I bought the world's smallest and lightest full frame mirrorless camera, the Sony A7C about a year ago, on 16 August 2021. This camera was meant to be an upgrade to my Canon G7X MII which I use for vlogging. So here is my 1 year review of this camera. Well, not really a comprehensive review. Just my experience and opinion having used it for 1 whole year.
A lot of people are divided with this camera. People complain a lot about it, especially the professionals. The truth is, professionals are not part of Sony's target market with this camera. Let's break it down.
The three most common sensor sizes with interchangeable lens system cameras are micro four thirds (small), APSC (medium) and full frame (large). Now, professionals will almost always go for full frame due to its large sensor which yields better quality, more detail, better low light capability and better bokeh (background blur) to name a few. Consumers, hobbyists and enthusiasts will typically avoid full frame and opt for APSC or micro four thirds instead. This is because full frame cameras are expensive as hell. They cost double your average APSC cameras, or sometimes triple! Unless you're generating income from those photos or videos to justify such an investment, full frame cameras are just not the way to go. Plus, full frame cameras and lenses are much heavier.
This is not to say that sensor sizes such as APSC and micro four thirds are bad. Far from it. All 3 sensor sizes can produce high quality photos and 4K videos. It is just about the simple rule that the larger the sensor is, the more detail it can capture. To the untrained eye, photos and videos coming from all 3 sensors look exactly the same, given that you match the focal lengths and distances. These 3 sensors have become the standard sizes when it comes to interchangeable lens mirorrless cameras.
My old camera, the Canon G7X MII, which is a point-and-shoot, has a 1 inch sensor. This is 1 step smaller than micro four thirds. Mind you, the camera sensor in a smart phone is way smaller than that. So when people say their phones can snap better photos than any 'real' camera, either they don't know anything about cameras or they just can't see the difference. To be fair, the cameras on smartphones have improved so much to the point that the photos they produce actually look almost as good as the photos taken with a 'real' camera. This is innovation where imaging technology combines with hi-tech software processing to 'mimic' that quality look. The photos are digitally sharpened, they look crazy clear! But don't get me started with that fake digital blur. I just hate that.
So back to the issue at hand. The A7C is not aimed at professionals. I say this because as much as it can produce high quality full frame images, it lacks most of the physical buttons and dials a professional camera would usually have. And less of a few other features as well. No front dial for your index finger. No mini joystick pad for adjusting focus points. Only one custom button as opposed to 4 or more custom buttons on other Sony full frame cameras. A very small EVF with no eye piece. Single memory card slot. Due to its compact design, the ergonomics isn't the best either. If you have beefy hands like me, it feels a little awkward to hold. The grip feels like it could always do with a slightly larger one. So the only way professionals are going to opt for this camera is as a B-cam or a secondary camera.
So, who is this camera actually for, you might ask? For photos, in my opinion, I would say this camera is targeted towards casual users and enthusiasts who are using Sony's APSC line-up, the A6000 series, whom of which are looking to upgrade to full frame. Like the A7III and A7IV, the A7C is indeed an entry-level full frame camera. Yes, it has quite a huge price tag too. RM8,000 (USD2,000). But in the world of full frame, that is as cheap as it gets. The Sony A7SIII costs roughly RM13,000!
However, on the video side, their main targets are Youtubers, influencers, content creators and the likes. Even though this camera is a hybrid camera, meaning it does both photos and videos fairly well, some might go as far as claiming it to be a video-centric camera just because it has that flip-out screen. Not to be confused with a flip-up screen, as featured on some of the A6000 series. Flip-out screens are pretty rare in the Sony mirrorless world. Sure, now we have the ZV-1 and the ZV-E10, both come with a flip-out screen. But back then, when they launched the A7C in 2020, the only other camera that rocks a flip-out screen was the A7SIII. I'm pretty sure the flip-out screen will be the standard for Sony cameras moving forward.
More video-centric features can be found on the A7C. It can record 4K at 24, 25 and 30fps. It also records 1080p from 24fps up to 120fps. It has a rather huge red record button at the top plate which is easy to reach even when recording yourself selfie-style. It is blessed with no record limit. Most of its peers get a 30 minute cut-off but not the A7C. It can keep recording for as long as the battery and memory card allows without overheating. Vertical recording is also supported, in which you don't need to flip the video's orientation during edit. Pretty convenient for those doing Tik Toks, Reels, Shorts and Stories.
It also has gyro data baked into the footage so you can post-stabilize your videos using Catalyst Browse. You get a bit of a crop but the stabilization is so smooth it looks like you actually used a gimbal. Of course, this is all great if you don't mind the extra step in your workflow. I never used Catalyst Browse but from what I hear, it takes 30 minutes to render a 10 minute clip, and you can't render in bulk. You can only render one clip at a time. The A7C is also capable of recording in a lot of different Picture Profiles such as S-log and HLG. These functions are typically used for color grading later in post. However, this camera does not do 10-bit color. It only does 8-bit so it's best to stay away from S-log 3 at all cost. If all these features do not scream 'video camera', I don't know what does.
While recording high definition video can also be done with APSC and micro four thirds, full frame simply gives out that 'full frame look'. It's difficult to describe or explain the full frame look. It's just there. It just is. Other words that may help define it are cinematic, creamy, clear and sharp.
1 year of experience using this camera and I have nothing but good things to say about it. Sure, in addition, I had to buy a proper wide-angle lens for vlogging, which set me back RM3,000. I also needed a good on-camera external microphone which costed me RM1,000. Now bear in mind that all this is probably overkill and that if you're looking to start making Youtube videos, you don't need a full frame camera. Start with your smartphone camera and slowly upgrade from there. APSC cameras are the most popular among Youtube creators. Full frame cameras are simply too expensive and too heavy, especially for travel vloggers. APSC cameras such as the A6400 costs only around RM4,000 and the lens will cost you RM1,000 and that right there is your perfect vlogging setup. There's really no reason to go for a full frame camera unless you're upgrading from APSC for that extra bump in quality. There's not gonna be much of a noticeable difference between the two.
However, if you do take that leap to full frame, you will notice that you can bump the ISO higher than usual. You'll start to see a bit more detail in the shots. The bokeh will seem much more pleasing to the eyes and much easier to control. And just somehow, those videos seem that bit more cinematic or movie-like.
I took that leap because deep down I know that making Youtube videos is what I want to do in the long run. I already know it's something I truly love doing. It's not the best move but it's a move that I don't regret. The lens and microphone were costly, but that's just a one-time thing and now I'm all set. Now all I need to do is keep making more videos and practice to get better at it. I will keep on grinding. The passion continues. The movement is real.
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