Overview
Despite the compact size. the a7C delivers the spectacular image quality that you'd expect from a full-frame camera. This was accomplished by developing new mechanical components. along with layout and structural enhancements. The a7C's full-frame sensor does more than just capture more light than smartphones. compact digital cameras and APS-C cameras. enhanced image depth. dynamic range and detail are all possible thanks to the large sensor and pixel size.
The world’s smallest and lightest full-frame system
Introducing the smallest and lightest[1][2] full-frame digital interchangeable-lens system with optical in-body image stabilisation (with FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 lens). Without compromising the performance of a full-frame camera. the component layout. body structure and internal mechanisms are all thoroughly reimagined. Operability and toughness have been optimised within a body that is approximately 19%[3] smaller in volume and 22% lighter than the a7 III. at only 509 grams[4].
Expressiveness only possible with a full-frame sensor
A 35-mm full-frame image sensor is about 30x larger than a 1/2.3-type smartphone sensor and even 2.3x larger than an APS-C sensor. By capturing significantly more light. it opens up new creative possibilities through wider dynamic range. less noise. and higher perceived resolution. Deep bokeh. using shallow depth of field. is also possible in combination with a bright (wide-aperture) full-frame lens.
Faithfully capture what you see
The back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS sensor and BIONZ X™ image processing engine work together beautifully. The extra-large pixels of a 24.2-megapixel[5] full-frame sensor collect more light. for a 15-stop[6] wide dynamic range and smoother gradations from shadows to highlights. Excellent subjective resolution and reduced noise pair with precise colour reproduction for beautifully accurate skin tones and natural textures.
Express yourself with E-mount lenses
Over 50 Sony E-mount lenses enable broad creative expression. and a full-frame sensor allows you to leverage the full capabilities of Sony lenses. From wide angles. to enhanced creative compression effects on telephoto lenses. with the full-frame a7C the possibilities are endless.
Impressive low-light images
With its large pixel size. in dimly lit situations or at high shutter speeds. the camera takes beautiful pictures with low noise. even when in the high sensitivity range. Standard ISO is from 100 up to ISO 51200 (expandable from ISO 50 to ISO 204800[7]). Noise reduction is designed to be particularly effective in the common mid-sensitivity range to faithfully reveal textures and detail in shadows.
Stunning bokeh. enabled by a full-frame sensor
Bokeh is selective focus with a blurred background that makes the subject stand out. Portraits or close ups are enhanced with new meaning and depth. The a7C. with its full-frame sensor. can achieve bokeh when a smaller sensor-size camera with the same f-stop lens might not. When paired with over 50 lenses available from Sony. the a7C becomes an excellent choice for creative photographic composition and movie creation.
Shoot sharp images without hand shake
5-axis image stabilisation lets you zoom. get close-ups and capture night scenes with greater clarity. Compensation is equivalent to a 5.0-step faster shutter speed[8]. (1) Pitch (2) Yaw: for long focal lengths. (3) Horizontal (4) Vertical: for sideways/up-down during close-ups and macros. (5) Roll: for rotation during long exposures
The engine that powers your images
The BIONZ X image processing engine reflects Sony’s expertise in imaging technologies. It processes images with the front-end LSI in 16-bits and outputs 14-bit RAW[9] data for richer. more natural gradations. even in silent or continuous shooting modes[10]. Combined with the Sony sensor. it delivers excellent colour reproduction. noise reduction. and low-light performance.
Stay focused anytime. anywhere
Autofocus is improved by optimally applying the advancements of the a9. including the unique 4D FOCUS for wide-area. ultra-fast and steadfast tracking over time. With 693 phase-detection and 425 contrast-detection AF points. the sensor provides wide and high-density AF covering approx. 93% of the image.
Capture focus with animal eyes. too[11]
With cutting-edge algorithms. the a7C supports Real-time Eye AF with animal eyes for still shots. Focus on the eye instead of the nose or whiskers will greatly increase your success in capturing images of animals. from favourite pets at home to unpredictable wildlife. Tracking continues even if the subject is partially obscured or if your camera orientation changes[12].
Capture the eyes to capture the shot
Real-time Eye AF highlights Sony's Speed x AI technology. For both stills and movies. when a face is partially hidden. looking down. or even backlit. focus stays on the subject's eye for reliably impressive portraits. It supports all AF modes. and when [Face/Eye Priority in AF] is set to ON. it’s activated three ways: custom key. half-pressing the shutter. or AF-ON button.
Continuous focus on active subjects
When you're tracking a fast-moving subject. the camera can utilise built-in AI-based Real-time Tracking[13]. This subject recognition algorithm draws on colour. pattern (brightness). subject distance (depth). and face/eye information to recognise and hold onto your subject.
Activate Real-time Tracking anytime. with AF-ON button
When the focus mode is AF-S. AF-A. AF-C. or DMF. Real-time Tracking can now be activated by the AF-ON button. This is a convenient way to capture moving subjects in snap shots even with the focus mode set to AF-S. Being able to initiate Real-time Tracking simply with a thumb press anytime under AF modes expands your shooting possibilities.
Intuitive touch operation and display[14]
When using Real-time Tracking. etc.. touching the LCD monitor can initiate autofocus for both stills and movies. Touching the LCD monitor under selected settings. such as this allows for intuitive AF operation. When not using AF. focus can be checked with a quick glance at the LCD monitor. In DMF or manual focus (MF) modes. it brings up a peaking function that colour-highlights the area of sharpest focus to adjust the focus point. Choose from four peaking colours for best visibility or contrast. This is especially effective when delicate focusing is required like shooting with a macro lens.
Don't miss the best shot of a moving subject
The a7C is capable of continuous shooting at up to 10 fps[15] with AF/AE tracking. and up to 8 fps[15] in live-view mode to keep focus on a moving subject and capture precise moments. When combined with silent shooting[16] at up to 10 fps[15]. it becomes possible to photograph in sound-sensitive environments. or capture active babies or pets without shutter sounds disturbing them.
Take 4K movies to a higher level
Enjoy shooting movies with the depth of field control. beautiful bokeh. and the clean low-light scenes only possible with a full-frame sensor. The a7C shoots 4K (QFHD: 840×2160) using full-pixel readout and 6K oversampling. for exceptional detail with minimal moiré and jaggies[17].
Movie-making profiles for expressive creativity
With S-Log3 gamma profiles you can capture the full dynamic range of a scene. with up to 14-stops[18] giving you access to fine details and gradations in both shadows and highlights during post-production. Alternatively. the HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)[19] mode allows for direct HDR movie playback and workflows. In addition. the a7C has various Picture Profile settings to expand your possibilities for movie making.
Designed for movie-making
The MOVIE button has been moved to the top panel to improve access when shooting from different angles. including from waist-level and for selfie or vlogging shots. Also. the a7C codes vertical orientation in metadata so after uploading to social media via a smartphone. the newly popular vertical movie format plays back correctly. eliminating the need for post editing on a PC.
Expandable video creativity
External mic and headphone jacks help you customise your movie shooting process. The headphone jack supports high-quality headphones for accurate sound monitoring. and the audio output timing can be set to Live for optimum monitoring or Lip Sync to sync video and audio outputs together. You can connect a wide variety of external microphones to the mic input for great sound in varied environments.
Clear digital audio recording
The a7C supports a digital audio interface through the camera’s Multi Interface (MI) Shoe. A digital microphone like the ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone or XLR-K3M XLR Adaptor Kit provide clear digital audio for all kinds of movie recording. enhancing the sound to match the image. Like other MI shoe accessories. no cables or batteries are required. providing unrestrained freedom for movie-making.
Bright and easy LCD monitor
The side-opening. vari-angle LCD monitor is intuitive to use. rotating 176° horizontally and 270° vertically. The large touch-sensitive screen. with approximately 921 thousand dots[20]. provides optimum visibility even in bright outdoor light. You can frame your shot or selfie from virtually any position and angle for both stills and movies. Touch Tracking. Touch Focus. and Touch Shutter are all supported.
Sharing to the world with Wi-Fi®
Wi-Fi® (2.4GHz or 5GHz) enables remote wireless shooting using Imaging Edge™ Desktop and Imaging Edge Mobile™ apps. for shooting creative angles. previewing. control. and transfer to PCs and mobile devices for distant selfies. After shooting. you can quickly save or share images around the world by pairing with a smartphone or tablet[21][22]. FTP file transfer of still images is also possible. even during shooting.
Viewfinder for still-image photographers
A clear view of images in any environment is possible because the viewfinder is properly equipped despite the body’s compact size. The 2.35 million-dot[20] XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder achieves high contrast and faithful tonal reproduction for fine subject detail display. To enhance the user experience. the grip hold and shape have been carefully designed. so that compactness and usability are both uncompromised.
Small and lightweight. yet robust and reliable
Magnesium alloy used for the top. front. and rear covers enhances body durability. For the a7C. camera parts and internal structures were carefully optimised to reduce size and weight. On the one hand. a monocoque structure[23] patterned after airplane design helps to reduce weight while increasing the strength. realising a lightweight camera body with rigid flexibility. And on the other. the shape is supremely ergonomic and also weather sealed against dust and moisture[24] for comfortable and confident shooting in a wide range of conditions.
Key Features
The world’s smallest and lightest full-frame body[1]
15-stop dynamic range
Real-time Eye AF and object tracking
5-axis in-body image stabilisation
24.2 Megapixels
Exmor R CMOS sensor
4K HDR movie recording
Sony E-mount
ISO 100-51200 (still images)
Phase detection 693 AF Points
1 Among full-frame interchangeable-lens digital cameras with optical in-body image stabilisation mechanism. As of September 2020 press announcement. Sony survey.
2 With an FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 lens mounted. Among full-frame interchangeable-lens digital cameras. in combination with an interchangeable zoom lens. As of September 2020 press announcement. Sony survey.
3 Compared to a7 III. Sony survey.
4 Including battery and a memory card.
5 Approximate effective pixels
6 When shooting still images. Sony test conditions.
7 ISO expandable to 50–204800 for stills. 100–102400 for movies.
8 CIPA standards. Pitch/yaw shake only. Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens. Long exposure NR off.
9 When uncompressed RAW is selected only.
10 Limited to 12-bit when compressed RAW is used for continuous shooting. BULB shooting. or when long-exposure noise reduction is [ON].
11 Available for still images only.
12 Accurate focus may not be achieved with certain subjects in certain situations.
13 “Tracking” in the menu.
14 Touch operation must be turned ON in advance from the menu.
15 Up to 10 fps in continuous “Hi ” mode. and up to 8 fps in continuous “Hi” mode. Maximum fps will depend on camera settings.
16 Some distortion may occur with fast-moving subjects or if the camera is moved sideways rapidly while shooting.
17 A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC card is required for XAVC S format movie recording. UHS speed Class 3 or higher is required for 100 Mbps recording.
18 When shooting with S-Log3. Sony test conditions.
19 HDR (HLG) images can be viewed by connecting the camera directly to a Sony BRAVIA TV that supports HDR (HLG) playback.
20 Approximate.
21 Smartphone/tablet must have Imaging Edge Mobile installed. Please use version 7.2 or later.
22 Models sold in some countries/regions support IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz) wireless LAN only. 5GHz communication may be restricted in some countries and regions.
23 Strength is provided by the magnesium alloy construction of the front cover. top cover and rear cover.
24 It is not guaranteed to be 100% dust- and moisture-proof.