A new BIONZ XR processing engine offers up to 8x greater processing performance compared to previous generations, which enables faster overall performance, impressive image quality with wide sensitivity and dynamic ranges, and more fluent processing that's capable of handling a bevy of AI tasks and intelligent AF alongside imaging processes. This processing system also reduces rolling shutter and other motion distortions for clean rendering of moving subjects.

In terms of shooting speeds, the sensor and processor enable up to 10 fps shooting, at full resolution with a mechanical shutter, for up to 583 consecutive compressed raw frames, with full-time AF/AE. If shooting JPEG only, more than 1000 frames can be recorded in a single burst.

 

• Human, which tracks body and head positions for accurate portraits. Real-time Eye AF performance has also been improved by 60% thanks to the human pose estimation capabilities.
• Animal, Bird, and Animal/Bird modes are now 40% more accurate for tracking and recognizing a variety of animal types. Recognition of these subjects includes dogs, cats, birds and more, with the ability to pinpoint focus on eyes and recognize animal bodies and heads.

• Insect recognition offers even finer performance with the ability to detect the head or entire insect subject.
• Car/Train and Airplane recognition means the camera can detect the front part of a train, nose of an airplane, or easily detect the entire fast-moving subject.

Real-time Tracking benefits from AI-based subject recognition for following moving subjects, making it particularly well-suited to sports and action subjects. Also, Human pose estimation allows the camera to distinguish between multiple people and maintain focus on the targeted subject; even if someone crosses in front, the camera maintains focus on the key person.

 

• Real-time Eye AF is fully supported during video recording, for subject detection and tracking of human, animal, and bird eyes while shooting.
• Focus Map is a unique way of visualizing depth of field and functions in a similar way to peaking with a colorful overlay of the scene that indicates which parts of the scene are in front of and behind the focus point depending on the chosen aperture.
• A feature carried over from the FX6 digital cine camera, AF Assist lets you intuitively switch over to manual focus control for adjusting focus position when working with AF. This is a quick way to shift selective focus between various subjects in a scene while recording.
• A unique solution to compensate for how certain lenses perform when racking focus, Focus Breathing compensation will automatically smooth focus transitions and maintain a consistent field of view when changing the focus position during a shot. This mode crops into the image slightly and corrects for any detected shifts in composition when focusing is happening. This function is compatible with select E-mount lenses, check Breathing Compensation lens compatibility here.

• Full-size HDMI A port offers a more reliable connection when working with external recorders.
• A USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port has been added, in addition to a micro-USB port, for faster, more reliable tethering support. The USB-C connection allows the camera to be charged or powered from the host power source while connected.
• PC sync terminal for wired flash sync with strobe packs or wireless radio remotes.
• Both 3.5mm headphone and external microphone ports facilitate greater control over audio recording.
• Multi Interface Shoe supports working with the optional ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone or XLR-K3M XLR Adapter Kit, which provide improved, clear audio recording sound by sending a digital audio signal to the camera, opposed to an analog signal.