A7Cvs A7R IV
Which should you buy?
Compact Travel & Content Creation — A7C (2020): The A7C proves full-frame doesn't have to be bulky. Excellent battery life, reliable Eye AF and a vari-angle screen in a pocketable body is a compelling combination for travel and content creators. The A7C II improved on it, but the original remains a strong value buy.
Landscape, Studio, Commercial — A7R IV (2019): 61MP in a mirrorless body — the resolution benchmark.
Who should buy what
A7C (2020)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame in the smallest possible body
- Content creators who need a flip screen and reliable Eye AF
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want to keep a compact kit
- Vloggers who need 4K and great battery life on the road
A7R IV (2019)
- Landscape photographers who print large
- Studio shooters needing maximum detail
Quick take: The a7r iv has the highest resolution at 61mp; the a7c is the most affordable; only the a7r iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7C (2020) | A7R IV (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £2,199 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 61.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3 | 4K 30fps |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless | 670 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 509g (body, battery, card) | 665g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7mm | 128.9 × 96.4 × 77.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-Mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.1, USB-C 3.2 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7C | A7R IV |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with A7C
Camera family history