When Zeiss announced the ZX1 fixed lens camera two years ago, I predicted it would carry a $4,000-5,000 price tag. I was wrong. It’s priced at $6,000. This certainly makes Sony RX1R II look like a huge bargain…
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Sony Venice Cinema cameras offer Dual ISO and while Sony officially states that Sony a7S III does not have dual ISOs, there is a point 4-stops above the base ISO where a7S III boosts the signal to the analog digital converter resulting in lower noise. This effectively creates a second base ISO.
Philip Bloom put Sony A7S III Dual Base ISO to the test and found they vary depending upon the picture profile selected. Here’s what he found:
Low Base ISO 640 / High Base ISO 12,800
Low Base ISO 100 / High Base ISO 2000
Low Base ISO 50 / High Base ISO 1000
Low Base ISO 80 / High Base ISO 1600
In other words, when shooting still with no picture profile you’ll get less noise at ISO 1600 than you would at ISO 1280 and the same is true in cine profiles meaning S-Log 3 has less at ISO 12,800 than at 10,000.
Because base ISO depends on the picture profile the ISOs will vary depending upon profile selected – but they are always 4-stops apart.
Bloom exaggerates noise by pushing up shadow detail in this video to show the point where noise drops:
Sony a7C body only ($1,798) Size: 4.9 x 2.8 x 2.4″ / 124 x 71.1 x 59.7 mm
Sony a7C with FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 lens ($2,098) Size: 4.9 x 2.8 x 3.7″ / 124 x 71.1 x 93.9 mm
Sigma fp body only ($1,899) Size: 4.43 x 2.75 x 1.78″ (112.6 x 69.9 x 45.3 mm)
Sony a7C will remind a lot of you of Sigma fp, however Sony a7C adds SIX major upgrades not found on Sigma fp:
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. Sigma fp does not.
• Sony a7C has a built-in EVF. Sigma fp does not.
• Sony a7C has Phase Detection AF. Sigma fp only offers Contrast AF.
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. Sigma fp has a tiny BP-51 battery.
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. Sigma fp does not.
• Sony a7C has built-in hand grip. Sigma fp does not.
Sony RX1R II with 35mm F2 Zeiss fixed lens ($3,298) Size: 4.5 x 2.6 x 2.8″ (113.3 x 65.4 x 72 mm)
Sony RX1R II is another excellent choice for street photography thanks to its fixed 35mm F2.0 Zeiss lens and 42mp sensor. Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera with a 24mp sensor. Both are excellent cameras – here’s how they compare:
• Sony a7C has a 24mp sensor. RX1R II has a 42mp sensor.
• Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera. RX1R II has a fixed 35mm F2.0 Zeiss lens.
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. RX1R II does not.
• Sony a7C has a built-in EVF. RX1R II has a pop-up EVF
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. RX1R II uses the tiny NP-BX1/M8 battery.
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. RX1R II is tilt LCD only.
• Sony a7C has built-in hand grip. RX1R II does not.
Leica Q2 with 28mm F1.7 Leica fixed lens ($4,995) Size: 5.1 x 3.1 x 3.6″ (130 x 80 x 91.9 mm)
• Sony a7C has a 24mp sensor. Leica Q2 has a 47mp sensor.
• Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera. Leica Q2 has a fixed 28mm F1.7 Leica lens.
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. Leica Q2 has an OSS lens.
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. Leica Q2 uses the BP-SCL4 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (8.4V, 1860mAh).
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. Leica Q2 has a fixed LCD.
• Sony a7C has built-in hand grip. Leica Q2 does not.
Zeiss ZX1 with 35mm F2 Zeiss fixed lens ($6,000) Size: 5.6 x 3.7 x 2.6″ (142 x 93 x 66 mm)
Zeiss ZX1 was announced two years ago in September 2018 but has not yet come to market, here are the specs. While it’s not as compact as the other cameras on this list, I’ll include it for reference.
• Sony a7C has a 24mp sensor. Zeiss ZX1 has a 37mp sensor.
• Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera. Zeiss ZX1 has a fixed 35mm F2.0 Zeiss lens.
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. Zeiss ZX1 does not.
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. Zeiss ZX1 uses the tiny NP-BX1/M8 battery.
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. Zeiss ZX1 has a fixed 4.3″ touch LCD.
Sony’s newest fullframe mirrorless camera – the Sony a7C ($1,798 Body | $2,098 with FE 28-60mm lens) is the smallest fullframe camera with in-camera image stabilization. It is also the best looking Sony Alpha camera. Ever.
It’s ideal for vloggers, street photographers and anyone who wants a compact stealthy camera. Thanks to its small form factor and 360º Tilt LCD, Sony a7C is aimed at users who want a fullframe Sony a7 III camera with the form factor of a6000 series.
It is NOT the a7 III successor. It’s a whole new camera in the a7 camera family.
Sony a7C includes the same 360º Tilt LCD found on a7S III, making it ideal for vlogging or remote shooting.
Despite its small size, the EF is amazing – even for those who wear eyeglasses. It’s much better than the pop-up EVF in RX1R II.
Due to it’s small size, a7C does not have a joystick, however like a6000 series cameras, it can be set to Center Button AF for quick navigation of Flexible Spot AF.
Sony a7C is the smallest fullframe interchangeable lens camera with In Body Image Stabilization. IBIS is on par with a7 III, which is very good.
4.9 x 2.8 x 2.4″ / 124 x 71.1 x 59.7 mm (W x H x D)
1.1 lb / 509 g (Body with Battery and Memory)
Same 2nd Generation 24mp CMOS sensor as Sony a7 III
Phase Detection: 693 / Contrast Detection: 425
Same Bionz X Processor with Front-end LSI as Sony a7 III
Sony managed to make a7C small without compromising battery life thanks to its NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery. As an added benefit, in order to make room for the battery, a7C has a full size handgrip similar in size to a7 III.
Sony a7C has a Single SD UHS-II Card Slot, USB Type-C, HDMI Micro, 3.5mm Mic & Headphone ports
1:1, 2:3, 4:3, 16:9
Like other recent Sony cameras, a7C features an illuminated focus point that can be set to White or Red
Sony a7C | Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 | 1/80 sec | F8 | ISO 100 (VIEW LARGER)
Sony a7C | Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 | 1/100 sec | F8 | ISO 100 (VIEW LARGER)
Sony a7C | Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA | 1/80 sec | F8 | ISO 100 (VIEW LARGER)
Sony a7C | Sony FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 | 1/60 sec | F8 | ISO 100 (VIEW LARGER)
Sony a7C | Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA | 1/80 sec | F8 | ISO 100 (VIEW LARGER)
Lens Mount: Sony E
Camera Format: Full-Frame
Pixels Actual: 25.3 Megapixel
Effective: 24.2 Megapixel
Maximum Resolution: 6000 x 4000
Aspect Ratio: 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9
Sensor Type: CMOS
Sensor Size: 35.6 x 23.8 mm
Image File Format: JPEG, Raw
Bit Depth: 14-Bit
Image Stabilization: Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis
ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100 to 51200 (Extended: 50 to 204800)
Shutter Speed: Mechanical Shutter 1/4000 to 30 Second, Bulb Mode
Shutter Speed: Electronic Shutter 1/8000 to 30 Second, Bulb Mode
Metering Method: Average, Center-Weighted Average, Highlight Weighted, Multi-Zone, Spot
Exposure Modes: Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Exposure Compensation: -5 to +5 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
Metering Range: -3 to 20 EV
White Balance: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Shade, Underwater
Continuous Shooting: Up to 10 fps at 24.2 MP for up to 223 Frames (JPEG) / 115 Frames (Raw)
Up to 8 fps at 24.2 MP, Up to 6 fps at 24.2 MP, Up to 3 fps at 24.2 MP
Interval Recording: Yes
Self-Timer: 2/5/10-Second Delay
Video Recording Modes: H.264/XAVC S 4:2:0 8-Bit
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p [60 to 100 Mb/s]
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119.88p [16 to 100 Mb/s]
External Recording Modes: 4:2:2 8-Bit
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/50i/50p/59.94i/59.94p
Recording Limit Unlimited
Video Encoding: NTSC/PAL
Audio Recording: Built-In Microphone (Stereo), External Microphone Input
Audio File Format: Linear PCM
Focus Type: Auto and Manual Focus
Focus Mode: Automatic (A), Continuous-Servo AF (C), Direct Manual Focus (DMF), Manual Focus (M), Single-Servo AF (S)
Autofocus Points: Phase Detection: 693 / Contrast Detection: 425
Autofocus Sensitivity: -4 to +20 EV
Viewfinder Type: Electronic (OLED)
Viewfinder Size: 0.39″
Viewfinder Resolution: 2,359,296 Dot
Viewfinder Eye Point: 20 mm
Viewfinder Coverage: 100%
Viewfinder Magnification: Approx. 0.59x
Diopter Adjustment: -4 to +3
Monitor Size: 3″
Monitor Resolution: 921,600 Dot
Monitor Type: Articulating Touchscreen LCD
Built-In Flash: No
Flash Modes: Auto, Fill Flash, Hi-Speed Sync, Off, Rear Sync, Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Sync, Wireless
Maximum Sync Speed: 1/160 Second
Flash Compensation: -3 to +3 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
Dedicated Flash System: TTL
External Flash Connection: Hot Shoe
Memory Card Slot: Single Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Connectivity: USB Type-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1), HDMI D (Micro), 3.5mm Headphone, 3.5mm Microphone
Wireless: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
GPS: No
Operating Temperature: 32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C
Battery: 1 x NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 7.2 VDC, 2280 mAh (Approx. 740 Shots)
Dimensions (W x H x D): 4.9 x 2.8 x 2.4″ / 124 x 71.1 x 59.7 mm
Weight: 1.1 lb / 509 g (Body with Battery and Memory)
Sony a7C body only ($1,798) Size: 4.9 x 2.8 x 2.4″ / 124 x 71.1 x 59.7 mm
Sony a7C with FE 28-60mm F4-5.6 lens ($2,098) Size: 4.9 x 2.8 x 3.7″ / 124 x 71.1 x 93.9 mm
Sigma fp body only ($1,899) Size: 4.43 x 2.75 x 1.78″ (112.6 x 69.9 x 45.3 mm)
Sony a7C will remind a lot of you of Sigma fp, however Sony a7C adds SIX major upgrades not found on Sigma fp:
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. Sigma fp does not.
• Sony a7C has a built-in EVF. Sigma fp does not.
• Sony a7C has Phase Detection AF. Sigma fp only offers Contrast AF.
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. Sigma fp has a tiny BP-51 battery.
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. Sigma fp does not.
• Sony a7C has built-in hand grip. Sigma fp does not.
Sony RX1R II with 35mm F2 Zeiss fixed lens ($3,298) Size: 4.5 x 2.6 x 2.8″ (113.3 x 65.4 x 72 mm)
Sony RX1R II is another excellent choice for street photography thanks to its fixed 35mm F2.0 Zeiss lens and 42mp sensor. Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera with a 24mp sensor. Both are excellent cameras – here’s how they compare:
• Sony a7C has a 24mp sensor. RX1R II has a 42mp sensor.
• Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera. RX1R II has a fixed 35mm F2.0 Zeiss lens.
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. RX1R II does not.
• Sony a7C has a built-in EVF. RX1R II has a pop-up EVF
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. RX1R II uses the tiny NP-BX1/M8 battery.
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. RX1R II is tilt LCD only.
• Sony a7C has built-in hand grip. RX1R II does not.
Leica Q2 with 28mm F1.7 Leica fixed lens ($4,995) Size: 5.1 x 3.1 x 3.6″ (130 x 80 x 91.9 mm)
• Sony a7C has a 24mp sensor. Leica Q2 has a 47mp sensor.
• Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera. Leica Q2 has a fixed 28mm F1.7 Leica lens.
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. Leica Q2 has an OSS lens.
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. Leica Q2 uses the BP-SCL4 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (8.4V, 1860mAh).
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. Leica Q2 has a fixed LCD.
• Sony a7C has built-in hand grip. Leica Q2 does not.
Zeiss ZX1 with 35mm F2 Zeiss fixed lens ($6,000) Size: 5.6 x 3.7 x 2.6″ (142 x 93 x 66 mm)
Zeiss ZX1 was announced two years ago in September 2018 but has not yet come to market, here are the specs. While it’s not as compact as the other cameras on this list, I’ll include it for reference.
• Sony a7C has a 24mp sensor. Zeiss ZX1 has a 37mp sensor.
• Sony a7C is an interchangeable lens camera. Zeiss ZX1 has a fixed 35mm F2.0 Zeiss lens.
• Sony a7C has 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization. Zeiss ZX1 does not.
• Sony a7C has a long-life Z-battery. Zeiss ZX1 uses the tiny NP-BX1/M8 battery.
• Sony a7C has a 360º Tilt LCD. Zeiss ZX1 has a fixed 4.3″ touch LCD.
Thanks to its compact form factor, Sony a7C is ideal for anyone who wants a compact stealthy camera for vlogging, travel and street photography.
The Look. Best Looking Sony Alpha. Ever.
Compact form factor. Ideal camera for street photography.
EVF is shockingly good for its tiny size. Much better than a pop-up.
Smallest fullframe camera with IBIS.
Z-battery for long battery life.
No locking EV Dial to reduce height. Perfect for me, but some users really like the a7R IV locking EV Dial.
360º Tilt LCD is ideal for video and remote shooting – but street photographers would likely prefer the tilt LCD found on a7 III.
No Front Dial.
Single card slot. Understandable given the size but potentially a deal-breaker for some potential buyers.
Check out this great video by Stan Moniz of the Sony Imaging Collective capturing the surf in slow-motion with Sony a7S III 10-bit 120fps! Stan shot using his Aquatech Elite II Water Housing capturing the footage in S-Log3 Cine Gamut and grading in post.
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Order Aquatech Elite II Water Housing from B&H Photo
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Smith photographs portraits of Hollywood A-List and Fortune's 500 for magazines, corporations and advertising. He's a Sony Artisan of Imagery, Profoto Legend of Light, Adobe Influencer and X-Rite Master Coloratti.
