Sony Free Monitor & Control App for FX30, FX3, a7S III, FX6 and BURANO Launched – First Look

by Francesco AndreolaSeptember 17^th, 2023

Sony has just introduced a mobile app that allows you to monitor and control your FX30, FX3, or FX6 using an iOS or Android device. Support for Sony’s a7S III as well as their new CineAlta camera, BURANO, will also be added at a later date. The app is now available free of charge.

While Sony already offers the ability to monitor and control Alpha series cameras using some of their Xperia phones, the company is now extending this possibility to their Cinema Line Cameras as well as all iOS and Android smartphones.

A monitor and control app can come in handy in many situations. It’s a lifesaver when the camera is rigged in a position that is hard to reach, but it can also act as an external monitor for beginners who have yet to invest in a proper on-camera monitor. On the show floor at IBC 2023, my colleague Nino met Claus Pfeifer from Sony who gave him a nice overview of their new Monitor & Control app. Let’s take a look!

Sony Monitor & Control app – overview

Upon its launch, the new Sony Monitor & Control app is only compatible with three camera models: FX30, FX3, and FX6. However, Sony plans to add support for the a7S III as well as their new BURANO CineAlta camera in future updates.

The app seems to have a very straightforward design. It allows you to monitor the live image from your camera and adjust settings such as iris, shutter speed, ISO, WB, EV, recording format, and more. All currently supported cameras can communicate with the smartphone via a wired USB-C connection or wirelessly using Wi-Fi, with the former option providing a snappier image feed.

Additionally, the app allows you to check your exposure via dedicated Waveform, Histogram, and False Color tools. However, these functions are currently only available on the FX30 and FX3, but not on the FX6.

On the other hand, FX6 users can adjust iris and focus using dedicated dials within the app’s interface. For now, this is not possible on the other two cameras. Although Sony Cinema Line cameras are known to have very good AF, this is still a nice feature to have.

Price and availability

The new Sony Monitor & Control app for FX30, FX3, and FX6 is now available to download from the App Store and Google Play. The app is totally free for all users.

For more information, please visit Sony’s website here.

Are you a Sony FX30, FX3, or FX6 owner? Are you going to use the Monitor & Control app with your camera? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!