Sony shook up the full frame mirrorless camera market in 2020 with the release of the a7c – a compact, slimmed-down version of the popular a7 III aimed at vloggers, travel photographers and enthusiasts. Now in 2022, they’ve announced the a7 IV, the long-awaited successor to the a7 III.
With two similarly spec’d cameras occupying the same price bracket, it can be tough deciding between the compact a7c or the newer, more advanced a7 IV. This detailed comparison breaks down the key differences to help you choose the right one for your needs.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Specs | Sony a7c | Sony a7 IV |
| Sensor Resolution | 24MP | 33MP |
| Body Size | Compact rangefinder-style | Standard DSLR-style |
| Weight | 509g | 658g |
| Image Stabilization | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Shooting | 10fps | 10fps |
| Autofocus Points | 693 PDAF | 759 PDAF |
| AF Coverage Area | 84% frame | 94% frame |
| Video Recording | 4K 30p (cropped) | Oversampled 4K 30p |
| Video Color Depth | 8-bit 4:2:0 | 10-bit 4:2:2 |
| Battery Life | 720 shots | 580 shots |
| Card Slots | 1x SD (UHS-I) | 2x SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear Screen | 180° flip touchscreen | Tilt-only touchscreen |
| Viewfinder | 2.36M dots | 3.69M dots |
| Price | $1300 | $2500 |
Overview Of The Sony a7c
The Sony a7c was designed for photographers who want a lightweight, portable full frame camera without compromising performance. Weighing just 509g, the a7c is the world’s smallest and lightest full frame camera with in-body image stabilization (IBIS).
It incorporates technology from Sony’s acclaimed a7 III and a9 models into a rangefinder-style body reminiscent of their older NEX cameras. The a7c retains the impressive 24MP sensor from the a7 III, with updated image processing for improved dynamic range and low light performance.
While not as rugged as higher-end a7 models, the a7c is weather sealed and features an impressive 693 point hybrid AF system covering 84% of the image area. It can shoot bursts at 10fps with continuous AF/AE, and video up to oversampled 4K 30p.
Overall, the a7c hits a sweet spot between size, performance and price. It’s a great choice for travel, vlogging and everyday shooting if you want full frame image quality without the bulk.
Overview Of The Sony a7 IV
The a7 IV is Sony’s latest mid-range full frame mirrorless camera, succeeding the popular a7 III from 2018. It’s more of an incremental upgrade rather than a huge leap forward, with improvements to resolution, autofocus, burst speed and video capabilities.
At the heart of the a7 IV is a brand new 33MP Exmor R back-illuminated sensor. Combined with the latest BIONZ XR processor, it provides a native ISO range of 100-32000 (expandable to 50-204800) for excellent low light performance.
For autofocus, the a7 IV sports a 759 point phase detect AF system covering 94% of the image area. It can shoot bursts at 10fps with continuous AF/AE tracking.
4K video is cropped from the full width of the sensor. But oversampled 4K 30p video is exceptionally detailed, and the a7 IV provides 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording for pro-level color.
With dual UHS-II SD card slots, 33MP resolution, advanced AF and faster burst speeds, the a7 IV edges out the a7c in every area except size and weight. It’s the ideal full frame option if you need more professional specs and performance.
Physical Comparison
The most obvious difference between the a7c and a7 IV is their physical design.
The a7c has a rangefinder-style body reminiscent of Sony’s older NEX-series APS-C mirrorless cameras. It’s extremely compact and lightweight for a full frame camera, measuring just 124 x 71 x 60 mm and weighing 509g.
Despite its small size, it retains a decent handgrip and decent number of physical controls. The 3″ rear touchscreen can flip out 180-degrees for selfies and vlogging. The EVF is a 2.36M dot OLED panel.
The a7 IV follows Sony’s standard DSLR-style design for their a7-series cameras. It’s noticeably larger at 131 x 97 x 82 mm and about 200g heavier at 658g.
The deeper handgrip and larger body provide more physical controls, better ergonomics for larger lenses, and better heat dispersion for long shoots. It also uses a higher resolution 3.68M dot OLED EVF. But the rear screen is lower resolution and only tilts up/down.
For travel and everyday use, the a7c’s smaller body could make a big difference. But the a7 IV may be preferable if you plan to use larger glass for professional work.
Also Read: Comparison Between Sony FX3 And A7IV.
Image Quality
Both cameras deliver excellent full frame image quality, but the a7 IV naturally has an edge with its higher resolution 33MP sensor.
The 24MP sensor on the Sony a7c has been refined over years of use in other Sony models. It delivers excellent dynamic range, low light performance, and fast sensor readout speeds. The a7c adds Sony’s latest image processing for slightly improved resolution and high ISO performance compared to the older a7 III.
The brand new 33MP sensor in the a7 IV simply captures more detail. But it also demonstrates improvements in dynamic range and high ISO performance compared to 24MP sensors. The minimum native ISO of 100 (versus 200 on the a7c) allows for even more flexibility in bright light.
For most users, the difference between 24MP and 33MP is not huge. But the extra resolution does provide more flexibility for aggressive cropping and large printing applications.
Autofocus
Sony is well-known for having some of the most advanced autofocus in the market, and both cameras deliver speedy, reliable focus. But the a7 IV notably ups the ante with improvements that make it better suited for sports and action:
- a7c: 693 point phase detect AF, 84% coverage, 10fps burst w/continuous AF
- a7 IV: 759 point phase detect AF, 94% coverage, 10fps burst w/continuous AF
The expanded AF area and new subject tracking algorithms on the a7 IV allow it to better track erratic subjects like birds across the entire frame. The a7c focuses quickly and accurately in most scenarios, but can’t quite match the a7 IV’s performance with fast action.
Both cameras offer excellent eye/face/body detection that works on humans and animals. Overall the a7c focuses very well for its class – but the a7 IV is noticeably more advanced, especially for sports and wildlife.
Also Read: Comparison Between Sony A1 And A7 IV.
Video
The a7c and a7 IV both offer very capable video features, including 4K 30p, S-Log profiles, and headphone/mic jacks. But the a7 IV brings more professional recording options:
- a7c: UHD 4K30p (cropped), FHD 120fps, 8-bit internal, 4:2:0
- a7 IV: Oversampled 4K30p (full width), FHD 120fps, 10-bit 4:2:2 internal
While the a7c can only capture cropped 4K video from a smaller region of the sensor, the a7 IV oversamples for exceptionally detailed 4K across the full width.
Both can record high frame rate FHD video up to 120fps for smooth slo-mo. But the upgraded 10-bit 4:2:2 color on the a7 IV provides more editing flexibility in post.
For casual shooting the a7c’s video specs are perfectly fine. But the oversampled 4K and 10-bit color give the a7 IV a big advantage for professional video work.
Stabilization
In-body image stabilization (IBIS) is an important feature for shooting handheld video and low light photos. Both the a7c and a7 IV provide 5-axis sensor stabilization, but the a7 IV features Sony’s latest algorithms:
- a7c: 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (CIPA rating)
- a7 IV: 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops (CIPA rating)
In practice, the half-stop advantage on the a7 IV will only make a minor difference. What matters more is combining the IBIS with lens OSS (if available) for even smoother handheld footage.
Both cameras also feature electronic stabilization when recording video, which crops the sensor area slightly to reduce shake. This works very well on wide angle lenses.
For most people the IBIS difference between the two cameras will be negligible. Both provide extremely effective stabilization for handheld shooting.
Battery Life
Battery life is one area where the larger body of the a7 IV provides a real advantage:
- a7c: 720 shots per charge (LCD), 680 shots (EVF)
- a7 IV: 580 shots per charge (LCD), 440 shots (EVF)
The more compact a7c is less power hungry, and can capture around 140 more shots per charge when using the rear LCD, or 240 more through the EVF.
In real world shooting, this could be the difference between needing to swap batteries mid-shoot or not. The a7c’s improved battery efficiency is a nice benefit that stems from its smaller body and less power-hungry processor.
Watch the video!
Other Differences
Here are a few other notable differences between the two cameras:
- The a7 IV has dual UHS-II SD card slots versus just one on the a7c
- Both have a touchscreen rear LCD, but the a7c’s flips out for selfies while the a7 IV’s is fixed in place
- Higher resolution 3.69M dot EVF on the a7 IV versus 2.36M dots on the a7c
- The a7 IV has a top info display while the a7c omits this to save space
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, the a7 IV is a better camera overall thanks to its newer 33MP sensor, improved autofocus, 10-bit 4K video, and dual card slots. But the a7c is still very capable, and its compact size makes it preferable for travel and everyday use.
The a7c is a more compact rangefinder-style body with a 24MP sensor, while the a7 IV has a larger DSLR-style body with a higher resolution 33MP sensor. The a7 IV has better AF, video specs and battery life, but the a7c’s smaller size makes it more portable.
The a7c II does not exist yet – Sony has not released an updated mark II version. The a7 IV is the newer model with more advanced features and performance. But if Sony eventually releases an a7c II, it would likely have similar specs as the a7 IV in a smaller body.
The a7c is smaller and lighter with better battery life, while the older a7 III has dual card slots and a more ergonomic body. Image quality is mostly similar although the a7c has slightly better high ISO performance. For portability, the a7c may be preferable unless you need the a7 III’s dual card slots.
Also Read: Is Sony A9 II Better Than A1?
The Verdict
So which is the better choice – the compact a7c or the more advanced a7 IV? It really comes down to your intended use.
For travel, vlogging, and casual photography, the a7c is the better option. Its super compact size and lighter weight make it much easier to carry around all day than bulkier a7 IV. It retains core performance like 10fps burst, IBIS, great AF and 4K video in a camera you can slip into a jacket pocket. The excellent battery life is also a huge bonus.
For professional work, sports/action and maximum resolution, the a7 IV is worth the extra money. You get Sony’s latest autofocus technology, a higher resolution sensor, 10-bit 4K video, and pro-oriented features like dual card slots. The better ergonomics and handling are also an advantage when using the camera all day.
If you don’t need the compact size, the a7 IV gives you the most complete package of features and performance in Sony’s a7 lineup. But casual shooters who value portability will be very happy with the a7c’s combination of full frame quality and everyday carryability.