Sony unveils the world's smallest and lightest full-frame camera

The benefits of full frame mirrorless cameras are well known; primarily, a large sensor tends to offer much better low-light performance than a small one, and they allow you to use ultra-fine depth of field to define your subject and blur the background.

The downsides tend to be more expensive, they use big, heavy and expensive lenses, and they tend to be a bit heavier and bulkier than cameras with smaller sensors. But it looks like 2020 will be the year when full-frame camera body size stops being an issue. Earlier this month,

Panasonic unveiled its S5

, a full-frame video/photos beast in a slightly smaller and lighter body than its own GH5, which uses a tiny 4/3 micro sensor.

Now Sony has announced a full-frame mirrorless rig that's somehow even smaller, claiming status as the world's smallest and lightest full-frame camera with interchangeable lenses and built-in optical imaging. stabilization. Which is a bit of a mouthful, but the new Alpha 7C looks like a pretty amazing piece of kit.

Dimensionally you are looking at 124.0mm x 71.1mm x 59.7mm (4.9in x 2.8in x 2.2in) and weighing just 509g (18oz) with one battery and one memory card inside. That's nearly 30% lighter than the S5 above, for reference, so that's a pretty incredible feat.

The alpha 7C has a super compact body that looks sweetly retro with silver accents

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Inside this nicely retro little body is a 24.2-megapixel full-frame back-illuminated Exmor sensor. Sony's sensors are top of the line, and this one offers a whopping 15 stops of dynamic range, capturing plenty of detail in shadows and highlights that can be brought out in post-processing. In-body stabilization offers 5-stop compensation for a wobbly hand, and a new high-capacity battery lets you shoot up to 740 shots on one charge using the LCD monitor, or 680 if using the electronic viewfinder. /p>

The AF system is a beast; 693 phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection points across the sensor, all working fast enough to shoot 10fps bursts with autofocus and auto exposure adjustment between each frame . There is real-time eye autofocus for people and animals.

Rear touchscreen and dials

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In terms of video, it's probably best described as a basic but beautiful 4K shooter. We don't yet know what frame rate it can handle at full 4K resolution, just that it can certainly handle 24 fps. We think if it could do 60fps like the Panasonic it would have been a key part of the announcement. In terms of slow motion, it'll do 1080p at up to 120fps, and if you're the type to get stuck in color grading, it'll shoot in S-Log, HDR and S-Gamut profiles.

It has Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless image transfer and quick sharing, as well as for remote shooting, either in the studio or for example when mounted on a drone, where the alpha 7C becomes the lightest way to get a good airborne 35mm sensor for aerial and video shooting.

Sony has backed it up with a new super-compact zoom lens in the FE 28-60mm F4-F5.6, which offers a decent standard zoom range but clearly focuses primarily on being the standard full-frame zoom. smallest and lightest in the world. At just 167 grams (5.9 oz) and extending just 45 mm (1.8 inches) from the camera body, this is the one to grab if you want super portable kit. Otherwise, the camera can accept the full range of FE-mount lenses, of which there are now plenty, but high-quality full-frame glass can certainly get really big and heavy.

A super compact full frame zoom shooting pack

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There is also a new compact pivoting head flash, the HVL-F28RM, which when paired with a compatible camera like the alpha 7C, connects to the face detection system to influence the choice of white balance. of this camera, ensuring that skin tones are rendered in natural colors.

Body-only, the Sony alpha 7C will set you back US$1,799.99, and will be released in late October. With the 28-60mm kit lens, it's US$2,099.99, and this combo will also be available in late October. The lens alone will cost US$499.99, launching in January, and the flash will sell for US$249, starting "this winter".

That's a few hundred less than the $1,999.99 Panasonic S5, which costs $2,299.99 with a wider 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens. Note that Panasonic's video capabilities are a step up to the pro level, with 4K/60fps and 180fps slow motion at 1080p, and dual native ISO to potentially make it a better low-light machine. On the other hand, Sony's sensors have long been glowing in the dark, and the alpha 7C absolutely destroys the S5 in terms of size and weight, so everyone will find their people.

Big juicy sensor, meet small, compact body

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Of course, the ultimate portable camera right now is the mobile phone you have in your pocket. Smartphone imaging is so good now, and faked depth of field so effective, that dedicated cameras really have to fight for a spot on your hip if you're not a paid professional. But cameras like the 7C, with its delightful full-frame image quality and ultra-portable form factor – not to mention incredibly affordable prices for what they can do – are going to be huge in attracting new blood to the hobby. The lower the barrier to throwing it in your backpack, the more you will use it. These things seem like a terrific development for us.

Watch a video below.

Introducing Alpha 7C | sony | α

Source:

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