Sony Alpha 7C

    85
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    Highlights

    • 24.2 MP Full Frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
    • 100 - 51,200 Native ISO
    • 693 Focus Points
    • 5-Axis Image Stabilization
    • 3.0" 922k dot Fully Articulated Screen
    • 0.39" 2,359k dot Electronic (OLED) Viewfinder
    • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
    • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
    • 13 h Video Recording Limit
    • Built-In Wi-Fi
    • Wheather Sealed Body
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Sony Alpha 7C was announced in 2020 and is a Full Frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) Mirrorless camera with 24.2 Megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor. Its native ISO ranges from 100 to 51,200 and expands to 50 - 204,800 in boosted mode. The camera has a Fully Articulated 3.0" screen with 922k dot resolution and built-in 0.39" Electronic (OLED) viewfinder with 2,359k dot resolution. It has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in body image stabilization.

    Sony Alpha 7C can capture video up to 3840 x 2160 resolution with no recording time limit.


    Here is the Sony Alpha 7C series lineup, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the cameras within the same series.

    Sony Alpha 7C series lineup
    Model Date Sensor Native ISO Screen Price
    Image cannot be found Sony a7C II August
    2023
    33.0 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 51,200 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dots
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Sony a7CR August
    2023
    60.2 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 32,000 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dots
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Sony a7C September
    2020
    24.2 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 51,200 Articulated 3.0"
    922k dot
    Touchscreen

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Sony Alpha 7C II vs Alpha 7CR vs Alpha 7C.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Sony Alpha 7C.

    PROS

    •   Video Capture
    •   Large Sensor
    •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
    •   693 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   Animal Eye Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Digital Image Stabilization
    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   High DxO Overall Score - 95
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   No crop on 4K Videos
    •   Webcam Functionality
    •   Unlimited Video Recording
    •   High Video Recording Limit
    •   High USB Speed
    •   HDMI Output
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Built-In Bluetooth
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   USB Charging
    •   Orientation Sensor

    CONS

    •   No Built-in GPS

    And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

    AVERAGE

    •   Price
    •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
    •   100 Lowest Native ISO
    •   -4 EV Min AF Detection
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
    •   Weight - 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz)
    •   Battery Life - 740 shots

    Successor

    In 2023 Sony Alpha 7C was replaced by Sony Alpha 7C II. Let us now have a look at some important differences between Sony Alpha 7C and its successor.

    UPGRADES Sony Alpha 7C II vs Sony Alpha 7C
    Higher Sensor Resolution 33.0 Megapixel vs 24.2 Megapixel
    More Powerful Processor Bionz XR vs BIONZ X
    Max Image Resolution 7008 x 4672 vs 6000 x 4000
    More Focus Points 759 vs 693
    Vehicle Tracking Mode vs
    Insect Tracking Mode vs
    Higher Image Stabilization Compensation 7 stops vs 5 stops
    Higher Resolution Screen 1,037k dots vs 922k dot
    Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.7x vs 0.59x
    Bluetooth Version 4.2 vs 4.1
    DOWNGRADES Sony Alpha 7C II vs Sony Alpha 7C
    More Expensive $2200 body only, $2500 w/ 28-60mm lens vs $1799 (body only), $2099 (w/28-60mm lens)
    Heavier 514 g (1.13 lb / 18.13 oz) vs 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz)
    Shorter Battery Life 540 shots vs 740 shots

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Sony Alpha 7C vs Alpha 7C II.

    Screen and Viewfinder

    Fully Articulated Touchscreen

    Sony Alpha 7C has a 3.0" Fully Articulated touchscreen with 922k dot resolution. Fully articulated screen makes this camera selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting.

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    Sony Alpha 7C with Fully Articulated screen


    Electronic (OLED) Viewfinder

    Camera has a built-in 0.39" Electronic (OLED) viewfinder with 2,359k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage and 0.59x magnification.

    Sensor

    BSI-CMOS Sensor

    Sony Alpha 7C features a 24.2 megapixel Full Frame BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 35.6 x 23.8 mm and a total area of 847.3 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 51,200 and expands to 50 - 204,800 in boosted mode.

    The camera has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.


    Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how Sony Alpha 7C's Full Frame sensor compares with other types of sensors:

    Sensor size chart
    Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
    Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
    Image cannot be displayedFull Frame35.6 x 23.8 mm847.3 mm23:21x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
    Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
    Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

    Photography Features

    Camera is equipped with BIONZ X processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution.


    Lens Mount

    Sony Alpha 7C has Sony E lens mount. Due to Full Frame sensor its crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is 1x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length.


    In-Body Image Stabilization

    The camera has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with 5 stops of compensation. This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

    Check out the cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha 7C.

    Connectivity, Battery and Storage

    Built-in Wi-Fi

    Camera has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


    Bluetooth

    Camera has a built-in Bluetooth (version 4.1) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


    NFC

    Sony Alpha 7C has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


    USB Input and HDMI Output

    Sony Alpha 7C has a USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) Type-C input for data transfer and battery charging. There is a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.


    Battery

    Sony Alpha 7C comes with NP-FZ100 battery pack with battery life of 740 shots.


    External Storage Slots

    The camera has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II) card slot.

    Other Features

    Shutter

    Sony Alpha 7C has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec with electronic shutter and up to 1/4000 sec with mechanical shutter. Camera can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


    Focusing

    Sony Alpha 7C has Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) system with 693 focusing points and from -4 to +20 EV detection range. Touch-to-Focus allows users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording. There is also face detection feature which automatically finds and focuses on faces and additional eye detection further locks the focus on one of the eyes and tracks it down during the motion.


    Exposure

    Camera's exposure metering ranges from -3 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment.


    Flash

    Sony Alpha 7C has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Intelligent Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec. Flash compensation can be set from -3 to +3 EV with 1/3 or 1/2 EV step increments.

    Physical Parameters

    Sony Alpha 7C has dimensions of 124 x 71 x 60 mm (4.88 x 2.8 x 2.36"). It weighs 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz) which is neither heavy nor lightweight.

    124 mm (4.88")

    71 mm (2.8")

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    71 mm (2.8")

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    60 mm (2.36")

    Image cannot be displayed

    Sony Alpha 7C dimensions

    Sony Alpha 7C for Different Types of Photography

    We give scores to the camera for different type of photography based on its features and specifications. Let us see how Sony Alpha 7C is suitable for six different types of photography.


    Landscape Photography

    EXCELLENT
    88

    Sony Alpha 7C gets a score of 88 and is EXCELLENT choice for Landscape photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing

    Sports Photography

    GOOD
    82

    Sony Alpha 7C gets a score of 82 and is GOOD choice for Sports photography.

    •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
    •   693 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Battery Life - 740 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Wildlife Photography

    GOOD
    81

    Sony Alpha 7C gets a score of 81 and is GOOD choice for Wildlife photography.

    •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
    •   693 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Animal Eye Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Battery Life - 740 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Portrait Photography

    EXCELLENT
    89

    Sony Alpha 7C gets a score of 89 and is EXCELLENT choice for Portrait photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   693 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Street Photography

    EXCELLENT
    92

    Sony Alpha 7C gets a score of 92 and is EXCELLENT choice for Street photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   693 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Weight - 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz)

    Travel Photography

    EXCELLENT
    89

    Sony Alpha 7C gets a score of 89 and is EXCELLENT choice for Travel photography.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   No crop on 4K Videos
    •   High Video Recording Limit
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Weight - 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz)
    •   Battery Life - 740 shots

    Sony Alpha 7C Evaluation

    We evaluate Sony Alpha 7C and give score of 85 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


    OVERALL
    85

    Sensor

    GOOD
    81

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 81 for Sensor parameters.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
    •   100 Lowest Native ISO
    •   51,200 Highest Native ISO
    •   High DxO Overall Score - 95

    Photo

    GOOD
    78

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 78 for Photo parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

    Video

    EXCELLENT
    88

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 88 for Video parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   No crop on 4K Videos
    •   Webcam Functionality
    •   Unlimited Video Recording
    •   High Video Recording Limit

    Focusing

    EXCELLENT
    93

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 93 for Focusing parameters.

    •   -4 EV Min AF Detection
    •   693 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   Animal Eye Detection

    Screen and Viewfinder

    EXCELLENT
    86

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 86 for Screen and Viewfinder parameters.

    •   Fully Articulated Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,359k dot

    Connectivity

    EXCELLENT
    96

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 96 for Connectivity parameters.

    •   High USB Speed
    •   HDMI Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Built-In Bluetooth

    Battery, Storage and Physical

    GOOD
    70

    We give Sony Alpha 7C a score of 70 for Battery, Storage and Physical parameters.

    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Weight - 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz)
    •   Battery Life - 740 shots


    For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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