My name is Nicolai Brix and I've been in the imaging business for over 20 years. I started my career as a photojournalist but switched to video around 2010. Today I work for one of the largest female fashion brands in Europe as a visual producer and video director.

My assignment was shooting a campaign in Las Palmas, Spain and the brief was to shoot two models with a vibe that was looser than our usual campaigns. The phrase we had in mind was 'two girls on a trip through the city'

What features in the FX6 V2.0 firmware do you like and how will they impact your shooting experience?

First of all, the new AF Tracking. It’s a HUGE upgrade and gives me the opportunity to work quickly on the fly, especially on a busy fashion shoot. We are often filming many outfits on a given day and I often have less than a minute to capture the look. It's a particularly useful feature when I'm filming walking shots. Another big advantage is the lens breathing compensation. I’m a huge lover of the 35mm f/1.4 GM lens and now I can keep the framing even if I work with rack focusing. And lastly, for some of my corporate work where I have microphones on several people, the 4 channel audio monitoring is brilliant.

I filmed handheld with the FX6 to deliberately give more of a natural feeling to the film. With the expansion of social media and quick video taking – using more handheld and at times shaky movements makes the video more inclusive to the viewer; to make them feel they can be that person in the video. In addition to the footage I shot with the FX6 we let the model shoot a 30-45 sec film with the Sony ZV-1 in vertical on a selfie stick in the same outfits. We used that as a story on Instagram in combination with the video I shot with the FX6 to give a more “true” and personal vibe to our campaigns and ultimately, more identification.

What other Sony Cameras, lenses and accessories did you use with the FX6 and why?

I use My FX3 and Alpha 1 a lot; the FX3 as a b-cam for my FX6 and the Alpha 1 for stills and also for the 8k video special when I do interviews so I can do some amazing crops without losing quality. Lens-wise, my all-time favourite is the 35mm f/1.4 GM. I really like the field of view and compression it gives. I can get the shallow depth of field but still get a lot in the frame. Combined with the focus breathing compensation feature on the FX6 it’s a dream! It’s suddenly feels like a “real” cinema lens but in such a compact format.

The 24mm f/1.4 GM is my go-to lens when putting the FX6 on gimbal or when shooting more sports-oriented action. I like the more wide-angle view but without the distortion. It’s so clean in the frame.

But the one lens I want to use more, and I maybe have a secret love affair with, is the 135mm f/1.8 GM. Every time I use it, I’m telling myself to use it more. It’s so clean and the bokeh is so smooth. I use it mainly for interviews when shooting corporate films and for some special product detail shoots. I often use it on a slider with a 4 axis motion head on real slow speed to keep the shot steady.

What quick filmmaking tips would you give to potential future FX6 owners?

I wish I had used Auto ND earlier on. It’s a fantastic tool when working in a fast environment with changing light conditions. Another thing you need to get to know and use is the focus speed/sensitivity values and how to use them in different situations.

My most frequently used buttons on the camera while shooting are the fn buttons and I assign the above features to those so I can access quickly and easily. It’s the difference between success or failure using autofocus.

Any last message you want to share with the Alpha Universe community on your shooting experience or this particular project?

Don’t be afraid to experiment. I always push my development as a filmmaker and grab the tools that help me so I can focus on the most important – the story and a creative way to tell stories.

I only got the V2.0 firmware a day before shooting this campaign and had very little time to test before shooting, but the AF tracking and focus breathing compensation features worked beautifully.