This has been an incredible year for camera releases. That also makes the buying decision a lot more complicated. The Sony a7C in particular is a challenge to compare as it shares so much of its DNA with the already much-loved a7 III. Essentially, the a7C is just a smaller take on the a7 III, but there’s a bit more to it than that, as the new body design brings a host of other changes.
If you are looking at picking up a new Sony full-frame soon, taking a deeper look at what makes the a7C different from the a7 III is going to be essential to making a decision. Luckily, Stefan Malloch is here with a video overview that details the differences to help you make a decision.
To start the comparison, you have to address size. The a7C is much smaller. Most of that size was shaved off the top where the EVF sits on the a7 III since the EVF was made smaller and relocated to the top left, much like the a6000 series. With this smaller size comes a bit lighter weight as well. If size and weight are important then the a7C makes sense.
The smaller size does mean you lose some controls and ergonomics. The a7 III has more dials and a larger, more comfortable grip. Also, the EVF on the a7 III is larger and much more comfortable to use.
As for the rear LCD, the a7C may have the same core specs for resolution and size but makes it completely vari-angle for flipping any which way you need.
Maybe indicating the target market or simply there wasn’t enough room, the a7C features a single SD card slot compared to the professional dual slots in the a7 III.
It does still feature the larger NP-FZ100 battery pack, which is great. On the other hand, it does still have the older menu system instead of the much more intuitive one found on the a7S III.
As for image quality, the 24MP full-frame sensor is the same on both the a7C and a7 III. Newer processing does give the a7C a slight edge in low-light conditions, but effectively you are getting the same image quality.
The a7 III does gain an edge with shutter control, being able to hit 1/8000 sec vs 1/4000 sec and the ability to toggle on/off the electronic first-curtain shutter.
Bouncing off the fact that the cameras share an image sensor, the a7C and a7 III are essentially delivering the same quality up to UHD 4K in 8-bit 4:2:0.
Being newer, the a7C does have the latest AF tracking systems and does away with recording limits. Autofocus in video is a little better with the a7C though. Interestingly, while both have in-body image stabilization, the a7C’s smaller body seems to have a slightly underperforming IBIS system.
Now, if you compare launch prices the a7C comes in slight under the a7 III. In the real world, sales constantly make the a7 III available at essential the same price of $1800.
Perhaps if weight and portability are important or you need something for everyday vlogging the a7C is a better fit. For photography and solid video in a mirrorless camera the a7 III may be larger but has some much better features for pros.
Which camera would you pick?
[source: Stefan Malloch]
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