Sony Alpha 7C, the world’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera

Alpha 7C is the world’s smallest and lightest full-frame camera, but it boasts incredible performance, including advanced autofocus, the ability to record high-resolution 4K video, and much more.

The new camera Sony Alpha 7C combines Sony’s full-frame image quality, advanced AF capabilities, and versatile video features in an extraordinarily light and compact design. The new camera boasts a 24.2 MP (effective) 35mm full-frame Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a BIONZ X image processor, ensuring high sensitivity, optimal resolution, a wide dynamic range of 15 stops, and high-speed image data processing.

With only 509g in 124.0mm x 71.1mm x 59.7mm, Alpha 7C has a footprint similar to an APS-C camera, and weighs only 1% more than Alpha 6600. The record-breaking compactness and lightness of Alpha 7C are made possible by a renewed 5-axis integrated stabilization system, a new shutter, and the use of a unibody structure inspired by the automotive and aerospace industries. Despite its small size, Alpha 7C features a 5-stop stabilization effect that allows for stunning shots, without the need for a tripod. Furthermore, the high-capacity NP-FZ100 battery has enough power to take up to 740 photos using the LCD screen or 680 photos using the viewfinder, with industry-leading performance that makes the device ideal for long shooting sessions.

Superb full-frame image quality

Sony’s new Alpha 7C combines high resolution and noise reduction to deliver excellent image quality at any sensitivity level, with outstanding results in everyday shots and videos, as well as in portraits, street photography, wildlife and sports photography, and many other situations. The standard ISO range extends up to 51,000, further expandable to ISO 50-204,800[xi] for low-light shots with low noise. Alpha 7C also supports 16-bit image processing and 14-bit RAW format for natural gradations.

Advanced autofocus

Thanks to advanced AI usage, Alpha 7C features Real-time Tracking technology, which automatically maintains precise focus by keeping the shutter button half-pressed. It is also now possible to assign the “Tracking On + AF-On” function to a custom button, which can be activated instantly while the AF-ON button is pressed. After activating “Touch Tracking” from the menu, you can specify the subject you want to focus on simply by touching it on the monitor, in both photos and videos. Among the AF functions of Alpha 7C is also Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals, for fast and accurate focusing. When using Real-time Tracking (with the face/eye priority in AF option active) to photograph a person, the device detects the subject’s eye and face and keeps them in focus in real-time with extreme precision.

Alpha 7C is equipped with a wide, fast, and reliable AF, which identifies the subject instantly, without losing focus, thanks to its autofocus system with 693 phase-detection points on the focal plane, covering approximately 93% of the image area, and 425 contrast-detection points, ensuring impeccable focus, even in the most chaotic environments.

Alpha 7C also allows continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with AF/AE (autoexposure) by utilizing the new shutter and the refined image processing system. You can also shoot uninterruptedly at up to 8 frames per second in Live View mode, with minimal display lag on the viewfinder or screen, to easily maintain stable framing, even when the subject’s movement is intense. Alpha 7C allows you to take 223 JPEG Fine L images, 115 compressed RAW images, or 45 uncompressed RAW images in a single continuous burst, with high and reliable AF accuracy, even in light as low as EV-4. These features facilitate the precise capture of moving subjects.

Ever-expanding video capabilities

Full-frame pixel readout without binning collects more than twice the data required for 4K (QFHD: 3840 x 2160) video, which is then oversampled to produce high-quality 4K video with exceptional depth and detail. Furthermore, Alpha 7C supports HDR (HLG) and S-Log/S-Gamut profiles, Slow & Quick motion functions, high-frame-rate 120 fps Full HD recording, and other advanced features for spectacular, high-quality video recordings.

And that’s not all: Alpha 7C is equipped with Real-time Eye AF (for human subjects) even during video recording. The subject’s eye is automatically tracked with optimal precision and reliability, allowing the operator to focus on the content rather than on focusing operations. Users can also choose from seven AF transition speed settings and five AF sensitivity settings depending on the subject, according to their preferences. The Touch Tracking function is also available during video recording.

Alpha 7C features a side-open, multi-angle electrostatic touch LCD screen, enabling selfies, aerial shots, low-angle shots, or whatever your imagination suggests. The dedicated video recording button is positioned on the top of the device, making selfie-style shooting easier. In addition, the recording quality of Alpha 7C is excellent in terms of audio as well, delivering sound that matches the high-quality images and videos. The Multi Interface (MI) Shoe has been equipped with a new digital audio interface, allowing the connection of the “shotgun” microphone ECM-B1M or the adapter kit XLR-K3M to directly receive digital audio signals from the MI shoe, resulting in clearer and sharper audio recordings. As with other MI Shoe accessories, no cables or batteries are required, offering unlimited creative freedom. A headphone and microphone jack are also provided to carefully monitor recorded sounds, while metadata linked to vertically recorded videos on the camera allow for vertical playback and editing after transferring to a smartphone.

Keyword: Reliability

Alpha 7C was designed with the user as the top priority. The large 3-inch touch LCD screen features approximately 921,000 dots, ensuring optimal visibility even outdoors in bright conditions, and supports touch operations. Alpha 7C also offers a high-quality viewfinder mode for more refined and natural details, in addition to the 2.35 million-dot (approx.) XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder. Among the functions that facilitate the use of Alpha 7C during and after shooting are the customizable Fn button and much more. Dust and moisture resistant, the camera holds up even in the most demanding environmental conditions.

To simplify your workflow, Wi-Fi capabilities allow images and videos to be transferred directly[xxii] to a smartphone or tablet, facilitating viewing, saving, and sharing. In addition to the conventional 2.4 GHz band, the camera supports the 11ac standard for 5 GHz band transfer (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac)[xxiii], allowing users to opt for this stable and fast transfer method with reduced interference. A USB Type-C connector is also available cwith SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps (USB 3.2) support, for rapid image transfer during PC remote sessions and for power from external mobile batteries.

Pubblicato in Photography