Sony α7C Camera Review

The Sony Alpha 7C is very portable for a full-frame camera. It's among the most compact full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market, surpassed only by the modular SIGMA fp L. Though it's a bit bulkier than APS-C alphas like the Sony a6600, it's closer in size and appearance to those cameras than full-frame Sony models like the Sony a7 III. If you want an even more compact full-frame camera, consider the Sony ZV-E1 or the Panasonic LUMIX S9.

Build quality is superb. The body is made out of magnesium alloy and feels sturdy. The buttons provide great physical feedback, and the screen mechanism feels solid. It's a slight step up from the Sony a7 III, with more robust weather-sealing and more secure input/output covers.

• Sony a7C camera body
• Sony FE 28–60 mm F4–5.6 lens
• Lens cap
• Rear lens cap
• Sensor cap
• Hot shoe protection cover
• Shoulder strap
• NP-FZ100 battery
• AC adapter
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• User manual

The Sony a7C has decent ergonomics given its compact size, though it isn't nearly as comfortable to shoot with as the Sony α7 III or the Sony α7 IV. There aren't as many custom buttons and dials, so it's a bit more of a hassle to adjust settings when shooting in manual mode. The buttons provide good physical feedback, and the textured grip feels nice and provides a secure hold. The camera is suitable for most hand sizes, but those with very large hands may find it a bit cramped, especially in the space between the grip and the lens.

The EVF is a lot smaller than the one found on the Sony α7 III, which is a compromise to help keep the size of the body down. It's even smaller and less comfortable than the EVFs on Sony's APS-C cameras like the Sony a6600. There's no rubber eyecup, and the plastic can get uncomfortable.

Unlike the Sony α7 III, this camera has a fully articulated screen. That makes it a little more convenient for video work or vlogs, but some may still prefer a tilting screen for waist-level photography. The screen has a decent resolution and gets quite bright, making it easier to see on brighter days. Unfortunately, touch functionality is mostly limited to selecting focus points, meaning you can't use it to navigate the menu.

The menu is okay to use, but it isn't very intuitive, with many submenus and pages that aren't very clearly organized. It makes it harder to find more complex settings, and it isn't helped by the lack of touch navigation. That said, the camera includes a ton of customization options, including the option to create a custom menu for the specific settings you use most. The quick menu ('Fn' menu) also gives you access to commonly used settings while shooting.

If you need a higher-resolution camera, the Sony α7R IIIa offers almost twice the resolution as the α7C, though it isn't as compact. 

The Sony a7C has a fantastic battery life. With a 680-shot CIPA rating, it's one of the highest-rated mirrorless cameras we've tested for photos, though that still falls far short of many high-end DSLRs. The number of shots you get in real-world usage can also vary greatly depending on your settings and how you use your camera. Still, you can expect to get plenty of photos out of this camera before having to recharge.

When it comes to video, the camera also performs incredibly well, lasting for over two hours of continuous 4k video recording in our testing with no overheating interruptions.

Continuous shooting is decent. The camera can shoot at a reasonably quick max burst rate and has a slightly larger buffer capacity than the Sony a7 III. However, if you do manage to fill it up while shooting, it takes quite a while for it to empty, which isn't great when the timing is critical.

The AF tracking on the Sony a7C is fantastic. It uses a sophisticated hybrid phase detection autofocus system, with Sony's 'Real Time Eye AF', which seamlessly switches between eyes, faces, and general subject tracking, and it can predict and keep track of moving subjects with high accuracy. Even with faster subjects or in trickier environments, it's very likely to nail focus and leave you with plenty of keepers.

When using center point AF, along with a lens that has a good focusing motor, the camera very smoothly stays with subjects that are in the focus point. All in all, it's an incredible reliable autofocus system that's well-suited to almost any shooting situation.

The Sony a7C includes in-body image stabilization, which Sony calls 'SteadyShot'. It works in tandem with the Optical SteadyShot in Sony lenses. It works very well, allowing you to capture clear photos at very slow shutter speeds. That said, stabilization performance can vary depending on your lens, focal length, and even the steadiness of your hands.

The Sony a7C has excellent dynamic range, allowing you to capture a wide array of highlight and shadow detail. It does drop off when there's less available light, but it's still very good overall.

This camera is excellent at resolving fine detail thanks to its high-res full-frame sensor. Even when punching in or cropping, you can expect plenty of detail and resolution.

Noise handling is great. This camera is well-suited to taking photos in low light at higher ISO settings. Noise is inevitable with less light and shorter exposures, but you can push the camera far without getting overly noisy images.

The camera supports S-Log2 and S-Log3, which capture a "flatter" image to record a wider range of detail. That said, it's limited to 8-bit video output, meaning you'll have a harder time getting the most out of Log profiles when color-grading your footage.

Internal recording capability is great. There's no recording time limit, which is nice. Bit rates are decent, meaning the camera can capture a fair amount of information for high-quality video files, but it falls far short of what the newer Sony α7 IV is capable of. Unfortunately, it's also limited to 8-bit 4:2:0 recording, which gives you less leeway to color grade and edit your footage. If you need internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, check out the Sony α7C II.

Autofocus is incredible when recording 4k video. Unlike the Sony a7 III, eye AF is available in video mode as well as photo mode, meaning you can get more precise focus on a subject's eyes. The tracking feature works very well overall, so you can generally rely on it to keep your subjects in focus, even when they're moving faster or more erratically.

4k video quality is excellent overall. Details are sharply rendered, and the camera performs well in low light. You don't get too much noise, and the camera captures plenty of shadow detail.

Rolling shutter effect isn't too bad. There's some noticeable skewing with faster camera pans, but it could be worse. Slower movements won't be too distracting.

1080p internal recording is great. As with 4k, there's no time limit on recording. Unfortunately, it's still limited to 8-bit 4:2:0, so it can't capture as much color information, giving you less latitude to edit and manipulate your videos.

In 1080p, autofocus is just as fantastic as in 4k. The face and eye tracking feature work incredibly well, so you can rely on the camera to keep moving subjects in focus.

FHD video quality is impressive overall. As with 4k, details are rendered with relative clarity and sharpness. There's minimal noise in dimmer lighting conditions, too.

Distortion from the rolling shutter is much less noticeable in 1080p. There's still a bit of skewing with very fast camera movements, but overall, the rolling shutter won't be too distracting.

Unfortunately, there's only a single SD card slot, unlike the dual slots you get with the Sony a7 III. On the upside, the SD card slot is well-placed on the side of the camera, so you can easily switch out memory cards when shooting on a tripod.

There are plenty of inputs and outputs to connect peripherals like headphones, a microphone, or an external monitor. There's also a USB-C port for charging. The flaps that cover the inputs feel a lot more secure than those on the Sony a7 III, with hinged doors and gaskets.