Cameras

Sony FX2 Cinema Line is now available in the Philippines

Professional cinematic quality in a lightweight build?

Published

on

The Sony FX2, the company’s latest addition to its Cinema Line, is now available in several markets following its mid-year release announcement.

Recently, it was also officially unveiled in the Philippines via a launch event that gathered creators, filmmakers, and more guests for a day of hands-on discovery.

GadgetMatch attended the event with this article’s author, Manila Connoisseur, and resident video producer, Deric Claveria.

It’s priced at PhP 184,999 if you’re getting just the body and PhP 204,999 with the XLR handle. You can get it through Sony Authorized Dealers in the Philippines — both online and offline.

On paper, here’s what you’ll get with the compact full-frame camera designed for creators and filmmakers:

  • 33MP Exmor R CMOS sensor
  • BIONZ XR image processing engine with AI autofocus
  • Dual base ISO
  • 15+ stops of dynamic range
  • 10-bit 4:2:2 recording
  • Sony S-Cinetone color science
  • Variable Frame Rate: Up to 60 fps in 4K (2.5x slow motion) and 120 fps in Full HD (5x slow motion)
  • Up to 13 hours of continuous 4K 60p recording
  • Log shooting: supports Cine EI, Cine EI Quick, and Flexible ISO modes
  • User LUTs: import up to 16 LUTs for on-camera preview
  • Active Mode and Dynamic active Mode for smooth handheld shooting

The Philippines launch event was also graced by distinguished guests: award-winning director Lee Briones-Meily and visual storyteller Miki Labarda.

Live demonstration

After a quick discussion, the event proceeded with a live demonstration. This put the camera to the test under fast-paced, real-world shooting conditions.

The scene filmed was a classic Filipino slice-of-life street setting with a local sari-sari store. The actors were that store’s owner, a customer, a dirty ice cream vendor, and a passerby.

That passerby was revealed to be a goon in the minute-long scene, trying to rob the female customer of her handbag.

Fortunately, the ice cream vendor came to the rescue with some combat expertise, eventually retrieving the bag for the lady.

Here’s a sneak peek although filming the result on a smartphone hardly does it justice. Anyway, it’s just to show how the Sony FX2 is able to capture everything in action:

It was Mrs. Briones-Meily who shot the entire scene at 24fps, which was presented in real-time via large television monitors inside the venue.

Looking at the result from the monitor, it was very evident how smooth the result came out. Personally, I am a sucker for such continuous shots (or “oners”) in films and series. There are the ones in Atomic Blonde, Creed, and Echo, to name a few.

Impressive tracking, stabilization

Deric couldn’t agree more. He said the stabilization is impressive, even when the camera is just handheld. And take note, this camera doesn’t even weigh that heavy for its size and capabilities.

It’s a lightweight full-frame camera you’d take to film such scenarios, or even just to step up your content creation game for results that are to be viewed on small screens like smartphones.

Particularly, Deric mentioned that for fast-paced action, which likely involves a lot of panning, tilting, and further combinations of camera movements, the camera should be able to handle the workload.

More than that, the AI autofocus and AI eye tracking features will also make it even more seamless for specific subjects to be highlighted in frame.

Quick test and try

After the demonstration, all participants had the chance to hold the Sony FX2 for a while and just explore and experiment with it.

While we didn’t really have the chance to film something on it, the few minutes Deric held on to it gave him a glimpse of just how capable it is as a GadgetMatch for its intended market.

Going back to the minute-long scene, some of the aspects that stood out were its color accuracy and how illuminated the entire shot looked, thanks to the camera’s dynamic range and dual base ISO.

Even if the camera is primarily marketed for shooting videos, these features also make it a standout for stills.

Moreover, as the camera allows you to shoot in log or apply your LUTs so you can view it in real-time on the touchscreen panel, there’s more flexibility for creators.

Naturally, filmmakers have a color grading palette or template that they apply during post-processing. Seeing that look in real-time while filming gives you assurance and streamlines the workflow in a way.

Enhanced ergonomics

Some of the physical aspects of the camera that Deric also appreciated were its tiltable viewfinder and the three quick access buttons up to.

The viewfinder allows users to move while tracking subjects like a rolling ball or if they just want a dolly shot.

And of course, the buttons give you shortcuts when you have to adjust settings on the fly. These are also remappable. Also, there is a double standard screw mount at the bottom.

Overall, Deric said the layout of buttons are intuitive, as they are easy to master once you’ve been using the FX2 for a while.

For streaming and other versatile setups, the FX2 likewise supports various connectivity options:

  • HDMI Type-A
  • Dual-band Wi-Fi
  • Wired LAN (via adapter)
  • USB Type-C (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps, USB Power Delivery)
  • Built-in USB/network streaming

Overall, the Sony FX2 provides a step-up for those who want professional cinematic quality for the content they create.

Cameras

Sony launches FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS telephoto zoom lens

Super telephoto zoom lens for hobbyists

Published

on

Sony has launched the FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS super telephoto zoom lens tailored for hobbyists and for a competitive price.

The compact and lightweight lens (approx. 654 grams) is meant for 35mm full-frame Alpha E-mount cameras, making it easy to carry to capture subjects that are difficult to appraoch.

This includes birds, sports scenes, and more. Landscape photography unique to super-telephoto lenses can also be enjoyed by making use of the compression effect. This makes the distance between nearby subjects and distant background elements appear closer together.

When used with a teleconverter, users can double the distance they can capture, with the lens supporting focal lengths of up to 800mm or up to 1,200m in APS-C mode.

With the latest optical design incorporating two ED glass elements and two aspherical elements, excellent image quality is achieved across the entire zoom range. These elements reduce chromatic and other aberrations for clear rendering.

Subject shooting can stand out as well in a natural and soft bokeh, with the lens’ 9-blade circular aperture. This makes the lens also ideal for close-up photography of flowers, insects, and other nearby objects.

In addition, the lens features a linear motor drive for fast, precise, and quiet AF performance to help capture moving objects. The lens also supports high-speed continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking at up to approximately 120 frames per second when used with the Alpha 9 III.

Built-in optical image stabilization also supports handheld shooting in the super-telephoto range, suppressing camera shake. Users can also utilize the camera body’s Active Mode image stabilization and coordinate image stabilization control.

In Singapore, the Sony FE 100-400mm F5.6-8 OSS will be available by the end of August for SG$ 1,099.

Continue Reading

Accessories

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is your next best pocketable 4K webcam

Fold the Flip for further protection

Published

on

By

OBSBOT Meet Flip
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Several months ago, you might remember that OBSBOT revealed the Tiny 3 series of web cameras.

Six months after, they also unveil the all-new Meet Flip. From the name itself, it’s the company’s latest foldable 4K webcam that puts hardware privacy front and center.

Foldable and pocketable

Despite weighing just 37.7 grams, the Meet Flip aims to deliver premium webcam features for all types of users. Be it remote workers, professionals, or content creators.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight has got to be the webcam’s folding design. Not only it’s portable, it protects your privacy too.

Closing the device physically blocks the lens, giving users a visual confirmation that the camera is no longer active. When it’s time for a meeting, simply unfold it and it’s ready to go.

That lightweight body also features a built-in mounting clip that works with laptops, monitors, and tripods. Users can mount it in landscape, portrait, or even upside-down orientations depending on their setup.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

Despite that absurd amount of lightweightness, the OBSBOT Meet Flip is still able to house a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology. That’s something more commonly found among bigger and higher-end web cameras.

Video Call

Other camera features include:

  • 4K video recording / 30fps
  • 1080p recording / up to 60fps
  • HDR support for challenging lighting
  • Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)
  • 4x digital zoom
  • f/1.8 aperture with ISO 100-6400 support for low-light environments

Beyond just video calls

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t just packed with serious camera hardware, it’s seriously intelligent as well.

The Meet Flip supports AI Auto Framing. This automatically keeps users centered during meetings — regardless if they are presenting alone or with a group. Gesture controls also let users activate framing or adjust zoom without touching the keyboard or mouse.

Video Call

Another standout feature is AI Magic Notes which provides real-time meeting transcription and automatically generates summaries, action items, and key discussion points.

The feature works with Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams through OBSBOT Center. Every webcam includes complimentary transcription of 120 minutes.

With that being mentioned, OBSBOT Center also makes users gain access to software features such as background blur, virtual backgrounds, beauty mode, and picture-in-picture overlays for presentations.

Those who want more advanced controls can enable Smart Eye Tracking, teleprompter support, and manual image adjustments.

Conference Meeting

Audio also gets an upgrade through an intelligent dual-microphone system that offers four recording modes:

  • Directional Mode / solo calls
  • Dual-Directional Mode / interviews
  • Smart Omni Mode / group meetings
  • Pure Audio Mode / unprocessed stereo recording

AI Noise Reduction and Automatic Gain Control are also available across most modes to help improve voice clarity.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

OBSBOT’s Meet Flip is also compatible with mobile devices through the OBSBOT Live app and supports integrations with accessories including Elgato Stream Deck, Nintendo Switch 2, and UVC-to-NDI/HDMI adapters.

Pricing and Availability

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is available starting today for US$119 through OBSBOT’s online store, Amazon US, and select retailers worldwide. Regional pricing may vary.

Continue Reading

Cameras

Sony announces new FX5 full-frame camera

Newly-developed sensor, Open Gate recording, more enhanced capabilities

Published

on

Sony has launched the new FX5 full-frame camera in its Cinema Line series with enhanced capabilities.

The camera is equipped with a newly-developed fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor and the latest high-speed BIONZ XR2 image processing engine, which includes a dedicated AI processing unit.

When shooting in S-Log3, the camera achieves 15+ stops of dynamic range. The broad latitude and low-noise performance enable seamless roll-off from highlights to shadows and natural texture reproduction, even in high-contrast scenes.

Three Base ISOs of ISO 800, ISO 4000, and ISO 12800 enable low-noise image expression under a wide range of conditions.

Moreover, Dual Gain Shooting function, supported for the first time in the FX series, maximizes the performance of the image sensor to enable smooth gradation reproduction with even wider latitude, while effectively reducing noise without compromising shadow detail.

For the first time in the Cinema Line FX series, the FX5 supports Open Gate shooting, as well as in-camera recording in X-OCN, Sony’s proprietary RAW format.

This includes a variety of scan modes like 17:9, 16:9, and super 35mm. This allows for flexible angle-of-view selection for the user’s creative intent.

The camera is capable of shooting in 5K at up to 60 frames per second, in 4K up to 120 frames per second and in FHD up to 240 frames per second.

These features bring together the Cinema Line look and operability designed to meet the needs of production environments in a compact, highly portable body.

The Sony FX5 will also include two new optional accessories: a detachable OLED viewfinder and an XLR Handle that enables recording in-camera at up to 96 kHz, 32-bit float.

The camera system incorporates expertise that Sony has cultivated through the development of Cinema Line cameras, which have earned high praise from cinematographers and video creators around the world.

Price, availability

The ILME-FX5 with XLR Handle Unit (SG$ 7,199) and ILME-FX5B Body Only (SG$ 6,399) will be available for pre-order until August 9.

The DVF-EL1 OLED Detachable Viewfinder (SG$ 899) and VMC-BNCU1 Timecode Adapter Cable (SG$ 129) will be available after Mid-August.

Meanwhile, the XLR-H2 XLR Handle (SG$ 1,099) will be available by special order.

On July 28, the FX5 will also be on display atThe Arts House At The Old Parliament from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., giving creators the chance to experience it for the first time.

Continue Reading

Trending