log2. The way you described it is accurate. The LUMIX S5II is probably great, but the XH2S still beats it with internal codecs, better rolling shutter I could go on. It’s so slept on and tbh good for us cause there’s something unique and niche about Fujifilm and their users
@@lexgraham No problem man! Yeah, the X-H2S really has certain advantages that might be easy to forget. Especially an 1,5x crop in 4K 60p is really a bummer with the S5II. It’s feels such luxurious and very professional to have the exact same 1.0x FOV up to 4K 60p with the Fuji (I also noticed many camera’s actually have a minor 1.1 crop in normal modes, the X-H2S doesn’t.)
@@lexgraham I actually never clean-up my video files, but I notice that with Fuji files, the noise doesn’t really bother me too much because it’s quite monochrome. I remember that my Canon files (in the T3i/600D days) really became nasty when raising shadows in pictures, they became blue/purple and the noise would be really colorful and gross.
I think all of these modern cameras are pretty incredible. It’s all about whose hands the camera is in. And I totally agree with you, if the camera feels good in your hands, if it feels easy to get around in terms of the settings, if it edits well in your software, if the codecs are good for you, if the price is good, grab that camera. But then stick with it, because unless you’re making a huge jump to a high level cinema camera because you’re on set with a whole bunch of other people, there’s really no need to continue to change cameras. I was using a Sony a6400 for a few years, recently I got the Panasonic S5 because I needed a second camera for a project, and I’m sure I’ll be sitting tight right here for quite a while. I still use both of them, and actually it’s interesting that I saw your video tonight, because I’m using the Sony a6400 in some low light situation‘s over the next few days, and I found an incredible way to do that on another TH-camrs channel. A custom picture profile, that is just absolutely flawless. (Make Art Now) And that’s the a6400!! Obviously the S5 is a great low light camera. And so yeah, all of these cameras are amazing, including the FX30. Thanks so much for sharing. Great video.
Thanks for the breakdown man! I have an FX30 and an FS5 Mk2 and they both can get great images, most of the filming technology available now is miles ahead of tech that great films have been shot on even 20 years ago (I tend to being up 28 days later being shot on DV tape). It just seems like a perpetual arms race, the cameras many TH-camrs were singing praises for even 2 years ago get trashed now. Theres never a breakdown of useful guidance indicating what the value is in a particular camera and I like that you've articulated the FX30's use as a narrative tool. I like to follow Alister Chapman and his recommendations for use, he breaks cameras down as a cameraman and in one of his tests he shows how the FX30 is better than an FS7 which is still commonly used in high end productions today. Keep up the solid videos mate!
Brother Lex, thank you. Excellent job regarding perspective. I’m an enthusiast who shoots stills with an old Fuji mirrorless and Canon DSLR-the out of camera photos from both cameras are phenomenal! I use canon and Sony for video. For a one-size-fits-all camera, I narrowed it down to the A7SIII, but my budget cannot justify the $3,500 price tag. So, I began researching and following the FX30. I want to make more videos, but photos are priority. Ques: What’s your take on the out-of-camera stills from the FX30? Peace on your journey.
What lens do you have on your FX30. I have the Sigma 18-50 mm lens. Man, my first camera was a Canon T7i. That camera made me a better videographer. It helped me light my scenes properly. So the FX30 works great for me. I'm not worried about the crop sensor either. I love it. I protect my highlights using False Colors.
❤ I'm coming from the a6300 so I'm definitely curious about the be mindful of the highlights and shadows... is there any videos where you talk about that?
I mention that because when using the LCD on camera, the S-Log3 to Rec.709 preview image is extremely contrasty, so it may look like the highlights are blown out and the shadows are crushed. But if you expose correctly, all the information will still be there
Filmic is a better description. I have the X-H2S but really considering buying this one as well. I also agree with all your points about S35. Keep up the good work with these videos.
“As long as I see my image first and I have to look for the noise, then the noise is no problem” what a great way to put things into perspective👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks 🙏🏾
yeah..i purchased also the fx30..noise? yeah... but a bit of davinci denoiser and voila..no prob in 2 click
legendary speech
so truth!
@@lexgraham I just got my FX30 a week ago and it has been a stellar piece of work. Even at 2500 iso in challenging scenarios with lots of contrast it still gives such an amazing video. I use it personally for real estate and it's a huge step up from an iPhone camera 😅
This video further proves that it's the user and not the camera's fault that there is "noise".
10/10 video, subscribed!
"guys want full frame bc it takes the hard work out of having to light the scene"....dude, that's a great statement and true!
I would say, full frame is more psychological. People think they need it but don’t.
The only reason I like full frame is so I can switch from full frame to super 35 and get 2 focal lengths out on one lens. However, I prefer super35/APSC for the smaller gear I can buy.
I was about to buy an FX30 but I think I’ll get the LUMIX S5iiX.
Full frame or LF actually cost more to light for narrative 😂 ask any producer or gaffer. They have to ditch more money if a large format is used lol.
also they use an f4 lens instead of buying a decent fast lens lol. to cut it short ppl want good stuff for cheap lol
I’m not ashamed tho
@@daniellove162 I am also torn between the FX30 and the LUMIX S5IIX. This will be my first camera and I am leaning more towards the S5IIX based on the hybrid features for the occasional picture taken outing. I like that both have the ability to add an audio interface with two XLR connections for recording as I record electronic drums on occasion, but I read the Sony shoe XLR interface may me noisier than the one made for the LUMIX.
I fully agree. A lot of people have gone literally insane over camera specs, it's even worse than it was 15 years ago and keeps getting even worse. I often work as a second shooter in the wedding industry to make some extra money on the weekends when I'm not doing other work, and these wedding filmmaking business owners have worms in their brains about cameras. The FX3 people won't hire someone who shoots on an FX30; Sony shooters won't work with Canon shooters; Canon shooters won't work with Sony shooters... the Fuji and Panasonic people are one little clique. What an insane and ridiculous world. I would bet thousands of dollars that no one could tell the difference between any of the new flagship cameras of any of these brands if they are using the same lenses and have been color graded to match. NO ONE.
Edit: And your comments about justifying their investment are spot on. People have such big egos and low self esteem (a terrible combination) that they will not only say the FX30 sucks, but they'll actually -laugh- at the FX30. This is from people who use the FX3... who are upset that there's a budget version of their camera that delivers identical picture quality. I don't even have an FX30, I just think it's ridiculous that the psychological disorders of videography business owners actually lead to newcomers to the industry being unable to find steady and reliable income to pay their rent. I bet there's at least one person out there who ended up homeless because of these topics, where they didn't find a paycheck because they accidentally got the camera that was given poor reviews on TH-cam or something.
I’ve been in the excluded category many times, I own fullframe and just because at the time it wasn’t Sony they said no. Another time I was using a bmpcc6k and got rejected cause it wasn’t a “real cinema” Camera. I couldn’t believe it!
I recently got my FX30, and my biggest worry was the "horrible" rolling shutter everyone was talking about. It's not there. Rolling shutter is good. Normal hand held stuff looks great.
Really? What about whip pans? I want to shoot vehicles and fast moving objects
@@jeanguillaume4589 Like I said bro, "normal handheld stuff" looks great. You want to do whip pans, can't help you, never done one, but you should know what you need, you're doing them. Ain't trying to sell you the FX30.
love this. people get all hung up on gear, numbers and lenes. but the best camera is always the one that gets the shot. filmming is about telling a story not about tech details. get the best shot you can, but get the shot.
Great and honest breakdown of this camera. I never understood the hate people have for the FX30. I shoot on the FX3, but have tried the FX30 when it first came out and was blown away by how close it was performance wise to the FX3. At the end of the day each camera has it's place in the bag, I am thinking of getting a FX30 as a B cam to my FX3 for interviews and other situations where i have a second shooter with me. Great vid, I am now a fan!
cause folks want fx3 results for $1800 delusional lol
I mean the S5II is only 200$ more and is a better cine camera. It's not impossible but that's not how Sony operates. But my brain works better with the sony workflow and the AF is so good. The S5II is the first one to have decent AF. And I have small hands so APS-C is the perfect size, the sensor islarge enough and the body is not too large
absolutely agree with everything. low light is decent enough + could be easily fixed in DaVinci, the only thing I probably miss, its 120p without crop, but, on another hand, I had several occasions where cropped 120p was playing in my favor. currently saving for FX3 to be my A cam and practicing a lot with FX30. thanks for the vid!
You HAVE to make a vid on your color grading process (even if its just a LUT) because your colors look buttery smooth bro. Loving it. Btw as an A7s3 owner, I fully agree with everything you said. This camera is absolutely amazing & im considering it as a B-cam in the future
Playing with color is one of my favorite things to do so that’ll be coming shortly
I think the FX30 is a great sports camera.
The smaller size let’s you keep up with the action.
4K 120FPS
Great image quality
Boom
You are saying the same thing I was saying . I film music videos for artists and when the artist pay top dollar I rent a red , the image coming out of the fx 30 is high quality on par with the red . I filmed a music video for a rapper named chopper from the old tv show called making the band with the fx30 and he went crazy when he saw the footage. The low light shots we didn’t end lighting just the city lights and it came out amazing . That cine EI is on another level , the reason the fx30 looks like Netflix is because the fx3 is Netflix approved and the fx30 produces the same image quality.
I like that Mugsy Bogues - Manute Bol ref!
The KING of APSC video. I want to see Panasonic being there video centric APSC cameras!!
Thank you, I have the Sony FX30 and it's a beast. All of these TH-camrs claiming the image isn't usable in lowlight should sell all of their gear and get a day job.
This camera is fantastic. I bought a pair. I dropped from Canon FF to the a6400. then moved to the FX30. The whole thing low light is not good enough, sure compared to the FX3. But the Arri Alexa is not a low light beast either. I can pump the camera to 6400 iso and on my 10 bit 4k Benq looks amazing. I am very happy. The big difference is the 10 bit. Color grading is so much easier and better.
You talk alot of sense and have won yourself a new subscriber! 🙂
It's refreshing to listen to a TH-camr who can describe a camera's place and purpose so well. 👌
It boggles my mind how a camera like the FX30 exists and gets bashed. It wipes the floor if you compare it to a camera like the FS5 which was released in 2015 for 6k odd.
I was running around with a Shogun Inferno strapped to mine for years to get a decent 4k image 😅
Not meaning to bash the FS5 but just as way of comparison as to how far we have come.
Kids are so spoiled these days!
Love how you put this all into perspective. You make the excellent point that this is a camera built to shoot under controlled conditions, and for its intended purpose it’s awesome. Not fair to evaluate it based on criteria that shouldn’t apply. And yeah, stop comparing it to FF cameras! Right on 👍
Your grades on this thing look great too, man.
Thanks 🙏🏾
Ahh, I simply love this topic. You know what's funny? The majority of those people who complain about these things, such as colors, autofocus, sharpness are often the ones who don't know how to properly use that camera. In the last 2 years I've worked together with highly skilled filmmakers on various projects and I HAVE NEVER heard them complaining about these things, really. You know what I always find funny? People who complain about having no focus breathing compensation in the Sony A7S3...like...bro, you're a vlogger, is that really a freackin' dealbreaker? People have used mirrorless cameras for a decade and never complained about this and suddenly when they implement this feature, people start acting like they can't film anymore if the camera doesn't have this feature. Sure, it's a nice feature, but how the hell does that stop you from telling stories? I simply don't get this.
As a Sony A7S3 user, even up until this day we're learning so many new things about this camera and, in my opinion, aren't even close to its limits, but hey, I guess many people want everything done for them, right?
Also, the majority of people who complain about the noise being too high on these cameras are usually the ones who simply haven't invested enough time in learning how to colorgrade properly and you sir, have done an outstanding job with the shots, colors, composition here. Loved your low light shots, man!
I agree all the old guys have ZERO complaints cause they do a lot with a little. But the vloggers complaining about breathing compensation took me out 🤣🤣🤣 your on point though
"People want Full-frame in the cinema world because it takes the hard work out of having to light your scenes". Hit the nail on the head here, Lex. Full-frame is nice, but is not needed for professional results. The same goes for photography. I've switched from using a A7IV/FX3 to the XH2S as I thought the XH2S does both photo and video equally well and felt like its the perfect hybrid. I have zero regrets going to a APS-C system and aside from low-light and the difference isn't worth the added expense (at least in my case). I used the extra money thatI had selling my full-frame gear I bought more lighting equipment.
The XH2S is such a beast and it’s a shame Fujifilm doesn’t get the respect it deserves for that camera
Great point about seeing the image first and noise second
Now I DEF have to buy it.
Great video. I was thinking the same thing about the reviews on this camera. A lot of people were complaining about the 'terrible' rolling shutter too, but it's actually really good! Not up there with the XH2S or FX3 but definitely at a pro level. Similar, in fact, to the C300 mkiii.
I love the truthfulness and agree whole-heartedly with everything you're saying
Great review bro! You're right, there were a lot of videos complaining about the noise. That comes from poorly shot underexposed footage. My experience was the same as yours and I enjoyed my time with it.
Lex you made EXCELLENT points. Great video
You're absolutely right on all points bro. I bought this to replace my bmpcc4k and comparing footage it's noise is on the same level. I'm moving more towards controlled lighting because even shooting in daytime extra lights and reflectors really take your footage up a couple levels.
its a perfect camera sony has out done them self with this little beast great job sony
I didn’t care what youtubers said about the camera, I still went for it even tho I was able to afford the fx3 or the canon c70, I went thru all the pros and cons on my own and found myself loving the fx30 more.
Now I have everything I need for my fx30 but I have to wait till Aug to get mine 😭
You my friend, have just earned a subscriber from me. I was doing so much research between what I should get (ZV-E1, FX30 or A7Cii). You just sold me on the FX30. Initially I thought it was horrible in low light but your test just helped me a lot and convinced me to get the FX30. Thank you so much Lex. Keep putting out more content please
I've gotta say I'm impressed. We got the Sony A7iv because it's the go to camera I feel like now but I've been looking for a secondary camera to replace our Nikon and I've been trying to get a fair take on the FX30. Most people I've seen praise it but the price seems very good so I was worried there was a catch. Keep up the good quality work and you're gonna go far!
So true I’ve shot so much on this camera from sport events and promotional videos to music videos and it blows me away every single time low light was at the height of every TH-cam video I saw surrounding this camera and a lot of those videos couldn’t be further from the truth
Lex awesome summary, thanks buddy.
Needed to hear this‼️🔥🔥 Upgraded from my a6400 to the Fx30, waiting for FedEx to drop it off as we speak 🙌🏽 you def justified it for me appreciate it 💯💯
Excellent review prompting me to get this as a B cam to my FX6 for studio video podcasts over its hot tempered FF sibling the A7IV 😂
Chose this recently over preordering the zv-e1. Got pulled back into professional work and the fx30 is the most cost effective way to have a reliable workhorse. Subbed!
You are so right.
People can not compare apples to oranges. Not only is it unfair, but it is unethical to make statements that are incorrect.
Keep up the great videos and thanks.
There are some, like myself, that prefer the genuine look that comes from using available light. This is most relevant for run and gun or travel style videos where you aren't carrying additional lights. Most YT'ers fall into this category which is why there is so much hate for the low light capabilities of crop sensor cameras in general. For serious filmmakers it makes sense to properly light a scene, but for the rest of us, that's not very practical. Love your channel BTW!
You don't get it. Even if you don't light your subject, the noise in the FX30 is so minimal rgsr it dies not matter. Looks you never shot po professional video. The mouse is there but it is so minimal that the average viewer would not even notice it! And as he said, if one so picky and anal, you can always clean it up in post.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Good simple takes to show what you where talking about.
I have the FX9 and when wanted a Gimbal shot I used the FX3... My image didn't match well as the resolution of FX9 was 6k down sampled to 4k and I shot on both FX's and there was a difference... Nearly went with A7iv but delayed the purchase and FX30 came out and it played well with the FX9 easily in post... Slightly sharper image and was a breeze in post... Great camera to go on the motorised slider, mounted it everywhere and also great on gimbal...
I love my sony fx30. It's such a great video camera
Very good information.. great analysis
Respect to you bruh for this video I have the FX 30 with a 16mm sigma lens F1.4 great camera
I believe a lot of youtubers are not really in the fields of Photography or Videography they are just reviewers. If you took them to a movie set or photo studio they wouldn't know what to do. You are a real film maker so you look at cameras differently
I agree, which is one of the main reasons that drove me to create this channel, I started to realize a lot of ppl don’t actually use the gear they talk about on set or on jobs
We love an intelligent creator!
Good stuff bro! I picked up my FX30 last month. Just subscribed!
You got it just in time for those new updates
Great video man, in your test footage, were you using the 606 luts? If so, which one?
Man this is spot on I just got my FX30
fX30 came in a time where I needed it the most,the FX3 was my 1st option but it was overkill and wanted something less than that but got the Sony reliability and the FX30 came out and I bought 5 immediately hahaha
Multicam production was a step I wanted to take to diversify and stay up to date and what I needed camera wise is packed in the FX30
I appreciate this video man. Just some honest opinions and thoughts. Thank you
"I don't know if these guys are going in caves and hoping the camera does all the work FOR them..." - OMG you hit the nail on the head! I definitely have controlled situations, I have and use lighting - this is EXACTLY the video I needed to see - THANK YOU! Review after review people going into high contrast lighting situations and complaining that they can't pull back ALL the highlights and pull up ALL the shadow details - it's hard to suss out what this camera could do for ME since I don't just go out with a camera and "hope for the best!"
I'm literally trying to gather info to decide which camera to get to shoot a movie - and right now the FX30 is my main choice, but trying to decide if I SHOULD cut into my budget (and it's a serious cut at the moment, so this decision needs to be as rock solid as possible) and get the FX3?
Mans speaking facts ❤
folks talk about crop as if they are losing something. Fact is, what you see in the view-finder or screen is what you get, whether APSC, or Micro 4/3, or full frame. Whatever you view is what fills the sensor regardless of size. All the hoopla about cropping and sensor size is just a bunch of Red Herring's for someone to believe they have something better than someone else. Fact is they all perform great. What you see is what you get. Some folk's are just never satisfied. So, ignore the Red Herring and use the camera set up you like and are comfortable with. That is all I got to say about that. 🤣
This footage does look fantastic. Its a killer camera, but your grading is also quite nice, my friend.
Thanks !
@@lexgraham would you at some point show us how you achieved such a great look as in 1:33? :)
@@vasilykotov1415 sure
This is beautiful quality thanks for your review!
Yeah you earn a sub for this. Unbiased take led by common sense. More rare than you think in this day and age! Keep at it bro
Just got an FX30 and I’m super happy with it so far. Your analysis is spot on.
It’s an amazing value and someone can be the next Issa or web series.
Denoise AI can clean up that stuff so easily. Also, Topaz AI can upscale the footage to 8K and it looks really good.
The FX30 + DaVinci Resolv Denoiser = FX3
Your attitude and approach is great and refreshing. Thank you!!!
Dude, could not agree more with you. All you say is true. People should learn how to use their cameras before they pass judgement. All these talking heads on TH-cam reviewing FX30 just talk - but most of them have nothing to show for. They go on hour -long rant about cinematic quality of FX30, spent hours comparing rolling shutters , and look at noise with magnifying glass, comparing crop sensor to full frame - yet - their videos are amateurish takes of their cats and dogs in their backyards. Duh. People should just pick up camera - and SHOOT ! Only that way they will find out how great their FX30 is. Be good!
Rocking the sigma 18-35! Very nice! I have the same kit here
Just got one
Insane quality for the price
AF is pure magic - All in All so so easy to get high, predictable, consistent quality straight out of the box.
Just so easy and fast to work with and get great results.
Low light performance is actually very good. Only con really is s bit more rolling shutter but for my usage thats no issue.
Thank you. Excellent footage and review! And someone not in the echo chamber “ahhh, low light ahhh!” I’m thinking of getting the fx30.
Hey brother, I'm new at this, and I only have a Nikon Z30, but I really enjoyed your perspective in this video. All of these machines are really good. We need to get our lighting, composition and creative direction right first. Good stuff!
Excellent honest unbiased review. I am an old salt that is getting back in the production business. Was one of the first pros to use the Canon 5D MKII for video. Had to use old Nikon glass with adapter to get manual aperture lol. Cool look btw with vintage glass but I digress. Thank you for the awesome comments on this unit. I'm going Sony now building back my gear and was starting at the FX3 because of the ful frame sensor and my bias for it. BUT now I'm reconsidering. The low light looks absolutely incredible coming from the older bodies. Forget about the IS. I had the glide cam rig to make my shots smooth but now straight handheld is insanely good. What a time. Thank you, I'm subscribed!
Nice video ! Just subscribed. What LUT do you use with SLOG3 ? Very nice look in your video
Bro you nailed it and sold a Sony FX30... Lol. Back in the day I had a Panasonic GX80 that I never shot 4K video on because in a weird way the 1080p had a "natural film look". Fast forward to now I will definitely be using the 4K s-cinetone! It looks beautiful (and is rec709... Lol). Less work in post but gorgeous results! Thumbs up and sub... you didn't even have to ask! Blessings to your channel and keep that fire content coming!
Thanks I really appreciate that! And yeah probably cause 1080 had a softer filmic look
@@lexgraham Yep, and there was a little grain texture also!... But that autofocus though.... Lol
Their new camera has way better autofocus. I already have two great APSC lenses so all I need is the FX30 body!
@@ejpmusicandvideo yeah I want to say it’s AF is better then the Sony a7iv but “Sony said” it’s the same tech. Idk I feel like this is better.
@@lexgraham great!
Really appreciate your perspective. I was at the camera store the other day and was ready to pull the trigger, but the reported low light performance and the crop drove me away from it because I don’t also have money to buy more lighting. But.. looking at your footage, I’m sold.
I used to shoot news on a Sony BVW-200p so when people say that the FX30 is bad in low light I just laugh my ass off... they don't know bad in low light!
Nicely done, your video clips look great. FX30 is back in consideration.
you have got a sub for me just for putting these youtubers on blast...lol
🤣 thanks ! Somebody had to do it, may as well be me
@@lexgraham ikr.. looking forward to seeing more footage of the fx30, I'm going to be getting one in march
Bro I’m so glad you made this video . Finally someone told the truth!!
The fuji muddiness is more about the tone curve than the sharpness. It's an easy fix though. I shoot fuji and if you go to the luminance in the mid tones and lift it a bit you get a better high end with less muddiness.
Preach it! Great video man! Blown away by your discussion! I loved how you gave this camera some great pointers! I am still running 2 FS5M2 cameras and recently picked up an A7SIII. That Super 35 is great. Consider the movies that were filmed on Super 35 such as Terminator 2, Titanic, Apollo 13, and Black Hawk Down. That sensor is just fine!
Thanks man i was confused about this fx 30 camera because of low light
You are talking about the fx30 like I was talking about the a6500 years back . People on TH-cam were saying how bad it was and the 1080p sucked but when I used it out of the box the footage looked like a movie . The 1080p that everyone said was awful was better than the 1080p in my 70d lol . I now have the fx30 and tbh the a6500 looks similar but I love the 4k60 , if the a6500 did 4k60 it will be on par with the fx30 .
Hi man liked your video and light is so important. I shoot weddings and there are Times I run out of time so a low light capable cam is so helpful!
Estoy de acuerdo 😅😊
I am not bashing it but I was a little surprised with the noice level first time shooting. It’s not bad.
dude youve got talent. that low light stuff, wow, super clean. Good job. Thanks for reinforcing my ideas about this camera. I dont get the elitist full frame mentality
Thanks Matt & yeah me neither
I find it hilarious how videographers today often aspire to be cinematographers who really did know how to use lighting for dramatic purposes. Black & White Motion Picture film which was utilized to shoot classic Film Noir films used film stocks like Plus X had an ASA of 80 and the big breakthrough, Super XX at 160 ASA. Cinematography means "Painting with Light." So if one really one wants to be a real cinematographer, mediate and experiment as to how to utilize light, shadows and the absence of light to make dramatic statements. Takes lots of hard work to master. Still photographers today are often more aware of the importance of learning about lighting than videographers. Congrats Lex on putting the record straight: You don't need to have the lowest light sensor to make a great film, you need to be a great cinematographer! 😎😎
Real talk! I’m definitely getting the FX30, I need to get better at lighting. And the price point for this joint for what it offers is highway robbery!
Yes dude! Love this take.
I wish this was the camera for me. I think I’m really 50% video and 50% photography. For the last one, I feel a A7 IV is the better choice for me.
You were already a huge inspiration for me when it comes to your well-graded X-H2S video's, but today you showed you are capable of fair reviews as well. It's amazing and refreshing to see that you are really rational and down-to-earth about making camera decisions .Also, great lightning and awesome audio in this video. I was really amazed by the footage, I thought it was the X-H2S, but you managed to make the FX30 really good. I probably haven't seen such good colors from Sony camera's on TH-cam. Especially 02:03 is amazing - as in straight from a music video (the composition is sublime too).
And indeed, the endless search for better low-light performance is often void. I think there have been announced so many good relatively affordable camera's lately: the FX30, the S5II, the Fuji X-H2S. The footage looks all amazing and I would not have a problem using any of them - though I will likely upgrade to the X-H2S since I already own a Fuji X-T3 (which will become the B-cam) and I really love the F-log2 look, there is something so silky, rich and colorful about it.
Thanks i appreciate that wholeheartedly! 🙏🏾 and yeah I’ve used so many cameras but there is something special about the Fujifilm XH2s when using F-Log2. The way you described it is accurate. The LUMIX S5II is probably great, but the XH2S still beats it with internal codecs, better rolling shutter I could go on. It’s so slept on and tbh good for us cause there’s something unique and niche about Fujifilm and their users
If you are upgrading to the Fujifilm XH2s I have the perfect gift for you. Email me on my site www.skyloftfilmco.com for the details.
@@lexgraham No problem man! Yeah, the X-H2S really has certain advantages that might be easy to forget. Especially an 1,5x crop in 4K 60p is really a bummer with the S5II. It’s feels such luxurious and very professional to have the exact same 1.0x FOV up to 4K 60p with the Fuji (I also noticed many camera’s actually have a minor 1.1 crop in normal modes, the X-H2S doesn’t.)
@@BTMovieSecondChannel i agree 100% and what shocked me most about it is for a Super35 sized sensor it does great in low light and cleans up easy.
@@lexgraham I actually never clean-up my video files, but I notice that with Fuji files, the noise doesn’t really bother me too much because it’s quite monochrome. I remember that my Canon files (in the T3i/600D days) really became nasty when raising shadows in pictures, they became blue/purple and the noise would be really colorful and gross.
Great insights and even better comparison of two very capable cameras. Your footage with the FX30 looks amazing
Thanks Johnny!
Mmm first time watcher, like your attitude mate….if it’s got a plethora, I’m in! Always wanted one of those……😉
watched like a 100 videos but only you made my mind to go get it. cheers man. keep up
Well done, Lex. I think you made your point well and the images you've captured with the FX30 seal the deal. Keep up the good work!
Nice evaluation. I've been looking at a lot of FX30 reviews prior to ordering one, and yours was helpful and well balanced.
I think all of these modern cameras are pretty incredible. It’s all about whose hands the camera is in. And I totally agree with you, if the camera feels good in your hands, if it feels easy to get around in terms of the settings, if it edits well in your software, if the codecs are good for you, if the price is good, grab that camera. But then stick with it, because unless you’re making a huge jump to a high level cinema camera because you’re on set with a whole bunch of other people, there’s really no need to continue to change cameras. I was using a Sony a6400 for a few years, recently I got the Panasonic S5 because I needed a second camera for a project, and I’m sure I’ll be sitting tight right here for quite a while. I still use both of them, and actually it’s interesting that I saw your video tonight, because I’m using the Sony a6400 in some low light situation‘s over the next few days, and I found an incredible way to do that on another TH-camrs channel. A custom picture profile, that is just absolutely flawless. (Make Art Now) And that’s the a6400!! Obviously the S5 is a great low light camera. And so yeah, all of these cameras are amazing, including the FX30. Thanks so much for sharing. Great video.
Thanks! Im glad i could help, and yeah the low light situation is such an easy fix.
Thanks for the breakdown man! I have an FX30 and an FS5 Mk2 and they both can get great images, most of the filming technology available now is miles ahead of tech that great films have been shot on even 20 years ago (I tend to being up 28 days later being shot on DV tape). It just seems like a perpetual arms race, the cameras many TH-camrs were singing praises for even 2 years ago get trashed now. Theres never a breakdown of useful guidance indicating what the value is in a particular camera and I like that you've articulated the FX30's use as a narrative tool. I like to follow Alister Chapman and his recommendations for use, he breaks cameras down as a cameraman and in one of his tests he shows how the FX30 is better than an FS7 which is still commonly used in high end productions today. Keep up the solid videos mate!
Good vid and nice colors man!
Brother Lex, thank you. Excellent job regarding perspective. I’m an enthusiast who shoots stills with an old Fuji mirrorless and Canon DSLR-the out of camera photos from both cameras are phenomenal! I use canon and Sony for video. For a one-size-fits-all camera, I narrowed it down to the A7SIII, but my budget cannot justify the $3,500 price tag. So, I began researching and following the FX30. I want to make more videos, but photos are priority. Ques: What’s your take on the out-of-camera stills from the FX30? Peace on your journey.
Thanks. Regarding the stills they are fine if it’s all you have, but I will prefer the Fuji cameras for stills.
@@lexgraham Thanks a million. Be well.
What lens do you have on your FX30. I have the Sigma 18-50 mm lens. Man, my first camera was a Canon T7i. That camera made me a better videographer. It helped me light my scenes properly. So the FX30 works great for me. I'm not worried about the crop sensor either. I love it. I protect my highlights using False Colors.
Do you have false color on the fx30 or r u using an ext monitor?
@@ludovicavice3496 on a monitor. The FX30 doesn't have it.
Thanks for your insights and review, cost vs value is always a consideration, the FX30 is the current sweet spot.
“Light your seen noob” - media division
Good knowledge… keep it up G
❤ I'm coming from the a6300 so I'm definitely curious about the be mindful of the highlights and shadows... is there any videos where you talk about that?
I mention that because when using the LCD on camera, the S-Log3 to Rec.709 preview image is extremely contrasty, so it may look like the highlights are blown out and the shadows are crushed. But if you expose correctly, all the information will still be there
Filmic is a better description. I have the X-H2S but really considering buying this one as well. I also agree with all your points about S35. Keep up the good work with these videos.