Sony FX5 Requires VPG400 CFexpress Type A Cards for Top RAW Recording

The new FX5 cinema camera from Sony requires VPG400 CFexpress Type A memory cards to utilize its advanced video recording capabilities, including internal 16-bit RAW Open Gate recording. This marks the first instance of a Sony FX or Alpha camera necessitating VPG400, although the $25,000 Sony CineAlta Burano also employs it. A pre-production FX5 tested by PetaPixel with a VPG200 card issued a warning but managed to record without any frame drops. The anticipated shipping version, set to launch in mid-August, may disable incompatible options. VPG400 certification ensures a minimum write speed of 400 MB/s, as verified by the Compact Flash Association. While the FX5 supports 5K resolution and X-OCN 16-bit RAW files at data rates not exceeding 200 MB/s, certain codecs are restricted to VPG400 cards. Prices for certified cards range from $100 for an 80GB Lexar to $1,500 for a 1920GB Sony Tough. The best-value choices include the Novachips 1.6TB at $449 and 1TB options from Nextorage, Exascend, and Wise priced under $700. Recording 5Kp24 RAW Open Gate at the lowest compression consumes approximately 1TB every 180 minutes, while higher compression can extend recording time to 300 minutes per TB. Future Sony models may also implement VPG400 requirements. Additionally, ProGrade has introduced VPG800 and VPG1600 certified cards for CFexpress Type B.