Sony a7C vs a7 III: which to buy?

Two Sony full-frame bodies built around the same 24.2MP back-illuminated sensor, 693-point AF, 10 fps and 5-stop IBIS. The a7C puts them in a smaller, lighter body with a vari-angle screen and longer battery life; the a7 III keeps a bigger viewfinder, a 1/8000 s mechanical shutter and two card slots.

A silver and black Sony a7C with the FE 28-60mm zoom lens on a dark studio background — **Sony a7C**24.2MP back-illuminated · launched at $1,799.99 in 2020Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Top view of a Sony a7 III mirrorless camera with a zoom lens — **Sony a7 III**24.2MP back-illuminated · launched at $2,000 in 2018Photo: HellcatSRT via Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Side-by-side specs

	Sony a7C	Sony a7 III
Sensor	24.2MP full-frame Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS	Same
ISO	100–51200; expandable to 50–204800	100–51200; expandable to 50–204800
Autofocus	693 phase-detection points; down to EV -4	693 phase-detection points; down to EV -3
Bursts	Up to 10 fps (Hi+)	Up to 10 fps (Hi+)
Shutter	Mechanical 1/4000 s; electronic 1/8000 s	Mechanical 1/8000 s
Stabilization	5-axis, 5 stops (CIPA)	5-axis, 5.0 stops (CIPA)
Viewfinder	0.39-inch OLED, 2.36M dots, about 0.59x	0.5-inch OLED, 2.36M dots, about 0.78x
Screen	3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots	3.0-inch tilting screen, 921k dots (up about 107°, down about 41°)
Video	XAVC S 4K up to 30p (4:2:0 8-bit)	XAVC S 4K up to 30p
Card slots	One SD (UHS-I/II)	Two: SD (UHS-I/II) + SD (UHS-I) / Memory Stick
Battery (CIPA, viewfinder / screen)	NP-FZ100; about 680 / 740 shots	NP-FZ100; about 610 / 710 shots
Weight	About 509 g with battery and card	About 650 g with battery and card
Launch price	Sep 14, 2020; $1,799.99 body-only (US)	Feb 26, 2018; $2,000 body-only (US)

Specs from Sony's ILCE-7C and ILCE-7M3 specifications pages; launch prices from Sony's a7C and a7 III announcements. ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.

Sample photos

Four photos taken with the Sony a7C and four with the Sony a7 III, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.

Sample photo 1 of 8 taken with the Sony a7C — Taken with the Sony a7C. Photo: Miguel Discart from Bruxelles, Belgique via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 2 of 8 taken with the Sony a7C — Taken with the Sony a7C. Photo: Frank Schulenburg via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 3 of 8 taken with the Sony a7C — Taken with the Sony a7C. Photo: Miguel Discart from Bruxelles, Belgique via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 4 of 8 taken with the Sony a7C — Taken with the Sony a7C. Photo: Frank Schulenburg via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 5 of 8 taken with the Sony a7 III — Taken with the Sony a7 III. Photo: Kevin Saragozza via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 6 of 8 taken with the Sony a7 III — Taken with the Sony a7 III. Photo: Mitchell Hirsch via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 7 of 8 taken with the Sony a7 III — Taken with the Sony a7 III. Photo: N O E L | F E A N S via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 8 of 8 taken with the Sony a7 III — Taken with the Sony a7 III. Photo: AndreaCT78 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)

Who should buy which

Buy the a7C if…

You want full frame in the smallest, lightest body: about 509 g vs 650 g with battery and card.
You vlog or shoot at odd angles and want a fully articulating touchscreen.
You want a little more battery life: about 680 viewfinder shots vs 610 (CIPA).

Buy the a7 III if…

You want a bigger viewfinder: about 0.78x vs 0.59x.
You shoot events and want two card slots for backup.
You use fast lenses in bright light and want a 1/8000 s mechanical shutter.

Both bodies share the 24.2MP Exmor R sensor, 693-point AF, 10 fps, 5-stop IBIS and the NP-FZ100 battery, so the choice is mostly size, viewfinder, screen and card slots. See our full a7C review and a7 III guide, the a7 III vs a7 IV comparison, or all comparisons.

Where to buy

Sony a7C

a7C · body (new)

Sony a7C: Launched at $1,799.99 in 2020 (Sony's US launch price, September 14, 2020).

Check price
Read the full Sony a7C review

Sony a7 III

a7 III · body (new)

Sony a7 III: Launched at $2,000 in 2018 (Sony's US launch price, February 26, 2018).

Check price
Read the full Sony a7 III guide

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