camera gear, photography
Sony a7C R Hands-On pREVIEW: BLOWN AWAY, I DIDN’T SEE THIS COMING!!! (Vs a7R V)
Are you a photography enthusiast seeking the perfect camera that combines the portability of a compact model with the power of a full-frame? Well, Sony has heard your prayers and delivered an awe-inspiring solution: the Sony a7C R. In this blog post, we’ll be diving into a hands-on preview of this astonishing camera and exploring its remarkable features that left us utterly blown away. And, to add some excitement, we’ll be comparing it to its predecessor, the a7R V. Join us as we delve into the world of the Sony a7C R, where innovation meets compactness, and prepare to be mesmerized!
Sony a7C R Hands-On Preview: Blown Away, I Didn’t See This Coming!!! (Vs a7R V)
Right before we jump into this video, if you’d like me to send you a free guide to capturing motion in low light situations, just look for this Orange Box over on froknowsphoto.com. Put your name and email address in it, hit send, and I’m going to send you that guide for free. Jared Polin, froknowsphoto.com.
This is a preview of the Sony a7CR, with the “r” standing for “resolution”. Oh, resolution, thank you. We’ll get to that in just a minute. But Sony did release two of these a7C style cameras at once. If you’re looking for the preview of the a7C2, that is linked down below.
Photographing with the Sony a7CR
Now, what did I photograph with this a7CR? Well, I photographed a concert. I also photographed at the Phillies to get some action photos. While a lot of people might not use a camera of this stature at a Phillies game or for sports, I think it’s fantastic for it. I also took it out into the park to photograph a little girl running around and blowing bubbles. I got some absolutely fantastic shots.
Now, we are filming with the a7CR right here, so the video that you see sitting at my desk is all shot with this new camera. That is a pre-production unit, that’s why this is not called a full-on review and we can’t open the raw files just yet, just the full res jpegs.
If you’re wondering, why is your set so empty behind you? That’s because we moved into the new building and we haven’t gotten it fully set up just yet, but we will be doing that in the next couple of months.
The A7CR
So, what is the A7CR with the “r” standing for what? Stephen, resolution. That’s right, resolution. It’s basically an a7R5 in a more compact body. It’s, for all intents and purposes, the same exact thing with some very minor differences, which we’re going to get to in this video.
First things first, it’s a smaller, more compact body. It’s the same exact body as the A7C2, so it has the newer, better grip on it, which is much easier to hold onto. It’s got the front dial for being able to control your aperture or set it to whatever you would like to, and it has a few different changes on the top of the camera as well.
With the a7CR, you can get a grip on the bottom. That’s what you see on the camera right now. Now, that is not a grip that gives you functionality like extra battery or being able to go and use it as a vertical grip. It’s basically a dumb grip. It’s an extension grip that doesn’t do anything else but allow you to have a place to put your hand and to put your pinky and to flip the door open to change your battery that comes with this camera instead of having to spend $150 extra, which you have to do if you want it for the A7C2.
In terms of size, it’s 29% lighter than an a7R5. That means it comes in at 1.14 pounds or 515 grams. Unlike the a7R5, which has a really cool flip-out and rotatable, and all different articulating screen that you have a ton of options for, you don’t get that with this. You have the same screen that you find on the A7R4. So that means you have a three-inch 1.03 million dot vary-angle touch screen, which doesn’t have great quality.
And then, speaking of not great quality, you still have a 2.36 million dot left-facing electronic viewfinder, meaning it’s off to the left-hand side of the camera. And like I said, I’m a left-eye shooter, it’s a pain in the butt to start, but you get used to it after a while. But I say low quality on both of these screens because it really is low quality. The image quality that you get out of this camera is fantastic when you get the images in the computer, but that’s not represented very well when you look through the viewfinder or look at the back of the LCD screen.
For a company that makes OLED displays as well as LCD TVs, they should have a better quality screen. But they’re probably trying to save some money somewhere. Just know, it’s not really a deal breaker, but I would much prefer a better electronic viewfinder that was more representative of the image that I’m actually capturing because the images are fantastic.
Sensor and Autofocus
You have basically the same menu system as the A7R5. You’ve got the tile options on the back end, you have the swipe options. And I will say it’s starting to get a little Avril Lavigne here, getting a little complicated because there are so many different options. Now, that’s not a bad thing, they’re good, but I do think that Sony’s probably going to cut back on some of them because everything is right there in front of you at this point.
Moving on to the heart of this camera is the sensor. You have the 61-megapixel BSI full-frame sensor with a BIONZ XR processor. That’s the same as what you find in the A7R5. It is a fantastic system, head to toe. Probably one of the best sensors that Sony’s ever made in a camera like this, and the image quality is absolutely fantastic. It’s the exact same thing that you find in a $3900 camera and this one’s going to be less expensive. We’ll give you that price at the end of the video.
ISO range-wise, you’ve got 100 to 32,000. You have your dedicated AI processor for the autofocus. You have the same exact autofocus that you find in the A7R5. That’s 693 phase detect AF points that are very good. The autofocus that they have done here is far superior to anything that Sony has done prior that didn’t have the AI processor.
Now, I did run into one minor issue with the autofocus where I had a subject, a batter up or up to bat, and I had the all-encompassing autofocus on, which is the one that will select the best option. Is it the iAF lock-on tracking? It should find the biggest subject in the frame because it’s AI, it’s smart. And what ended up happening is, it focused on the subject in the dugout, and that’s kind of weird. It shouldn’t have done that. It happened every so often, and it’s not a major deal breaker. I got around it, but it was just something to be aware of.
Now, if you’re going to be photographing a human, a bird, a plane, or some other type of subject, you have to tell the camera which one to choose. Whereas with Canon, it will automatically select between those different ones. With this one, you just have to make sure that you have “human” selected if you’re going to be photographing humans.
Let me jump in here real quick because I want to show you this photo taken with the Sony A7CR and edited with fro Pack 4. Starting with Blues Clues, followed by Brooklyn c41, Coppertone, DeLorean, high C, Kaleidoscope, Mel Brooks, saltwater taffy, thick tin type, and wet Hot American Summer. But I also want to show you my all-time favorite from fro Pack 1, which is Skittles. With one click, boom! That’s how good it looks. So look, if you want to speed up your raw workflow or give yourself a great starting point, we created fro Pack 4, which consists of 14 custom Lightroom presets that you can check out right now at froknowsphoto.com/fropack4. While you’re over there, you can play with the sliders to see the befores and the afters if you decide to…
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Sony a7C R Hands-On Preview about?
A: The Sony a7C R Hands-On Preview is an in-depth review of the Sony a7C R camera, providing detailed information regarding its features, capabilities, and performance.
Q: How does the Sony a7C R compare to the a7R V?
A: The Sony a7C R and a7R V are both high-end cameras, but they have key differences. The a7C R is a more compact and lightweight mirrorless camera, while the a7R V is known for its exceptional resolution. The Hands-On Preview highlights these distinctions in greater detail.
Q: What can I expect from the Sony a7C R?
A: The Sony a7C R offers a powerful 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, advanced autofocus system, image stabilization, and various shooting modes. It is designed to provide exceptional image quality and versatility for professional photographers and enthusiasts.
Q: Is the Sony a7C R suitable for beginners?
A: While the Sony a7C R is a feature-packed camera, it may be better suited for experienced photographers who are familiar with advanced settings and controls. However, beginners can still benefit from its automatic modes and gradually learn to utilize its advanced features.
Q: What are some standout features of the Sony a7C R?
A: The Sony a7C R boasts features like a flexible LCD touchscreen, high-speed continuous shooting, impressive low-light performance, and advanced video capabilities. These make it an excellent choice for a wide range of photography and videography needs.
Q: Does the Sony a7C R support interchangeable lenses?
A: Yes, the Sony a7C R is compatible with a wide range of E-mount lenses, which allows photographers to choose lenses based on their specific needs and desired focal lengths.
Q: How can I find more information about the Sony a7C R?
A: For more detailed information, you can refer to the full written review of the Sony a7C R Hands-On Preview on our website, which includes sample images, comparisons, and expert opinions.
I hope you find useful my article Sony a7C R Hands-On pREVIEW: BLOWN AWAY, I DIDN’T SEE THIS COMING!!! (Vs a7R V), I also recommend you to read my other posts in my blog at this link.
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