The Sony FX30 is the most affordable Sony cinema camera to date, but that, thankfully, doesn’t come at the cost of functionality. This new camera offers all the functionality and ergonomics of the Sony FX3. However, there are some features from the FX3 that are missing. With that being said, the FX30 offers a more affordable price point for cinematic video producers and online content creators. For creators, this camera offers a massive boost in production quality over smartphones and expands post-production capability — a feat often reserved for more expensive cameras.

However, is the Sony FX30 really worth the extra cash, or can creators settle for using their smartphones? In this review, we’ll find out whether the FX30 is worth the upgrade. We’ll decide if it’s just a mini FX3 or if it’s a super duper FX3 at half the cost.