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Sony a7C vs Sony a7S III Comparison

The Sony A7c and A7S III are two Mirrorless cameras we will compare in this article. The Sony Alpha A7c is a camera in the Advanced Mirrorless class, whereas the Sony Alpha A7S III is in the Pro Mirrorless class.

The Sony A7c was released in September 2020, while the Sony A7S III was released in July 2020, according to the company. However, because the age gap between A7c and A7S III is just two months, we anticipate this will be a fair comparison of age and technological level.

The Sony a7C and Sony a7S III are full-frame mirrorless cameras with different target audiences and features. The Sony a7C is designed for photographers prioritizing portability and ease of use. In contrast, the Sony a7S III is designed for videographers who need high-end video capabilities and low-light performance.

Body and Design:

  • The Sony a7C has a compact and lightweight body, making it easy to carry and handle. On the other hand, the Sony a7S III has a larger body but is still close to a full-frame camera.
  • The Sony a7C has a fully articulating touchscreen LCD, which helps take selfies and video recordings. On the other hand, the Sony a7S III has a tilting touchscreen LCD, which is not as versatile as the one on the a7C.

Autofocus:

  • The Sony a7C has 693 phase-detection autofocus points and 425 contrast-detection autofocus points, while the Sony a7S III has 759 phase-detection autofocus points and 425 contrast-detection autofocus points. Both cameras have fast and accurate autofocus, but the Sony a7S III has a slightly more advanced autofocus system.
  • The Sony a7S III also has advanced eye-detection autofocus and Real-time Tracking, which help capture fast-moving subjects.

Image Quality:

  • Both cameras have full-frame sensors and produce high-quality images. However, the Sony a7S III has a slightly larger sensor and higher resolution (12.1 MP) than the Sony a7C (24.2 MP).
  • The Sony a7S III also has better low-light performance, with a maximum ISO of 409,600 compared to the Sony a7C’s maximum ISO of 204,800.

Video Quality:

  • The Sony a7S III is a powerhouse for video, with 4K 120p recording and 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording. The Sony a7C can also record 4K, but at a lower frame rate of 30p and with 8-bit 4:2:0 internal recording.
  • The Sony a7S III also has advanced video features such as S-Cinetone color, full-pixel readout without pixel binning, and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) for HDR video.

Battery Life:

  • The Sony a7S III has a larger battery than the Sony a7C, translating to a longer battery life.

Price:

  • The Sony a7S III is more expensive than the Sony a7C, reflecting its more advanced features and target audience as a professional video camera.

Key Specifications

Before we get into our more in-depth comparison of the Sony a7S III and Sony a7C, let’s glance at the primary characteristics of both cameras.

Sony a7C Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2020-09-14
  • 24MP – Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 – 51200 ( expands to 50 – 204800)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00″ Fully articulated Screen
  • 2360k Electronic dot viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) – 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 509g. 124 x 71 x 60 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Sony A7S III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2020-07-21
  • 12MP – Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 – 102400 ( expands to 50 – 409600)
  • Sony E Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00″ Fully articulated Screen
  • 9440k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) – 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 699g. 129 x 97 x 81 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha A7S II
Sony a7C vs Sony a7S III
VS
Check Price
Launched
Sep 15, 2020
VS
Jul 28, 2020
Body Type
Rangefinder-style mirrorless
VS
SLR-style mirrorless
Build Material
Magnesium alloy
VS
Magnesium alloy
Lens Mount
Sony E-Mount
VS
Sony E-Mount
Sensor Type
BSI-CMOS
VS
BSI-CMOS
Mega Pixels
24 megapixels
VS
12 megapixels
Processor
BIONZ X
VS
Bionz XR
ISO
Auto, 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800)
VS
Auto, 80-102400 (expands to 40-409600)
Image stabilization
Sensor-shift 5-axis
VS
Sensor-shift 5-axis
File format
JPEG (Exif v2.32)
Raw (Sony ARW, 14-bit)
VS
JPEG (Exif v2.32)
HEIF
Raw (ARW 4.0)
Focus Points
693
VS
759
Screen size
3″
VS
3″
Screen dots
921,600
VS

1,440,000
Touch screen
Yes
VS
Yes
Viewfinder
Electronic
VS
Electronic
Adjustable LCD
Fully articulated
VS
Fully articulated
Continuous Shooting
10.0 fps
VS
10.0 fps
RAW Support
Raw (Sony ARW, 14-bit)
VS
Raw (ARW 4.0)
Video Record Limit
Unlimited
VS
Unlimited
Timelapse Recording
Yes
VS
Yes
Face Detection
Yes
VS
Yes
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes
VS
Yes
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly
Yes
VS
Yes
Wireless Connection
Yes
VS
Yes
Bluetooth Connection
Yes
VS
Yes
Built-in Flash
No
VS
No
External Flash
Yes (via hot shoe)
VS
Yes (Multi-interface shoe)
Headphone Port
Yes
VS
Yes
Microphone Port
Yes
VS
Yes
Environmental Sealing
Yes
VS
Yes
AE Bracketing
Yes
VS
Yes
NFC Connection
Yes
VS
Yes
Smartphone Remote
Yes
VS
Yes
UHS Card Support
Yes
VS
Yes
Webcam Function
Yes
VS
Yes
Weight
509 g
VS
699 g
Battery Life
740
VS
600

In conclusion, the Sony a7C and Sony a7S III are excellent cameras with different strengths and target audiences. The Sony a7C is perfect for photographers prioritizing portability and ease of use. At the same time, the Sony a7S III is ideal for videographers who need high-end video capabilities and low-light performance.

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