Sony A7C review
Our Verdict
The Sony A7C is a powerful, yet very portable full-frame camera that'south ideal for shooting travel, events or street photography.
For
- Tiny and lightweight trunk
- Powerful five-axis in-body prototype stabilization
- Excellent battery life
- Versatile AF modes
- Flexible LCD
Against
- Small EVF
- Lacks front dial and other controls
- Single retention-card slot
Tom'southward Guide Verdict
The Sony A7C is a powerful, yet very portable full-frame photographic camera that's ideal for shooting travel, events or street photography.
Pros
- +
Tiny and lightweight body
- +
Powerful five-axis in-body image stabilization
- +
Excellent battery life
- +
Versatile AF modes
- +
Flexible LCD
Cons
- -
Small EVF
- -
Lacks front dial and other controls
- -
Unmarried memory-carte du jour slot
Sony A7C: Specs
Image sensor: 24.2-MP full-frame CMOS
Prototype stabilization: 5-centrality in-body epitome stabilization
Display: 3-inch LCD
ISO: 100-51,200 (expandable to ISO fifty and ISO 204,000)
Max video resolution: 4K / 3,840 x 2160 @ xxx/24 fps
Ports: HDMI, USB, stereo mic and headphone jacks
Wireless/Bluetooth/NFC: Yes
Shooting speed: up to 10 fps
Bombardment life (CIPA): 740 shots
Size/weight (body): four.nine ten 2.8 ten 2.2 inches; 18 ounces
Like so many new cameras correct now, the Sony A7C is seemingly aimed primarily at vloggers and online content creators, AKA the people who make all of the videos we spend hours watching each mean solar day on YouTube and Instagram.
This group, co-ordinate to Sony'south enquiry, want the powerful functioning of a full-frame sensor, merely in a pocket-sized body. And they also want advanced features to make their lives easier when filming their latest masterpiece.
Well, the Sony A7C could be just what they're looking for — because it somehow crams a mighty full-frame sensor into a body that's far, far smaller than that of near rivals.
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In fact, Sony proclaimed on its launch last year that it was the smallest and lightest full-frame camera in the world. That'southward not strictly truthful — read the small print and you'll meet that information technology's really the smallest and lightest full-frame camera that also takes interchangeable lenses and that has in-trunk paradigm stabilization — but there'southward no doubting that the A7C is an impressive feat of technology.
As a consequence, it's likely to be of interest to a wider group than just vloggers. For instance, I could easily see it appealing to enthusiasts looking for a small camera to employ every bit a second body, or amateurs who desire to step upwards from a smartphone but who don't want the bulk of a DSLR.
At the same time, the A7C's small size has resulted in certain compromises existence made. I spent some fourth dimension with information technology to find out whether they're serious enough to count confronting information technology, and whether information technology's worthy of a place on our best mirrorless cameras list. Read on for the full Sony A7C review.
Sony A7C: Cost and availability
The Sony A7C was unveiled in tardily 2020 with a price of $1,799 for the body-only version and $2,099 for its kit-lens configuration. Those prices are nevertheless in effect at the fourth dimension of writing in July 2021.
You can too buy the kit lens, the new Sony Iron 28-60mm f/4-5.half dozen, as a standalone zoom for $498, making the kit-lens bargain a practiced-value option if you lot don't already accept a suitable chunk of glass to apply with information technology.
Sony A7C review: Design and controls
Sony was always going to have to make some tough decisions with the A7C, considering while its 24MP full-frame sensor is essentially the aforementioned as the 1 within the A7 Iii, its body is considerably smaller.
Its solution was to remove some controls, such every bit the front punch and the joystick (which allows you to move the focus point, if that's the AF style you're using). You tin can apply the touchscreen to gear up the AF point, simply some might miss that extra physical control. Dissimilar many full-frame cameras, it also includes just one retentivity menu slot — not a fatal flaw, possibly, but still probable to exist a frustration for some people.
What's more, the Sony A7C is besides lumbered with an older menu structure compared to the one Sony introduced with the A7S 3 camera. Given the lack of controls, that'due south a further shame.
That said, there's much to like virtually the A7C'southward design. Obviously that small size is the near notable feature — and information technology really is very minor for a full-frame camera. For comparing, I sat information technology adjacent to my Sony A7R IV, with the A7C on the left of the epitome below.
In the top prototype, you can see the cameras from the back, at an angle, with their touch LCDs extended. In the lesser image, yous tin can get a sense of the tiptop controls. For both, the A7C had the new 28-60mm kit lens attached, and the A7R IV had the 35mm f/1.8 prime lens attached. (I also added the 12-ounce soda to give you lot an idea of the scale of each camera.)
Outside of its atomic class, there are enough of other overnice touches nearly the A7C.
The swiveling touchscreen LCD, for instance, is a highlight; this swings out from the camera like a camcorder, making it easier to see what you're shooting in multiple different positions.
Sony also did a practiced task of designing a small-yet-capable 28-60mm zoom for the A7C kit. The business firm's marketing department was at piece of work again here, labeling it the "World'south smallest and lightest total-frame standard zoom lens," and that may well be truthful: it weighs but 5.8 ounces.
That would mean nothing if it wasn't always a quality performer, of form, and fortunately is is: it did a skilful job shooting both photos and video, with its silent autofocus of particular note.
The i newly developed feature I didn't similar as much equally the older versions was the compact heart-level viewfinder. A ii.36-million dot OLED EVF, it has a high plenty resolution, simply I wasn't quite as comfy looking through information technology as I am with the one on my Sony a7R 4. I suspect I'd be able to get used to it, over fourth dimension, but I'd still prefer something slightly larger.
Sony A7C review: Paradigm quality and video
Overall, the Alpha A7C produces very good to excellent images in bright light situations and normal shooting weather — which is no less than you'd wait for a full-frame photographic camera costing around the $2000 marking.
Whether I was shooting in bright sunlight or on an overcast day, the A7C'south 24MP sensor performed very well, producing images with wide dynamic range and sharp, crisp details.
It's also pretty fast: I liked that it could capture ten frames per second in burst fashion, using either the shutter or in silent mode, and it packs a seriously impressive autofocus setup. I was particularly pleased that you have access to many of the same versatile AF modes as you get on other Sony Blastoff total-frame cameras, including Real-time Heart AF (which can be set for animals, likewise).
To make the trunk smaller, Sony needed to develop new versions of its built-in technology. For instance, they had to build a new IBIS system, which I felt worked just as well as in other cameras. They also needed to make a new compact shutter unit, which likewise worked as expected.
Like well-nigh cameras, though, it isn't quite and so hot in low calorie-free. Increasing the ISO works well enough up to around ISO 12,800, but at that point you'll begin to see some paradigm noise. This, in plow, volition soften sharpness a bit, as well every bit introducing some tinted noise that volition affect image quality.
In terms of video, the A7C is a little under-powered in some regards — surprising, given its target audience. While it shoots in 4K, it maxes out at 30 fps and it only hits that frame rate in a cropped fashion; you'll need to footstep down to 24p to get total-width footage. There's no x-bit recording, either — 8-bit is your max hither.
Having said that, it only really suffers in comparison with more than expensive full-frame models, and there's nothing incorrect with the footage it shoots — in fact it's nice and precipitous. The quality autofocus aid here, too.
Sony A7C review: Battery Life / Wi-Fi, Bluetooth & NFC
The A7C has the same powerful battery, Sony'south NP-FZ100, as the one that's used in other Alpha cameras. Hither, it has a CIPA rating of 740 shots per charge when using the LCD or 680 shots when using the EVF.
It's also well equipped to connect wirelessly, since information technology has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC capabilities. In fact, it can employ both two.4 GHz and v GHz frequencies and then you lot can send your images to a smartphone speedily and easily. For those looking for pro-level connectivity, the A7C tin can also use an FTP file transfer via wired and wireless LAN or employ USB tethering with a computer or smartphone.
Sony A7C review: Verdict
I'm sure there will be some people with larger-sized hands who may discover the compact controls of the A7C a drawback. However, I'thousand sure nearly will enjoy conveying around something that isn't equally heavy as the average total-frame camera. Or rather, something that is considerably lighter than almost any other full-frame camera.
That small size does atomic number 82 to some compromises, mainly in the lack of some controls that you'll notice on other Sony Blastoff cameras, but for most tasks, I found the A7C worked without a hitch.
Most chiefly, image quality and autofocus performance are both splendid — there's a lot to like here. It's not exactly cheap, but if you're looking for full-frame performance in a compact body, the A7C should be high up your wish list.
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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/sony-a7c
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