Sony A7c vs Sony A7 III Comparison

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Sony A7c

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Sony A7 III

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Sony A7c vs Sony A7 III Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing A7c and A7 III, two Mirrorless cameras by Sony. Sony Alpha A7c is a Advanced Mirrorless class camera and Sony Alpha A7 III is a Pro Mirrorless class camera.

Sony A7c was introduced to market in September 2020 and Sony A7 III was launched in February 2018. As you can see, A7 III is 2 years older than A7c. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

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 dot Electronic 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 A7 III Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2018-02-27

24MP - Full frame BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 50 - 204800)

Sony E Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Tilting Screen

2360k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

650g. 127 x 96 x 74 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha A7 II Compare

Sony A7 III was replaced by Sony Alpha A7 IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha A7 IV vs Sony Alpha A7 III
Sony Alpha A7 IV vs Sony Alpha A7c

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7c and Sony A7 III compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7c over Sony Alpha A7 III

Gyroscopic Stabilization	Yes vs No	Stabilize video in post process
Video Record Limit	Unlimited vs Limited	Record clips longer than 30 minutes
Battery Life	740 shots vs 610 shots	130 more frames with a single charge
Weight	509 g vs 650 g	141 g lighter
Min Focus Sensitivity	EV -4 vs EV -3	Autofocus in lower light

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7 III over Sony Alpha A7c

Viewfinder Magnification	0.78x vs 0.59x	Larger Viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter	1/8000s vs 1/4000s	faster mechanical shutter
Low Light ISO	3730 vs 3407	better High ISO performance
Storage Slot	2 vs 1	Extra storage slot

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7c and Sony Alpha A7 III

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Bluetooth Connection	Yes vs Yes	Connect to other devices via Bluetooth
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen	Fully articulated vs Tilting	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Touch Screen	Yes vs Yes	Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	24 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 922k dots	High resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 10.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port	Yes vs Yes	better video control
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs Yes	creative shooting
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs Yes	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Dual-axis Electronic Level	Yes vs Yes	Level the camera easily in two axis
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support	UHS-II vs UHS-II	Read/Write in High Speeds
Webcam Function	Yes vs Yes	Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti_flicker	Yes vs Yes	Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light
Eye Tracking Focus	Yes vs Yes	Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject

Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7c and Sony Alpha A7 III

Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Sony A7c vs Sony A7 III: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony A7c and Sony A7 III side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7c has external dimensions of 124 x 71 x 60 mm (4.88 x 2.8 x 2.36″) and weighs 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz) (including batteries). Sony A7 III has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 74 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.91″) and weighs 650 g (1.43 lb / 22.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III. Sony A7c is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 25mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Sony A7 III.

Comparison image of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III.

Comparison image of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III.

Top View Comparison image of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7c is significantly lighter (141g ) than the Sony A7 III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A7c and Sony A7 III have the same Sony E lens mount and Full frame sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7c

A7 III

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7c

A7 III

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both A7c and A7 III have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7c and Sony A7 III's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Sony A7c vs Sony A7 III: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony A7c and Sony A7 III have Full frame sized 24.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the A7c and A7 III sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7c and Sony A7 III Cameras

Sony A7c and Sony A7 III have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Sony A7c and Sony A7 III sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A7 III has a better overall score of 96, 1 points higher compared to A7c's score of 95.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Sony A7c	95	25.0 bits	14.7 Evs	3407 ISO
Sony A7 III	96	25.0 bits	14.7 Evs	3730 ISO

Sony A7c vs Sony A7 III Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Sony A7c and Sony A7 III have the same Sony E lens mount so have 176 native lenses available. All of these lenses cover Full frame sensor.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Sony A7c and Sony A7 III has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies. A7c's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards whereas A7 III's IS system is rated upto 5.0-stops.

Lens Type	# of Sony A7c Lenses	# of Sony A7 III Lenses
Standard Zoom	16 (11 Full Frame)	16 (11 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	32 (18 Full Frame)	32 (18 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	9 (8 Full Frame)	9 (8 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	54 (37 Full Frame)	54 (37 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom	15 (13 Full Frame)	15 (13 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	26 (20 Full Frame)	26 (20 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	10 (2 Full Frame)	10 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	2 (0 Full Frame)	2 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime	9 (8 Full Frame)	9 (8 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime	2 (2 Full Frame)	2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	176 (119 Full Frame)	176 (119 Full Frame)

Here are some of the most popular Sony E Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony E Mount Lenses for A7c and A7 III

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS	35mm FF	602gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Venus Laowa 24mm F14 2x Macro Probe	35mm FF	474gr	MF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS	35mm FF	780gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM	35mm FF	524gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 50mm F1.8	35mm FF	186gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art	35mm FF	1130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM	35mm FF	886gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 Di III RXD	35mm FF	576gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Sony A7c and Sony A7 III Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7c and Sony A7 III for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A7c for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony A7c for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Sony A7c for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 III for Sports Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
693 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 740 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
693 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 610 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Anti Flicker feature
Read the details

Sony A7c for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 III for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
509g
Body Thickness 60mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Anti Flicker feature
Medium size Body
650g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Sony A7c for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A7 III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7c vs Sony A7 III: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A7c and Sony A7 III, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A7c and Sony A7 III scores compare:

Sony A7c

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #2 out of 130 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #31 out of 1239 in all Cameras

Sony A7 III

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #27 out of 98 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #28 out of 1239 in all Cameras

Sony A7 III has a higher Overall Score than the Sony A7c and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony A7 III vs Sony A7c Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Alpha A7c	Sony Alpha A7 III
Brand	Sony	Sony
Announced	2020-09-14	2018-02-27
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless	SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	35.8 x 23.8 mm	35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area	852.04mm²	852.04mm²
Megapixels	24 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	6000 x 4000	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	51,200 ISO	51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	204800 ISO	204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	50 ISO	50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	693	693
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony E	Sony E
Number of Available Lenses	176	176
Screen
Type	Fully articulated	Tilting
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	922k dots	922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,360k dots	2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.59x	0.78x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/8000s
Max Electronic Shutter	1/8000s	n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, XAVC S, H.264	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	509g	650g
Dimensions	124 x 71 x 60mm	127 x 96 x 74mm
Battery Life	740 shots	610 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	95	96
DxO Color Depth	25.0	25.0
DxO Dynamic Range	14.7	14.7
DxO Low Light ISO	3407	3730
	Report a correction	Report a correction