Sony FX5 Full Frame Cinema Camera - Nauticam

The Sony FX5 brings VENICE-class capability into a body barely larger than the FX3. A newly developed full-frame, fully-stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor paired with the BIONZ XR2 processing engine delivers 15+ stops of dynamic range in S-Log3, three base ISOs, and a Dual Gain Shooting mode that holds shadow detail without adding noise. For the first time in the FX series, the camera records 3:2 Open Gate using the full sensor area and writes Sony's 16-bit X-OCN RAW internally, with no external recorder in the loop. For underwater cinematographers, that means the entire acquisition chain now fits inside a housing.

Key Camera Specs

• Full-frame fully-stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with BIONZ XR2 engine and dedicated AI processing unit
• 15+ stops of dynamic range in S-Log3, with base ISOs of 800, 4000 and 12800
• Dual Gain Shooting mode, a first for the FX series
• 3:2 Open Gate full-pixel readout, plus 17:9, 16:9 and Super 35mm scan modes
• Internal 16-bit X-OCN RAW recording, including the new X-OCN C1 and C2 codecs
• 5K up to 60 fps, 4K up to 120 fps, FHD up to 240 fps
• AI human pose estimation autofocus with Real-time Tracking
• 5-axis optical in-body stabilization with roll correction range approximately double that of the FX3

Water is an unforgiving optical element, and correcting for it is what Nauticam has spent more than a decade engineering. Nauticam water-contact optics treat the water itself as part of the optical formula rather than something to shoot through, which is how they deliver wide fields of view with corner-to-corner sharpness and close focus performance that a full-frame sensor recording 5K Open Gate will genuinely resolve. Paired with the right Nauticam port or wet optic, the FX5 gives up nothing underwater.

The Nauticam NA-FX5

The NA-FX5 carries forward the control layout, port system and monitoring options proven on the NA-FX3, including Nauticam's patented port locking lever. Unveiled on the very first Nauticam DSLR housing in 2009, this locking lever has become a signature of the Nauticam brand. No twisting or threading action is required to mount a port, and it locks securely in place with this lever. Machined from solid aluminum block and hard anodized, the housing is depth rated to 100m. Full specifications, port chart and accessory list will be published ahead of shipping.

Mission Control Design

Every control a cinematographer reaches for mid-take is placed within reach of the ergonomic handles, which feature stainless steel stiffening brackets to reduce unwanted movement even when the rig is loaded with large video lights. Record, ISO, iris, white balance and menu navigation are all accessible without breaking grip mid-take.

Premium Professional Optics

The NA-FX5 uses the N100 Port System, providing access to Nauticam's full range of professional glass and acrylic dome ports, macro ports, and premium water-contact optics including the WACP series, WWL wide angle wet lenses, the MFO, and the SMC and CMC macro converters. These are the finest underwater optics available, designed using industrial lens design software and built to a standard that has made them the reference for professional underwater imaging.

Sony builds superb wide glass, and a lens like the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II performs well behind a Nauticam glass dome port. Some loss of edge sharpness and contrast is an unavoidable limitation of any dome. Nauticam water contact optics maximize sharpness corner to corner while improving contrast and autofocus performance. That advantage matters most on the larger frame area the FX5 uses in Open Gate, where the extreme corners of the sensor are in play on every frame.

Recommended Optical Combinations

• Sony FE 24-50mm f/2.8 G with the WACP-1 — the highest resolving fast zoom available on this format and the first choice when image quality drives the decision. The constant f/2.8 aperture is usable wide open, and the lens drives the FX5's autofocus and subject tracking exceptionally well.
• Sony FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6 with the WACP-C — the same water-corrected optical approach in a noticeably more compact and lighter package, for shooters building a rig they have to travel with.
• Sony FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6 with the WWL-1B — the most compact water-corrected solution possible, and removable in the water so a single dive can cover wide reef scenes and mid-range subjects without a port change.

On the macro end, the new Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM sets the bar for macro performance on this format, and Nauticam's accessory optics turn it into the most versatile lens in the bag. The MFO-1 improves overall image quality with a slight increase in magnification and meaningfully improves autofocus speed and accuracy. The MFO-3 widens the field of view for fish portraits and larger critters. The SMC-3 delivers the highest magnification in the range for the smallest subjects. All three mount in the water on a flip holder, so a single dive can cover a fish portrait, a nudibranch and a subject barely visible to the naked eye without ever changing a port.

HDMI Output

An optional HDMI bulkhead and internal cable route the camera's HDMI signal to an external monitor housing, allowing accurate framing, focus and exposure confirmation on a large display.

Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System

Nauticam's moisture alarm is built in, and the optional vacuum valve allows the housing to be pressure checked and monitored before every dive. The system is temperature compensated, eliminating false alarms as the camera warms or as the rig moves between air and water temperatures.

Preorders are being accepted now. Preorder units ship in the order received once the housing arrives in mid-September 2026. Final pricing, part number and port chart to follow.