Sony FX5 arrives in the Philippines at ₱318,000
The Sony FX5 is now official in the Philippines, and it marks the biggest step forward for Sony's compact Cinema Line in years: 5K open gate video, internal RAW recording, and a new full-frame sensor with triple-base ISO. Sony has set the local price at ₱318,000 for the body-only ILME-FX5B and ₱349,000 for the ILME-FX5 kit that adds the XLR handle unit. Pre-orders run from July 23 to August 24, and early buyers get a free NP-SA100 battery worth ₱6,400 through participating Sony Centres and authorised retailers.
Globally, Sony's launch announcement lists the body at $4,899.99 (around ₱302,300) and the XLR kit at $5,499.99 (around ₱339,350), with shipping starting in mid-August. The Philippine peso pricing sits close to those figures once local taxes are added.
A new full-frame sensor with triple-base ISO
At the heart of the FX5 is a newly developed full-frame, fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor paired with the BIONZ XR2 processor and a dedicated AI unit. Sony rates it at 15+ stops of dynamic range in S-Log3 (a flat colour profile that captures more detail for editing) and gives it three base ISO settings: 800, 4000, and 12800. A base ISO is the sensitivity level where the sensor produces its cleanest image, so having three of them lets shooters keep noise low in both bright daylight and dim interiors. A Dual Gain shooting mode further widens the usable range.
Autofocus is handled by Sony's AI unit, which adds human pose estimation so the camera can keep a moving subject sharp. The body also includes 5-axis in-body stabilisation and a 3.5-inch touchscreen with 2.76 million dots, plus a high-efficiency cooling system for long recording sessions.
5K open gate and internal X-OCN RAW
The headline features are open gate recording and internal RAW. Open gate reads the full 3:2 area of the sensor, which gives editors extra room to crop or reframe for vertical and social formats from a single take. For the first time in the FX series, the FX5 records internally in X-OCN, Sony's 16-bit RAW format, using new X-OCN C1 and C2 codecs. It shoots 5K at up to 60fps, 4K at up to 120fps, and Full HD at up to 240fps for slow motion.
Two optional accessories extend the camera: a detachable OLED viewfinder and an XLR handle unit that records audio in-camera at up to 96kHz, 32-bit float. "The FX5 builds on Sony's Cinema Line expertise... taking it one step further with VENICE 2 features like internal RAW recording and Open Gate," said Yang Cheng, Sony's VP of Imaging Solutions.
How it stacks up against Canon
Sony is catching up to features Canon introduced first. As Digital Camera World notes, open gate debuted on Canon's EOS C50 and triple-base ISO appeared on Canon's C400 and C80. The FX5's pitch is that it packages these professional tools, borrowed from Sony's high-end VENICE line, into a small body that filmmakers can rig up or shoot handheld. Sony's Alpha Universe page frames it as a bridge between the mirrorless Alpha bodies and full cinema cameras.
For local shooters weighing options, the FX5 sits well above the recently launched Canon EOS R6 V, which is ₱148,998 in the Philippines and also offers open gate video. The R6 V is a hybrid photo-video camera, while the FX5 is a dedicated video tool with cinema controls and internal RAW.
What it means for Filipino creators
At ₱318,000 for the body alone, the FX5 is aimed at professional videographers, wedding and events studios, and commercial production houses in the Philippines rather than casual buyers. The free NP-SA100 battery and local warranty support through Sony Centres make the pre-order period the cleaner buying window. For studios already invested in Sony E-mount lenses, the internal RAW and open gate features remove the need for external recorders, which can lower the total kit cost over time.
