Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera

Top positive review

Small and mighty! Amazing full frame camera

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2020

Wow I feel like I am emerging from the Stone Age! This camera has amazing features and makes taking amazing shots and videos a breeze. I had heard a lot about the Sony mirrorless cameras but hadn’t had a chance to try one out but with the release of the A7c it was the perfect balance of price and features that I had to go for it! The real time tracking autofocus system is truly amazing and very fast allowing for fast capture of clear shots. I also really liked the 4K video recording and the inputs for a mic and headphones allowing clean audio recording with the video. This would be a great camera for anybody looking to take amazing photos and videos on the go. The size is great for travel it is almost pocketable and the kit lens has a great range. The collapsable zoom lens helped keep the form factor small and balanced with the size of the camera. I loved the silver and black color scheme for its retro feel but with modern technology. Coming from a APS-C camera, the amount of details and the dynamic range that is captured by this full frame is amazing. I didn’t think it would be that big of a difference but I can really tell the difference it image quality between this full frame and my old APS-C. The bokeh is mind blowing! No portrait mode on a phone can compete, the software makes it very easy to get studio quality results and always gets the subject in focus with the right amount of background blur. I would highly recommend it for any beginner photographer or somebody who travels a lot and wants something that can be tossed into and bag or large jacket pocket. You really can’t beat the size of this camera especially with a full frame lens, it’s almost the same size as the old digital point and shoots we all used to have.

8 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Christopher Galgon

Overheating Tests and Preliminary Review vs. A7III.

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2020

I just received this camera yesterday and ran a few heat-related tests. Here is a review based on my short time with it.

I was excited for the Sony A7C, not because of its (slightly) smaller size but because it is essentially the same as the fantastic A7III, just without the annoying 30-minute record limit. Since almost everything I do with video is a "long form" event, I ran a few stress tests, and here are my first results. All video was shot in 100mbps 4K with a 20mm APS-C lens.
First test: By a window, in the sun, with the LCD against the body.
Lasted 41 minutes before overheating.
Second test: By the same window but with the LCD open. Starting after 12 minutes of cooldown time.
Lasted 11 minutes before overheating.
Third Test: After 2hrs of cooldown time. In the shade (approx. 68F), screen open.
Lasted 2hrs 9mins. Ran until battery died.
Early Conclusions: The smaller body of the A7C isn't really much smaller than the A7III-- this is not a pocketable camera-- so what you're really getting is a cool throwback look, USB-C charging and fewer available buttons/ dials. Battery life is amazing (that one battery recorded 3hrs!) and the AF is of course perfect. Ultimately I'd recommend the A7III over this camera unless the 30 minute record limit matters to you. The A7III simply has a superior body design for real-world use.

156 people found this helpful

493 total ratings, 120 with reviews

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From the United States

Asser

Small and mighty! Amazing full frame camera

Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2020

Color: SilverStyle: Body w/ 28-60mmVerified Purchase

8 people found this helpful

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Paperback Writer

What a beautiful camera!

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024

Color: SilverStyle: Body w/ 28-60mmVerified Purchase

I bought this camera to replace my compact, Sony, ZV1 as my everyday carry camera and to come with me places where I did not want to bring my larger A7IV. I love it! So glad I picked it up as the low light performance is terrific and photos are beautiful. The camera menu is almost identical to the ZV1 so I was comfortable navigating the camera and getting it set up. I picked up a gently used open box version, with the kit lens for a song, ($1300). I only pair my smaller sized lenses, 50mm, f2.5, Sony, G ; 24mm, f3.5, Sigma, dg dn; and 90mm, f2.8, Sigma, dg dn with it for a light, palm sized, cute, and really sharp EDC setup. 24MP is a nice sweet spot for photo quality and I love the rendering from this sensor. I have some gripes with the grip. This is not the most comfortable or ergonomic grip and does nothing to make me forget the ultimate comfort I feel from my A7IV, which seems to hug my hand. I always worry I am going to drop my A7C. Also, I was really spoiled by all the customizable buttons, dials, and controls of my A7 IV. The A7C gives you enough for utility but that's all. Also, the biggest gripe is with handheld 4k video stabilization. It is noticeably worse than my A7 IV, which makes me not want to shoot walking around video on it....something I do regularly with my A7 IV. I still love the cameras size, performance, and price. I'm getting extreme value for all this full frame goodness in a palm sized package. It doesn't make me shoot less with my aA7 IV, but I am overall getting more great photos because my A7C comes with me places the A7 IV would not.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Daniel Lee

Best Camera for Your Lifestyle

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2021

Color: SilverStyle: Body w/ 28-60mmVerified Purchase

Best Camera for Your Lifestyle

This is the best camera for recording your lifestyle and express yourself. Sony Alpha 7C is the most compact full-frame mirrorless available in the market. Its lightness and well-balanced body help you carry it wherever you go without any second thought. Its uncompromising capability and quality let you obtain the highest quality images and videos anywhere and at any moment. I would recommend this camera for people who want to upgrade from crop body, serious about recording your lifestyle, content creator, professionals who need a second body.

Swivel screen
This is the second Sony full-frame camera with an articulating screen. Another one that has this screen costs much more. It changes the game in the sense that you have much more freedom in your shot angle and also monitor yourself for the self-shot without any other accessories.

Sony Auto Focus Tracking
Autofocus and Video focus tracking are out of this world. You will not sacrifice shots that are out of the focus. Especially, Auto tracking enabled in the video makes this camera best for the Vlog. The enhancement on the screen brightness is an upgrade from a7m3. Some suggest viewfinder is a downgrade, but I had no problem with it. I also like how detail you can adjust focus transition speed to make it more cinematic. I wanted it to have an updated Sony menu system, but it has the previous generation touch menu system with a menu button in a weird location.

Video reliability
This is also a great camera for video recording with unlimited video recording minutes. You can make a professional-quality video for any type of conference or lecture. I see this can be even a great sub-camera for the professionals to have that reliable second and third view of the recording.

New Compact bundle Lens
Sony created a new FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 compact lens to go in hand with Sony A7C. I took several shots with this lens and it was a pleasant surprise. I usually do not have any high hopes for the bundled lens and especially the small lens. However, this produces great quality images. The compact lens size and lightness draw you to use it more often than you think.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

PMJ

This is an amazingly competent camera

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2021

Color: SilverStyle: Body w/ 28-60mmVerified Purchase

We have had this camera since 1 June 2021and we purchased it to see if a compact full frame camera would work for us. We were looking for a smaller camera that was not an APS C sensor based camera.

First a little background. My wife and I are keen semi professional photographers and own a Canon R5, Canon R6, Nikon Z6 II and Fuji X T4, along with a good selection of Canon RF, Nikon S Z and Fuji XF lenses. I have owned the Sony A7RIII and A7RIV and traded them for the Canon R5 and R6 cameras. We have been taking pictures for over 60 years in my case.

I traded the Sony A7RIII and Sony A7RIV simply because I did not like taking pictures with them. Technically they were superb but they were difficult to handle and the new Canons (R5 and R6) were a revelation in handling and I 'wanted' to take pictures with them. I say this because I expected to dislike this A7C. It has the same menu system as the A7RIII and A7RIV (which I did not like) and the comments on the EVF and lack of controls in the reviews made me wonder why I wanted to try this.

However it is the size that wins you over immediately. Picture quality is superb and autofocus is excellent. This is a full frame camera in the body of an APS C body and it handles exceptionally well. Somehow those awkward angles etc. of the bigger bodies goes away and it feels so good in both my wife and I's hands. I cannot confirm whether the autofocus is better than the A 7III but it seems the equal of the A 7RIII and A 7RIV, if not a little better (I do not have them to test them side by side but it certainly feels that way). In short we love this camera and, and this is the 'real' test, we tend to take it with us when we are looking to have a camera with us just in case.

Pros:
1. Small body that feels solid and beautifully made. Access doors are nice quality (not floppy rubber plug in pieces) and fully weather sealed.
2. Excellent out of body JPGs, RAWS excellent and easy to recover detail in the shadows and highlights.
3. Superb Autofocus that glues to your subject.
4. Fast operation.
5. Flexible 'flippy' screen.
6. Access to a wide range of FE lens mount lenses.
7. Kit lens is much better than you would expect and very small. Ideal for street photography and the one lens you might just happen to have with you.
8. Excellent battery life.
9. Excellent video output.
10. In body image stabilization.

Cons:
1. The EVF is truly awful but just about allows you to aim the camera and take a picture when the rear screen is not viewable.
2. Lack of a joy stick is an irritant to me, but you get used to it.
3. Kit lens 60 mm max focal length is too short and the wide angle is not wide enough (28 mm). An equivalent to that Canon RF 24 -105 f/4 - 7.1 would be wonderful.
4. The Sony lenses are large for their capabilities (the F/4 24 -105 is enormous), Canon make smaller and better lenses for full frame. However Tamron are filling the gap. We have bought the F/2.8-5.6 28 to 200 mm Tamron for the A 7C and it is a good match, still not small but light and still easy to use and handle.
5. IBIS not good enough for video, and needs a gimbal.

We love this camera and we use it a lot (we have aleady taken around 4000 shots!!) and used it in a wide variety of conditions where it has excelled. Thoroughly recommended.

99 people found this helpful

Helpful

Chase M.

Exactly what I need, nothing more

Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2023

Color: SilverStyle: Body OnlyVerified Purchase

I bought this when it was on sale for $1600, just before the mkii dropped. At that price it is a beast, with very fast and accurate AF, plenty of resolution and nice color and detail. I mostly pair it with Sony 16-35 f/4 PZ lens for a light package, used for commercial street photo and real estate. The menu system is still a version of the old style, but with some streamlined elements. I'm so used to it coming from my A7rII, it works totally fine for me. I have not tried video functions as I use an FX-3 for that. The viewfinder is big enough for me, although using with glasses makes it a bit small. My only quibble is a slightly slow startup time. Overall this camera is a joy to use, so incredibly small and light for full frame.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Duck Man

Sony A7c: no limits full frame compact camera (if you know the options.........)

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2021

Color: BlackStyle: Body OnlyVerified Purchase

The A7c gives me access to next level low light video and photos. This is something that my m4/3 panasonic cameras (G9, G85) struggled to deliver, even just indoors on a sunny day with a nice f2.8 (or even 1.7) lens, the ISO could skyrocket. This was the main motivation for obtaining this camera, and it does not disappoint, with at least a 2-fold improvement in low light performance (max iso set to 3200 and usually sufficient for vids and photos). I am also very impressed by the featherweight budget samyang 18mm f2.8. After testing of many custom presets and getting to grips with some manual focus quirks, I think I have an A7c which can do just about everything I need (stored in the 7 custom camera config preset slots). I can instantly make it into a deluxe GoPro (wide and everything always in focus), low light video Ap/Sp, astro timelapse, day timelapse, low light tracking auto focus stills......... Importantly, it is the same weight as a panasonic G85 which is critical for a travel/backpacking/bike camera (I need). I can put it on the crane M2 mini-gimbal for decent stabilization, and still be discrete/small enough to not feel like a sore thumb. This is the deal when you move from panny m4/3 - I swapped low light performance for effective stabilization. The catalyst giro stabe in post is a bit last resort, but a nice thought. It is awesome to have access to the older manual FF lenses - budget great glass - without all the crop factor PITA with m4/3 or APS-c. The big downside of this camera is lack of any intuitive user interface - it will do it all - but wow - it is quite a learning curve to test and set up this stuff. I guess you get out what you put in. As a panasonic G9 shooter (camera with very nice user interface), the HUGE elephant in the room is usability and the lack of a touch screen. Compared to the G9 this camera has very poor organization and on-the-fly tweakability. The workaround here is extensive testing and the use of personal menus and custom presets, but even then the lack of a touch screen for at least review is just criminal. In summary, this camera really delivers full frame dazzle, is a good fit for light weight adventures (only with the additional M2 gimbal and lightweight lens), but IMO needs real commitment from any non-sony shooter to get the preset settings dialed in and make it all work.

9 month update -- removed a star to 4/5: in the end the lack of workable IBIS, touch screen and very fiddly menus caused me to give up with this camera. For the way I shoot video (stopped down, lots of manual) the Sony AF was not as valuable as I expected. I found it was not so great at f>5, and with low contrast scenes (snow, landscapes). I acquired a Panasonic S5, and so far its working perfectly for me.

21 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mark Guarini

Pocketsized Paparazzi Powerhouse!

Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023

Color: SilverStyle: Body w/ 28-60mmVerified Purchase

The Sony Alpha 7C Full Frame Camera is a sleek powerhouse that makes even amateur photographers feel like they're on the brink of a Pulitzer Prize. It's like having a professional studio in a compact frame – ideal for capturing your coffee foam art or the majestic pigeon on your window sill.

Pros:

Full-frame magic in palm-sized form.
Autofocus so quick, it has to apologize to its romantic partner
Low light? The camera laughs.

Cons:

The price tag induces sticker shock.
Smaller grip, big hands? Awkward handshake.
The SAME OLD MENU that is still so awkward to navigate.

In the camera kingdom, the Sony Alpha 7C reigns supreme. It's the James Bond of cameras, fittingly compact but armed with cinematic capabilities. The autofocus is so reliable; it might as well be a personal assistant. Just be ready for the influx of "Can you take my LinkedIn photo?" requests. This camera is a game-changer – capturing moments so crisp, you can practically hear the memories.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

mosheyadelman

Best Camera for $2,000

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2020

Color: SilverStyle: Body w/ 28-60mmVerified Purchase

The Sony Alpha 7c is by far the best camera I have ever owned.

I love the retro style and duo color tone of Silver and black on the version I purchased. When it comes to photos, this camera has very precise colors and very good focus.

I used to use a different brand and let me tell you, one of my pet peeves is when I hold down the shutter button and take multiple photos in quick succession, the other brand camera says please wait, and I cannot use the camera until it processes those images. Not this Sony! it has its own processing in the background, and just makes a queue, so you can continue to snap photos, and when you take a break, it just quickly copies them to the card! Absolutely amazing!

I have not had the chance to test the microphone quality in a good setting, but from the little that I have tested it, this blows any other built-in camera on any other camera out of the water. Easily the best built-in camera I have ever used.

The Sony A7c comes with a full-frame sensor which captures more light so you get this amazing depth of field, dynamic range and the detail is absolutely stunning.

When you look at this camera compared to other professional cameras you are going to think it is less superior because it is half the size, BUT! do not despair! Sony has now moved into creating magic apparently, as this camera is by far better than its competition in half the size! This camera is so much lighter and smaller than most other cameras of the same quality, which makes this the perfect camera for all occasions!

Videos are also very crisp with excellent lighting, and it shoots in 4k! I highly recommend this camera for anyone seeking a blog, YouTube channel, or just love photography!

Video tutorial coming soon!

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

USB Streaming is limited to 720p

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024

Color: BlackStyle: Body OnlyVerified Purchase

Amazing camera, although, the USB Streaming is limited to 720p. You would need to buy an external capture card to be able to capture higher resolution. Additionally, the touch screen doesn't work in the menus and is only used for auto-focus.

Helpful

Photo82Ghost

Beautiful sony a7C

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2024

Color: SilverStyle: Body OnlyVerified Purchase

The media could not be loaded.

Everything I hope for, very nice for (Amazon renewed) . I didn’t expect it to be basically untouched squeaky clean new new !! shutter count of 27. And the original box I actually think this thing was brand new. I’m very happy with it .

One person found this helpful

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Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera - Silver (ILCE7C/S)

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Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera - Silver (ILCE7C/S)

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Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera - Silver (ILCE7C/S)

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