The Sony FX3 has won “The Best Inventions of 2023” in the “Accessible Filmmaking” category by TIME. The obvious reason: This affordable camera was used as the sole camera to shoot a blockbuster (‘The Creator’).
“The Best Inventions of 2023” by TIME
Every year for over two decades, TIME editors have highlighted the most impactful new products and ideas in TIME’s Best Inventions issue. As stated by TIME: “To compile this year’s list, we solicited nominations from TIME’s editors and correspondents around the world, and through an online application process, paying special attention to growing fields—such as AI, green energy, and sustainability. We then evaluated each contender on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact”. As for the “Accessible Filmmaking” category, the Sony FX3 was chosen.
Sony FX3 takes the “Accessible Filmmaking” category
As stated by TIME: “The high-end cameras used to film today’s blockbuster movies can cost upwards of $100,000. But director Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) shot his recently released sci-fi epic, The Creator, primarily on Sony’s FX3”. Furthermore, TIME adds: “The camera can be purchased at electronics stores for under $4,000, and most viewers won’t see a difference in quality. The FX3 is light and compact, but its real superpower is a dramatically high ISO (the sensitivity of the camera’s ability to capture light), which allowed Edwards to capture difficult night shots without the need for extra lighting. As the director said while promoting the movie, ‘You can basically film in moonlight’”.
What does it mean?
Basically, TIME is not a professional coordinate for marking the best cinema cameras of the year. But you have to admit that this is a cool award. The problem is, that the Sony FX3 was not chosen by ‘itself’, but because a famous director has chosen to shoot his mega-project with it. The FX3 would not have won if Edwards had chosen other cameras. For instance, if Christopher Nolan chose to shoot Oppenheimer on the Z CAM, then was the Z CAM chosen as “Best Inventions of 2023”? Anyway, it’s funny to remember that when we revealed that the Sony FX3 was the sole camera on ‘The Creator’, everybody (including us) thought that this was a marketing stunt by Sony. This was not, as Edwards picked the FX3 because of its compact characteristics and low-light capabilities. Sony had nothing to do with it.
The article in 65 seconds
Product List
Here are the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- Sony FX3 Full-Frame Cinema Camera
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It’s nonsense.
And yet, they used the FX9 for VFX because of missing capabilities on the FX3. Not saying it is a bad camera. It certainly isn’t , but the FX3 wasn’t the only camera either.
I believe that Oren Soffer said that when they filmed on a Volume-type LED wall stage, they used the FX9 because the FX3 lacks genlock.
According to IMDb (whatever that’s worth), the DJI Mavic 2 was also used.
Ah yes, that’s what he said. American Cinematographer talks about the DJI Magic 2 as well.
It just bothers me that everyone on the internet thinks and says FX3 exclusively which is not true.
They shot in prores raw so there was plenty of info for VFX work coming out of the FX3.
Also, the camera came out in 2021. It seems this is just another marketing ploy to get people to watch that movie. Man to think I actually used to respect Time magazine.
Reminds me of Rolling Stone magazine blatantly schilling for certain musicians/record companies and radio stations in their annual “Best of” issue.
who here hates RED compressed raw patemts. me, sometimes👋