(Advanced Users) Sony FX9 Quick Start Guide Recommended Workflow
NOTE: This is for advanced users ONLY. If you don't understand the presented workflows please follow the (Beginner Users) FX6 Quick Start Guide instead.
If you are looking for recommendations on how to shooting using SLog3 with the FX9 please scroll to the bottom of this wiki.
This camera has a couple of quirks. If something isn't working and you are not seeing picture it might be one of these that are the issue. | |
Firstly, make sure the AC power is plugged in. Please view pictures on how to do so. It should remain plugged in, if it is not please plug it in. | |
Secondly, if you are attaching a lens via E-mount, please be careful when attaching it. You may damage the lens if you turn the locking mechanism too far. | |
Now that you have set up the camera properly now you may switch on the camera. | |
Our suggestion is to do a Factory Reset on the camera. We will show you how to do so in the subsequent parts. | |
First press the Menu button. | |
Then scroll using the knob shown to the Maintenance tab. | |
Then push in the knob to enter the Maintenance tab. | |
Once inside the Maintenance tab scroll down to All Reset and push in the knob to select All Reset. | |
Then select Reset once inside the All Reset tab. | |
Then select Execute. | |
Then a window will open asking if you would like to All Reset. Select Execute. | |
Once it has Executed the Reset Turn Off the Power. Then turn the camera back on. | |
The camera will be set to default settings but there are a few changes. Please follow how to set using the Recommended Settings Here are the Recommended Settings for this camera. Don't worry we will show you how to change all of these. Shooting Mode: Cine EI Codec: XAVC-I Video Format: 3840x2160p Frame Rate: 23.98 Color Gamut: SGamu3C | |
Now pull up the Menu and select the User tab. | |
Then select the Base Setting tab. | |
Then select Shooting Mode. | |
Then choose Cine EI from the list. | |
After that a window will appear asking if you would like to change the Shooting Mode. You will select Execute. | |
Now go back to the User tab and select the Rec Format tab. | |
Then select Frequency. | |
Then choose 23.98 fps. If the camera is already in 23.98 proceed to next step. | |
If prompted select Execute. Doing so will reboot the camera. | |
Then go back to the Rec Format tab in the User tab. This time go to Codec. | |
Then select XAVC-I Codec. | |
If prompted select Execute. | |
Now go and select Video Format. | |
Then select 3840x2160p. | |
If prompted select Execute. | |
Next you will go to and select the Shooting tab. | |
And then scroll until you find the Noise Suppression tab. Select that tab. | |
Then select Setting(Cine EI). | |
Toggle that setting to On. | |
Next go to and select the Project tab. | |
Then scroll down to and select the Cine EI Setting tab. | |
Then select Color Gamut and then select S-Gamut3.Cine/SLog3. | |
Next you will want to turn on a setting that will help with pulling focus. Because this is a Full Frame camera, the focus is much more sensitive and thus easier to get blurry picture. To help get focus turn on the Monitor Peaking. To do so go to the Monitoring tab. | |
Scroll down to Peaking and select that tab. | |
Then select Setting and switch it to On. You may adjust those settings from there to whatever will be the most helpful to you. I would recommend turning On Type Color, as that will make it more clear what is and is not in focus. | |
You're almost good to shoot, but there are a couple more recommended steps to complete before you should press record. We recommend performing an Auto Black Balance (ABB) once your camera has reached operating temperature. This will ensure your camera is capturing the best images possible. This is especially important when shooting in Log or RAW video settings as ABB reduces the amount of visual noise and artifacting your final image will have. | |
To ABB your camera first go to and select the Shooting tab. | |
The select the Auto Black Balance tab. | |
Then select Auto Black Balance. | |
The camera will ask you to Execute. NOTE: You must cap your camera to execute an effective ABB. | |
Now it's time to Format your cards. To do so go to the TC/Media tab. | |
Then scroll down to the Format Media tab. | |
What you do next is entirely dependent on your individual needs. However, we recommend Formatting all cards at the beginning of each production day so you can hot swap your cards as needed. This camera has dual card slots so you can be recording on one card and change out the other card, all while still recording. | |
Finally you will want to have a Waveform to view your light levels. To turn this on go to the Monitoring tab. | |
Then go to Display On/Off tab. | |
Then scroll down to Video Signal Monitor. | |
Then select Waveform from the list. |
SLOG 3 Work Flow:
Next we have some Recommended Guidance on how to use the camera while shooting in SLog3. Filming on these cameras in Log footage is NOT as easy as setting up the camera and pressing record. These cameras can be finicky and setting Proper Exposure is paramount, and how you do that is different from shooting in Rec709. This camera only has two Base ISOs when shooting in Log. Either Base ISO of 800 or Base ISO of 4000. That is it. So you must first set your Base ISO to match the environment you are shooting in. Now, there is a difference between ISO and EI. EI stands for Exposure Index and it is not the same as ISO. In fact changing your EI setting on your camera will NOT change anything on your actual file. The EI is ONLY changing how the picture looks when looking at your monitor. The reason for this is so you can see what your footage will look like when bringing in the footage for color grading. So because changing EI has no effect our recommendation is to first set your ISO to either 800 or 4000, then set your Focal Distance with your F-Stop. Then finally to adjust your aperture you should use your Variable ND Filter.
Your Variable ND Filter is located here. | |
You first need to engage it by pressing the Plus button. | |
Then make sure this switch is switched to ND Variable | |
Then adjust your ND Filter using this scroll wheel here. |
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