Sony’s IBC 2025 Updates – FX Cameras, Monitor & Control App, and the Future of Cinema Line

by Omri Keren LapidotSeptember 23^rd, 2025

Subscribe to News - Software

Sony has long been a staple of innovation in the cine world. Whoever seeks some foresight of what’s to come should consider the company’s strategy, as it not only produces excellent filmmaking tools but sets benchmarks for the rest. We sat down with Sony’s Nobutatsu Takahashi-san, the leader of the Sony Cinema Line, at IBC 2025 to discuss the state of the market, fresh firmware for popular cine cameras, and the latest advances to Sony’s Monitor & Control app. Here is what changed, why it matters, and where Sony sees things heading.

Sony’s ongoing commitment to smaller, cine, and hybrid cameras seems obvious for whoever’s in the field. The company also confirms this, while stressing the importance of a “gear pyramid”, based on basic models and all the way up to the likes of BURANO, VENICE, and some bespoke cinematic solutions. while stressing that mid-size bodies still anchor many productions. Matching color across the line makes it easier to mix compact units with FX6, FX9, or BURANO when a project demands it. On the software side, Monitor & Control now scales to larger multi-camera setups and adds wired options for studio work.

Compact cine cameras are gaining traction

Sony sees sustained growth in compact cine cameras. While medium-sized bodies will always be relevant for their ergonomic advantages, I/O ports, battery life, and overall workflow advantages, the compact cined cameras have carved themselves a significant share in the market. This notion may hint at a future FX3 in the making, though it’s nothing more than an educated guess at this point. One of Sony’s goals revolves around the interchangeability of look across the line, so crews can pair smaller cameras with the FX6 or BURANO and maintain consistent images. Newer designs like the recently added FX2 also show how viewfinder placement and handling can evolve for video-first use.

Firmware: FX3 and FX30 gain new tools

Recent free updates add the BIG6 quick home screen for faster access, plus additional anamorphic de-squeeze options. The FX3/FX3A and FX30 firmwares also broaden external recording choices and usability tweaks in response to user feedback. If you run either body, this is a practical quality-of-life bump rather than a niche add-on.

Enhanced Monitor & Control app runs on iPad and Mac

Sony’s Monitor & Control App now runs on iPad and Mac, with multi-view scaling up to 20 cameras on optional subscription plans. Wired LAN is supported on select bodies for low-latency studio control, while Wi-Fi remains available for other cameras or wireless workflows. The app includes the standard exposure tools (waveform, histogram, false color), focus controls including a limiter for preset manual pulls, de-squeeze previews for anamorphic lenses, and some project perks like framing presets and snapshots for quick storyboards. The basic, free plan covers smaller setups, while Premium tiers unlock larger multi-cam control and some additional features. Supported cameras include BURANO, FX6, FX3, FX2, FX30, and several Alpha bodies, with feature availability depending on camera firmware. Check the compatibility tables before a shoot.

To conclude

Sony’s updates reflect two significant priorities: Keep current compact Cine bodies competitive through firmware upgrades and consistency with higher-end models, allowing for an integrated, flexible system. Extending control options beyond the camera to allow up to 20 cameras to operate via a single iPad or Mac. If your workflow, as a production house, rental, or business owner, mixes various Alpha and FX cameras, as per Nobutatsu Takahashi-san, Sony believes this combination of unified color, practical firmware additions, and a maturing control app should be extremely useful.

Pricing and Availability

Monitor & Control is free to download, with optional subscription tiers for advanced functions. Here’s how it works:

• Free: Basic camera monitoring tools such as focus, iris/shutter control, focus bar, shutter/angle display switching, markers, etc.
• Basic paid plan, $5/mounth or $50 yearly adds features like snapshot, simultaneous setting changes on all cameras during multi-camera monitoring, high-resolution monitoring through HDMI/UVC (on Xperia phones)
• Premium plan, $23/month or $230 yearly, adds multi-camera monitoring on Mac and up to 20 connected cameras for complex multi-camera sessions.

Will you consider subscribing to the app, replacing your current multi-cam rig? Does Sony’s logic regarding the unified workflow of various camera bodies make sense to you? Let us know in the comments.