Sony Alpha 7C – Full size for your pocket Camera
The Sony Alpha 7C turned out to be a powerful DSLM with a full-frame sensor in an unusually compact housing. The image quality is excellent, even at higher ISO values. Only the auto focus weakens in low light. It is a shame that the menus cannot be operated by touch on the swiveling display. The wide range of lenses guarantees high flexibility.
Sony Alpha 7C Review
Technical data for Sony Alpha 7C
| Product: | Sony Alpha 7C |
| Others: | 0 |
| Maximum resolution: | 6,000 x 4,000 pixels |
| Effective pixels: | 24.0 megapixels |
| Sensor size: | 35.6 x 23.8 millimeters |
| Camera class: | DSLM |
| ISO minimum: | 50 |
| ISO maximum: | 204,800 |
| Video: Resolution: | 3,840 x 2,160 pixels |
| Lens mount: | Sony FE |
| Dimensions: | 124 x 71 x 60 mm |
| Weight: | 509 grams |
| Exposure metering: | 1200 zone rating measurement |
| Sensor cleaning: | Yes |
| Image stabilizer in the body: | Yes |
| Minimum shutter speed: | 1 / 4,000 s |
| Maximum shutter speed: | 30 s |
| Viewfinder: | electronically |
| Viewfinder field of view: | 100 percent |
| Viewfinder magnification: | 0.59 times |
| Display: Size: | 3.0 in |
| Display resolution: | 921,600 subpixels |
| Display: Touchscreen: | Yes |
| Display: Touchscreen Video: | Yes |
| Swiveling display: | Swiveling |
| Display: Selfie possible: | Yes |
| Second display: | No |
| Spirit level: | Yes |
| Shortest flash synchronization: | 1/160 s |
| Lightning: | No |
| Flash control: | Yes |
| White balance: Presets: | 3 presets |
| White balance: Kelvin values adjustable: | Yes |
| Storage media: | SDXC (UHS II) ⧸━ |
| GPS: | No |
| WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS: | Yes |
| NFC: | Yes |
| Remote release: | Yes |
| Connection for external microphone: | yes, 3.5mm |
| Pictures with flash: | – |
| Pictures without flash: | 1,290 photos |
| Live view: Images without flash: | 1,320 photos |
| Live view: Pictures with flash: | – |
| Battery life: Video recording: | 238 min |
| Housing material: | Aluminum / magnesium alloy |
| Housing: Protection against dust and splash water: | Yes |
| Resolution at ISO min: | 1,892 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 400: | 1,886 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 800: | 1,845 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 1600: | 1,884 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 3200: | 1,775 line pairs |
| Resolution at ISO 6400: | 1,777 line pairs |
| Level of detail at ISO min: | 93.4 percent |
| Attention to detail at ISO 400: | 91.0 percent |
| Attention to detail at ISO 800: | 94.4 percent |
| Attention to detail at ISO 1600: | 92.3 percent |
| Attention to detail with ISO 3200: | 90.6 percent |
| Attention to detail with ISO 6400: | 92.1 percent |
| Noise (visual noise) at ISO min: | 0.59 VN (0.6 VN1, 0.5 VN3) |
| Noise (visual noise) at ISO 400: | 0.68 VN (0.7 VN1, 0.5 VN3) |
| Noise (visual noise) at ISO 800: | 0.68 VN (0.7 VN1, 0.5 VN3) |
| Noise (visual noise) at ISO 1600: | 0.86 VN (0.9 VN1, 0.5 VN3) |
| Noise (visual noise) at ISO 3200: | 0.96 VN (1 VN1, 0.6 VN3) |
| Noise (visual noise) at ISO 6400: | 1.15 VN (1.2 VN1, 0.7 VN3) |
| Expert assessment: noise and attention to detail at ISO min: | very good |
| Expert assessment: noise and attention to detail with ISO 400: | very good |
| Expert assessment: noise and attention to detail with ISO 3200: | very good |
| Expert assessment: noise and attention to detail with ISO 6400: | Well |
| Test lens image quality: | Zeiss Sonnar FE 2.8 / 35 |
| Switch-on time: | 0.8 s |
| Release delay with manual focus: | 0.20 s |
| Continuous frame rate RAW: | 7.6 frames / s |
| Series picture sequence RAW: | 45 pictures in a row |
| Continuous frame rate JPEG: | 9.7 frames / s |
| Series picture sequence JPEG: | – |
| Release delay with autofocus in daylight: | – |
| Shutter lag with auto focus in low light: | – |
| Release delay live view with autofocus in daylight: | 0.80 s |
| Test lens speed: | Sony FE 3.5-5.6 / 28-70 OSS |
| Battery pack: | NP-FZ100 |
| Test date: | 16/10/2020 |
Sony Alpha 7C: The slimmer 35mm camera
From the outside, the Sony Alpha 7C resembles a camera from the compact 6000 series with an APS-C sensor; Inside, however, the finest full-format technology from the 7 series is slumbering.
This combination makes the camera currently the smallest and lightest full-frame DSLM with an integrated image stabilizer. It weighs just over 500 grams and is therefore only slightly heavier than the Alpha 6600, but noticeably 150 grams lighter than the Alpha 7 III.
Compared to its APS-C sister, it is only half a centimeter larger in width and height, and the depth is almost identical.
The relationship between the controls cannot be denied. The arrangement of buttons, switches and wheels only differs to a limited extent.
Vloggers and YouTube stars will be happy about the 3-inch touch display that can be folded out to the side and swiveled 180 degrees. However, we miss a touch menu with a modern, clear structure.
As an alternative to the screen, there is a just 0.39 inch viewfinder with sufficiently sharp 2.36 million pixels. It comes from the Alpha 6600 and is equipped with a magnification factor of 0.59.
All connections are located under the cover on the left side of the case: 3.5 mm jack for microphone and headphones, USB-C, Micro-HDMI and a UHS-II card slot. Unfortunately, a double SD slot is missing here.
For this you get Sony’s innovative digital audio interface in the accessory shoe of the Alpha 7C. Thanks to the NP-FZ100 battery with 2,280 mAh, the Alpha 7C only runs out of breath after more than 1,300 shots.
Accessories are a good keyword. Sony knows how to play its trump cards in this area. Over 200 different optics with E-bayonet (full format and APS-C) are currently available. Thanks to the crop function, all lenses can be used at any time.
Sony Alpha 7C: Saturated picture with little noise
The interior of the Alpha 7C offers tried and tested and some revised components. The 24 MP sensor (with 6,000 x 4,000 pixels) comes from the Alpha 7 III and does a great job.
The image quality hardly differs from the photo quality of the big sister, which is definitely a positive thing. Up to and including ISO 1,600, the values of the Alpha 7C are just under 1,900 of 2,400 theoretically possible line pairs per image height; very impressive.
Beyond this mark, the values only fall below 1,800 line pairs, even up to ISO 12,800. The Sony DSLM shows fine details just as well and with consistently high values of over 90 percent. Overall, this is an excellent performance.
We can rate the noise behavior similarly well. Subtle interfering pixels only appear at ISO 3,200. In low light, the DSLM still delivers clear images. Printed images are still usable even at ISO 12,800.
For example, if you don’t want to turn up the light sensitivity so high at dusk, you can switch on the powerful 5-axis image stabilizer as an alternative.
Sony Alpha 7C Autofocus is in focus
Sony doesn’t compromise on autofocus. Like the Alpha 7 III, the Alpha 7C also uses 693 phase and 425 contrast AF points with a coverage of 93 percent of the sensor area.
In the test it focuses comparatively quickly; only in low light does the DSLM take it easy. The Sony manages fast photo series with up to ten frames per second with a maximum length of around 250 JPEGs. The shutter speed is 1/4,000s, other cameras can do that better.
But real-time eye recognition and real-time tracking have received a slight improvement. The videographers are also happy about these two functions.
Sony Alpha 7C Advantages:
- Uncompromisingly compact housing
- Excellent picture quality
- Large range of lenses
Sony Alpha 7C Disadvantage:
- Carrier auto focus in low light
- No touch menus
- Only one SD card slot