Home / Compare / Sony a7C vs a7C II
Sony a7C vs a7C II
Two generations of Sony's rangefinder-style full-frame body, three years apart. The outside is almost the same: 124.0 × 71.1 mm, about 509 g vs 514 g with battery and card, one SD slot, 10 fps and the NP-FZ100. Inside, the a7C II moves up: 33MP instead of 24.2MP, the AI processing unit for subject recognition, a 0.70x finder, a higher-resolution screen, a front dial and 10-bit 4K with S-Log3. The a7C is rated for more shots per charge.
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Side-by-side specs
| Sony a7C | Sony a7C II | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24.2MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS (35.6 × 23.8 mm) | 33MP full-frame Exmor R CMOS (35.9 × 23.9 mm) |
| AI processing unit | Not listed | Yes, with BIONZ XR (as in the a7R V) |
| ISO | 100–51200; expandable to 50–204800 for stills | Same |
| Autofocus | 693 phase-detection points; −4 to 20 EV; Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals (stills), humans (movies) | −4 to +20 EV (F2.0); Real-time Recognition AF for humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains and airplanes |
| Stabilization (Sony's CIPA rating) | 5-axis, 5 stops | 5-axis, 7.0 steps |
| Bursts | Up to 10 fps (Hi+) | Same |
| Shutter | Mechanical 1/4000–30 s; electronic 1/8000–30 s | Same |
| Viewfinder | 0.39-inch OLED, 2,359,296 dots, about 0.59x | 0.39-type OLED, 2,359,296 dots, about 0.70x |
| Screen | 3.0-type vari-angle touchscreen, 921,600 dots | 3.0-type vari-angle touchscreen, 1,036,800 dots |
| Controls | Not listed | New front dial; still/movie/S&Q switch |
| Video | XAVC S 4K up to 30p (4:2:0 8-bit) | 4K oversampled from 7K; 4K 60p/50p in Super 35 only; 10-bit 4:2:2; S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Card slot | One SD (UHS-I/II) | Same |
| Battery (CIPA, NP-FZ100) | About 680 (viewfinder) / 740 (screen) | About 530 (viewfinder) / 560 (monitor) |
| Size | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7 mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 63.4 mm |
| Weight (with battery and card) | About 509 g | About 514 g |
| Launch price | Sep 14, 2020; $1,799.99 body-only (US) | Aug 29, 2023; $2,199.99 body-only (US) |
a7C specs from Sony's ILCE-7C specifications and Sony Electronics' September 14, 2020 announcement, as cited in our a7C review; a7C II specs from Sony's ILCE-7CM2 Help Guide specifications and Sony Electronics' August 29, 2023 release. US launch prices from Sony. ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.
Sample photos
Four photos taken with the Sony a7C and four with the Sony a7C II, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.
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Who should buy which
Buy the a7C if…
- You mostly shoot landscapes and travel, where 24.2MP full frame and the same small body do the work.
- You want more shots per charge: about 680 vs 530 through the viewfinder (CIPA).
- You want the slightly slimmer body: 59.7 mm vs 63.4 mm deep.
Buy the a7C II if…
- You shoot moving subjects (kids, pets, birds) and want AI subject recognition.
- You want 33MP, a 0.70x finder, a higher-resolution screen and the new front dial.
- You shoot video: 4K oversampled from 7K, 10-bit 4:2:2, S-Log3 and S-Cinetone.
Nearly the same size and weight (509 g vs 514 g), one card slot and 10 fps on both, so the choice is resolution, subject recognition and video against battery life. Sony rates the a7C at 5 stops and the a7C II at 7.0 steps; the two CIPA ratings use different test lenses, so they're shown as Sony states them. See our full a7C review and a7C II guide, or all comparisons.
Where to buy
Sony a7C
Sony a7C: Launched at $1,799.99 in 2020 (Sony's US launch price, September 14, 2020).
Check priceRead the full Sony a7C review
Sony a7C II
Sony a7C II: Launched at $2,199.99 in 2023 (Sony Electronics' US MSRP, August 29, 2023).
Check priceRead the full Sony a7C II guide
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