Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 600-page camera-specific eBooks + Over twenty 1-hour member-only seminars + cameras settings files + access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler
Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 600-page camera-specific eBooks + Over twenty 1-hour member-only seminars + cameras settings files + access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler
By far the best of the several videos I've seen on this release. Keep up the great work. Your take @58:57 on the A7CR vs A6700 sensors is immensely helpful to me, and an insight I haven't seen anywhere else. Thank you!
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsPulled the trigger on an a6700 because of your insight in the video. Will be "tipping" some of the $1600 you saved me on your patreon. (Photons to photos also helped me understand more of what you said)
@@hari_fyi as he mentions in video at time stamp given-the sensor in a6700 and a7cr are the same sensor technology and pixel pitch, just larger in a7cr. So you should expect identical performance between the sensors excluding the effects of full frame size vs APSC size.
Thanks for the feedback - this particular review was challenging. one of the pre-production cameras died during a short review period (shorter than the A6700) while the other was recalled after just a few days. Location shoots got cancelled at short notice while replacement units were sent to me. Product shots were only made available 24-hours prior to announcement, so I had to do my own studio photography of the cameras so that I could showcase the changes to the body design - a primary factor in this camera release. ...so its good to hear when someone has noticed the effort I make to get these videos out on time. I felt the need to remind people at the beginning of the video that Sony do not ask me or pay me to make these videos. It's simply the first step in creating the 600-page eBooks I make available to my Patrons.
Dear Mark, I remember from one of your videos (weight watchers I think) that you've mentioned the a higher megapixel version of the A7C could be the perfect travel companion, according to APS-C mode in Sony cameras which makes a prime lens practically 2 prime lenses. This is exactly what I was hoping Sony to do and I was a kind of sorry to hear the rumors of a A7C Mark II with "only" 33 MP which does'nt really gives good crop possibilities. But now when I see the A7CR with that beautiful 61 MP sensor, I was surprised and hoped that it's not a rumor. Today the camera is officially announced and I'm more than happy!! I have many G and GM lenses, but I'm planning to limit myself and travel with the A7CR + 20mm f/1.8 G lens to see how this combo would manage to capture the streets of Istanbul in 20mm and 30mm (in APS-C mode) focal lengths.
33 MP is enough of an increase to achieve a x2.0 post-production crop while the A7CR will allow a x2.5 crop before 4K resolution is reached. The examples used in my video review will help users decide if the 33 is enough for some buyers. It’s certainly night as tight as the 24 MP sensors when shooting in APS-C mode.
Yet another excellent review. I bought the 20-70 F4 G a while ago and just added the 70-200 F4 MACRO G OSS II. I carried them, along with a 1.4x TC and aan A7RV on a 5 mile hike this past weekend in a Wotencraft 7L. It was perfect. I appreciate all the work you put into your Patreon site. I have subscribed for a little over a year and it’s been enormously helpful to me.
Great minds think alike David :-) My Pilot 7L has become my limiting factor for how much gear I am prepared to carry. 2023 has been a very good year with the release of lots of lighter and smaller options. I took the A7RV to India but used the 70-350 G in the absence of the 70-200 F4 Macro. I took the Macro to Bali so will probably end up resting the E 70-350 for the foreseeable future. I also find the FE 20-70 F4 more flexible than the E 16-55 F2.8 G and there is not much of a weight saving with running the APS-C option in this instance. I miss many of the comments left on UA-cam so you are more likely to get a response by leaving your comment on the Patreon platform.
Mark, I agree too many UA-camrs pay attention to little more than a fraction of what the camera they’re reviewing is actually capable of in their mad rush to be among the first. Ten minutes (two or three of them on sponsors, another two or three reiterating old-and probably pointless prejudices) is not enough. Many look as though they’ve spent more time editing their scripts and video than they did actually using the camera or lens they’re reviewing. I only rely on four now: you, Gordon Laing, Chris Frost (now reviewing cameras as well as lenses) and Gordon for tech aspects sometimes. I particularly dislike UA-camrs who shout at me!
Unfortunately many are drawn to the videos where strong opinions and prejudice’s are expressed. Most will give up on my video as it is unfashionably long. Glad you could stay the course 👍
Thanks - I decided not to create talking-head personality videos as I feel it should all be about the cameras, lenses and photos. I would, after all, like to be seen as a photographer and educator and not a camera reviewer.
Outstanding and thorough review. I was considering getting the A6700 to go with my A7IV and use it for travel and wildlife photography to get the extra reach. Now I'm considering selling the A7IV and getting the A7CR instead as it will give me one compact camera that can function as both the full frame and APSC ones.
I always said the A7RV was the best APS-C camera until the A6700 came along. Just as we have seen with the flexible uses of the new F4 G lenses (20mm ultra wide tagged onto a traditional 24-70 zoom and Macro capabilities tagged onto a traditional 70-200 zoom) I like the idea of a camera that can be an APS-C camera as well as a Full-Frame camera.
Fantastic job on this piece!! Very thorough and informative! I’m going to return to this video once I’ve made my purchase in upgrading from my α7C to the α7CII! Your video is the one that has helped me decide between the CII and the R, and I am grateful for your hard work in putting this together. I am looking forward to starting supporting you going forward!
Glad it was helpful! - I am just putting the finishing touches to a 700-page eBook for these cameras that I will be making available on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
You absolutely killed it with this movie!!! Any question i had and tons i didn't know to ask were answered. I especially loved all of your kit contemplating and lens highlighting.
Thanks - you may like to consider joining me on my Sony Alpha Support channel if you would like to access my full range of learning resources - Patreon.com/markgaler
Hi Mark, I'm Ray from the UK. Hope you're well. I just come into the Sony world, with the a7CR and a trio of small primes. I come from Nikon(which I still own and use), but the small factor and the high resolution of the a7CR really fascinated me to the point that I decided to invest into the system(primarily for travel and street photography). In doing so, I decided to research about Sony, a brand I didn't know anything about to be honest, and that's when I found your channel. I must congratulate you! I started watching from the older videos to the newer ones, and must have watched 40 or more videos, some of them, several times! What a compendium of information! Your channel really is a one stop shop for all Sony! I want to thank you very much for your videos and for your approach. All the best, Ray.
Thanks for the positive feedback Ray. I offer a much greater range of learning resources on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. One month's access to the entire collection of resources costs just US $10.00
Ah, I just stumbled across this review again. It helped me tremendously making my decision to buy an A7CII (as my very first camera). I'm mostly using it for filming motorsports and occasionally to take photos on vacation. Amazing little device! Thanks for the in-depth, straight to the point review.
Thanks for the positive feedback - when you take delivery of your camera remember that I run a s support channel where you can download an eBook and a camera setup file. There are also numerous extended seminars and a Q&A forum for Premium Plus Patrons - Patreon.com/markgaler
Nice Mark thanks the most thorough reviews on these two cameras so far and the a7cr looks like the perfect companion to my a7r3 which i love and would never sell
I really like that you’re keeping the bigger picture in mind and considering the type of lenses people might want with these smaller bodies. Personally I went with a a7R V and a7c ii combo and couldn’t be happier.
Some may purchase these compact cameras because they are cheaper than the dual-card equivalents, but they really only make sense from the design perspective if they are married with the smaller G lenses (rather than the larger GM lenses) or several of the compact primes.
I continue to be amazed at the quantity and phenomenal quality of your reviews and demonstrations! I’m now a Patreon Member and sorry it took me so long to join!
Thanks for the positive feedback. Not everybody enjoys videos that last more than 30-minutes but I figure there are enough photographers out there who would appreciate a thorough review before they sarape with a few thousand dollars. Hope to catch up with you on the Patreon forums.
Thank you for a great video that included excellent A6700 vs. A7C II vs. A7CR feature charts. Well worth the time it took to view. Already have my A7C up for sale and try to decide between the A7C II and A7CR but will still keep my A7RV for its increased functionality. Also need to decide if I keep the A6700. Like it’s full function mechanical shutter.
Mark, this is by far the best review/POC of these two new Sony compact cameras that I have seen on UA-cam, thank you so much for the thorough and comprehensive information you have shared in this video. I have actually watched it few times to better understand all the useful content. I am considering buying one of these two cameras, which would be my first Sony and first full frame camera (currently own a Nikon DSLR). I have been waiting for a compact model with the latest technology and these cameras are checking pretty much all the boxes. I wonder if you plan to offer a detailed video tutorial on how to operate each of these two A7C cameras (with menu review) once they are available to the public, particularly for new Sony users who need to learn all their features and capabilities. Looking forward to more of your videos, great work!! 💯💯💯
I have now made available a 700-page eBook for these two cameras with links to over 50 supporting videos on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. It's US 10.00 to use the support channel for one month, but there are no contracts or commitments to stay longer than one month + you get to keep all the resources you downloaded.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Excellent, Mark, thank you very much for sharing the information about the eBook available in your Patreon channel. I will certainly look into it once I purchase the camera, great to know!!
Great video, loved the way you delved into Len’s options. I am a canon r5 shooter but this gives me the compact hi res with ibis for travel and street. Blows canons r8 offering out of the water. Will get the the 24 and 40mm, but you gave me some great examples of the compact zoom and long range options. The a7cr is a beast of a body, not perfect but the best on offer at the moment.
If the change in menu systems is a bit daunting check out my A to Z series of 26 short videos and/or the 700-page eBook from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
My first mirrorless camera was the Olympus EP1. I loved that camera and took it everywhere. Olympus eventually discontinued this camera in favor of bigger bodies. The Sony A7C II just may be the replacement for that camera. Plus the sensor is twice as big.
The surface area of a full frame sensor is approximately 4x greater than a micro four-thirds sensor and with the A7C in a body that is smaller than many Olympus cameras.
Hello again. Just rewatched this because it has so much great info. After the announcement of the A7CII and A7CR I went back and forth on which to buy. In the end I kept in my pre-order of the CR and took delivery when it shipped here. Fast forward and after a month I decided I wanted the CII as well since I like the A7IV sensor in low light. Also when I travel I hate to go somewhere without a backup. So now I have both and extremely happy even though I also have A1’s and an A7RV for my BIF work and larger, heavier lenses like the 200-600; 100-400, 135: and 70-200/2.8 GM II. Also bought a A6700 originally when I sold my A7IV and A7C but I think that will be sold but will still use some of the APS-C lenses on the A7CR in crop mode for light travel. Even giving the E 70-350/4.5-6.3 G OSS a try since it’s relatively small. Of course I’m a gear head but there are so many options and these compact full frame bodies have so much to offer at 33 Mpixels and 61 Mpixels. This video is a great reference for anyone interested in smaller, flexible, ICL bodies. Thank you again.
Thanks for the feedback Steven - I have 600 and 700-page eBooks and camera setup files available for all your cameras on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
I just got my a7CR as an upgrade to my a7RIV and I was actually surprised that, with the Small Rig base plate, it is not much smaller and almost exactly the same weight, but it does have the appearance of being more slim without the viewfinder hump on top. Plus the simplicity of the dials makes it appear less like a professional camera, which can be good on the street. It is definitely faster, better AF and I like the new menus.
As outlined in the is video I am more than happy to put my little finger underneath the camera. The option to increase the size will be appealing to those who want to use larger lenses on this compact body. When packing my camera bag I save weight and size wherever I can.
Thank you for taking the time to share your input and knowledge into this detailed review. As an absolute beginner that never owned a camera before besides the iPhone one this review answered all my questions and then some. I received the AC7II yesterday and your "Sony Alpha Menus A-Z" helped me set it up and clarified much of the menu options. As a sidetone, one of the reasons I went for this camera is the retro look (besides the compact form) I'm not a professional and the larger models really look like electronic machines tailored for pros. Next in my playlist: "Sony Alpha Focus Masterclass"..
Awesome Video as always! I'm debating on the A7cR or A6700. Want small camera/lens combo for low profile travel and street shooting. I see the advantages of the A7cR over the A6700 but the price difference is quite a bit. Already own an A7RV, and like the idea of having two similar resolution cameras, but also find 26mp APS-C files excellent.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Wow Mark!! Your Bali video is insanely amazing. The images and IQ are outstanding. If you told me you made those images with a A7cR and GM lenses, I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Plenty of detail, sharpness, and background blur. No sense of lacking in any area. Thank you again!
High quality review and comparative, thankyou. Very useful to a prospective purchaser. Must have taken a lot of time and effort. I roll my eyes at some of the comments, you have more patience than I. Cheers, Jake, NZ
Glad it was helpful! I have my own forum on Patreon.com/markgaler where I provide individual guidance - i have to be very patient with some photographers who have strong opinions. There are no ‘best’ cameras or ‘best’ lenses, just the most appropriate gear to meet an individual’s needs.
Incredible video thanks Mark! I’m looking at the a7Cii for travel photography and vlogging. My only slight worry is I do like to shoot 60fps a faint bit, but you talking about the 11mm prime just made me think it could work, as I would essentially still be able to get to 16mm for vlogging when in super 35 crop at 4K60. Thanks so much!
First of all, thanks for your great work on this channel, much appreciated. If you already own the A7C, is there an argument to get the a6700 as a companion camera instead of upgrading to one of the new A7Cs. You would then have the AI focusing features for wildlife and could make do with a 70-200 instead of getting a larger more cumbersome zoom lens. Would also work great for macro. Just upgraded to the new 70-200 macro and the thought of upgrading to a $3.5-5K camera is a bit daunting
An A6700 and A7C would complement each other. Your reasoning is sound. I can provide extended guidance on my Patreon support channel, but I never tell people what to buy - just help them come to their own decision
I can fully relate with your Travel Light statement :-) It is my religion as well !! I owe a a6500 and many apsc lenses (of which Sony 70-350 G and Sony 16 55 G) this is my travel kit. I d like to upgrade my ageing a6500 and I see the a7CII and a7Cr as possible upgrade (with new backlight sensor, better ibis, better menu, better AI focus ... ). They would also allow me to keep using my apsc lenses and travel light and yet also be a "soft" access to full frame when I d like to invest in some FF lenses (not for travel but maybe street or portrait).I like wildlife photo and a7Cr would allow me better reach/crop with 26 MP APSC mode but lower fps (although it is not clear if maybe in APSC mode A7Cr is faster than 8 fps ? ) and also probably lower sensitivity to light. A7cII on the other hand is faster fps and probably better in light sensitivity (less noise than a6500 at high iso with hight shutter speed ? ) but is only 14 MP in APSC mode ... my dilemma :-) :-)
8fps is the maximum fps in full-frame or APS-C mode on the A7RC. Check out my A6700 camera review before you make your decision or seek further support and guidance from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. Whichever camera you choose it will be a big step up from an A6500 camera. The AF performance of all these new cameras is streets ahead of the A6500, if you photograph thinks that move quickly.
Thanks for this great, exhaustive review of these compact cameras. The A7CR looks so enticing as a street/travel camera. (also I liked your Dr. Seuss-like reference with “Bit Better Buffer”😂)
We can only wonder why Sony were unable to deliver this to the premium-priced A7CR. There many be factors more than just cost that may have prevented Sony adding features to a very small compact camera. Only Sony's engineers will know the answer to this question. The amount of improvements over and above the original A7C, however, has been huge.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills We can already look at the existing mechanism on the A7R5, and you see it adds some bulk, so this would mean the camera would have been heavier and thicker... kind of defeating the point of a "C"ompact camera.
Man I wish Flickr got the credit it deserves. Im a glamor/beauty guy, it’s just awesome being able to share my photos how they’re were meant to be seen rather than the horrific other social media sites. If only I could get the models on there, it’d take off 😂
Hi Mark, thank you for your amazing body of work on your UA-cam channel. It’s truly invaluable to the photog community. Are you still using these smaller bodies on the road? If so, are you rocking the A7cii or the A7CR? Cheers from London. Christophe
I have been posting every day for the last two months while traveling in Europe with the A7CII and A6700. Some people ask me why I chose the A7CII over the A7CR, when actually I chose the A7CII_A6700 over the A7CR. Head over to Patreon.com/markgaler if you want more information on my workflows.
Hi Mark! Thanks for a very good video! I use the A7C, have some questions I hope you can answer: * I use glasses, I find the A7CmkI working well with that, how is the A7CII/A7CR with glasses? * What type of sensor cleaning does the new ones have, sensor shake or ultrasound? * That new extension grip, when one fold it down to get the battery out, is there a latch to unlock the hinge on the extension grip or does it just fold down with friction? Thanks!
I sometimes wore glasses for this review and it was OK. There is a latch on the grip. I offer personal support and guidance on my Patreon.com/markgaler channel.
The original sony a7r was about 465 gms! Resolution was 36mp. I love the form factor of these C cameras & also that they have the 61mp variant. However I have got so spoilt by the EVF - screen - ibis of the a7r5, hence the a7cr would not work. Yet it is good that they are doing so much with this form factor including the swipe menus that can compensate for extra dials - custom keys etc. The design is more evolved than the earlier Sigma fP/r modular designed cameras. I too find the compact 28-60 lens excellent for what it offers. With improved ibis I was able to get excellent detail in low light situations at 0.13 of a second. I find both the sigma 45 & 90 lenses would work very well with this compact factor as would the samyang tiny lenses. On a last note thanks for the very detailed & excellent review.
It’s good to be able to appreciate a design concept while recognising it does not meet your own personal needs. This is quite rare as many are disappointed that every camera announced was not designed to meet their specific needs - even though it’s quite obviously a niche product.
Thanks. Design technology is an integral part of developing the visual eye. Because there was the initial compact a7c design lenses like the 28-60 were developed. I bought the lens practically new for under 200$ and would also pair well with the new a7cr. It would work very well with some design fairs that we have now in Delhi. I used to go there with an old samsung nx500 bsi 28 mp & a tiny kit lens with no evf & far worse light sensitivity. The constantly evolving technology that - particularly sony - is giving us in such a niche market is amazing. Whether one buys a particular camera is not important but recognizing the design & technology offered with the knowledge that this technology will be passed on to their less expensive cameras -is. The fact that it is possible today to have such a small form factor that includes both FF & APS-c is special. Also if one needs to take a second camera then it could easily supplement the larger one. The compact with small lenses with a certain minimal sensibility & the larger camera perhaps with larger lenses. @@AlphaCreativeSkills
Hi Mark, I am a non-professional with an A7iv. The A7CII seems like a better camera for someone like me. Would you recommend making the switch? I've never really needed dual card slots. But the compact body, better IBIS, and improved AF all seem like big wins to me over the A7iv. Am I missing anything?
It’s an updated A7IV with Subject Recognition and improved IBIS but no option for CF Express - you should hold one and use the Finder before ordering online. I love small form-factor cameras and tiny lenses but not everyone shares my enthusiasm for these small cameras.
I have the a7c and a6700 and the a7cR is really compelling. I was hoping for 8k video, but I could buy TWO a6700s for the price of one a7cR, Sony has done a good job of deploying these new cameras.
The file sizes of 8K movies is difficult to handle. You are forced to edit proxies and then who gets to see the 8K video when you are done editing. I would actually like to see Sony enable a 6K movie option which just gives us the freedom to crop out movie files and still export 4K videos. 6K is just 24 Megapixels so current computers will handle this much more easily than the jump to 8K.
Great review Mark thank you , the biggest disappointment for me is the viewfinder . As a glasses left eye dominant shooter , I need a large bright viewfinder. I like you wish Sony would at least bring out an add on high res viewfinder. Sadly I will not buy the A7CR unless this happens . Other than that it fitted my need’s perfectly, it’s just a deal breaker for me sadly 😢
It’s better than the A7C but not as good as the A7RV. It’s interesting to note that the resolution and magnification ratio of this A7Cll finder was considered ‘state-of-the-art’ on Sony’s last DSLR (the A99) and it received excellent reviews at the time.
Hi Mark, excellent review like always. I have a question about the a7cr with the combination of either 20-70 zoom or the two 24mm 2.8 and 50mm 2.5 primes. Do you think these lens are well suited for this high resolution sensor or a7c ii is a better combination for these lenses?
I think the compact G lenses are a good match for both the A7CII and A7CR cameras. There are many lenses in Sony's lineup that have excellent optical resolution but do not have the G Master branding, e.g., 20-70 G 70-200 Macro G, 20mm F1.8 G, 35mm F1.8, 55mm ZA, 35mm ZA and the G Compacts ...and the list goes on.
Thank you for this review. It is very helpful. For my commercial work I have the A7iv and A73. For my travel photography I use the Fujifilm Xt5 and the X100F. The Sony A7cR beckons, because I can work with 1 system for both purposes. I'm still in doubt because of the bad news about the EVF. This year I traveled for the first time with my A7iv to Bolivia with the Tamron 28-200. This lens really surprised me.
I recommend looking through the finder. The finder was a step up from the original A7C and I find it very usable. I am also used to the large high-resolution finder on my A1 but don't have an issue switching between the two. If we were to roll the clock back 10 years the reviewers would be saying how wonderful the monitors on the A7CII/A7CR are. Everything is relative.
Really enjoying your videos, merging photo techniques with how to with Sony cameras without unnecessary blabla. I am wondering about the advantages of having an A7Cii vs a6700. In particular, what is the magnification we get by cropping a 33 MPixels image from A7Cii to 26 MPixels (res of a6700). I would say X1.12. So just 12% magnification advantage. On the other hand the pixel pitch ratio looks like 5.12/3.79 ~ 1.35 in favor of A7Cii. So 35% more light collected by pixel (assuming other parameters identical)... Also wondering if the A7Cii could correct in camera APSC lenses while staying in FF mode (just trying to get out of vignetting by zooming). To get more than the 14 MPixels of APSC mode... Sorry, beginner here, this may not make sense... Thanks for any comment you may have~
I am happy to answer Sony technical questions on UA-cam that require just a short answer, but these more advanced one-on-one 'conversations', to help users make a choice of system, are available on my Premium Plus membership tier of my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Hi Mark. Im curious if you notice any difference from a7cr/a7r5 apsc mode vs a6700 due to the lack of AA filter from the full frame? Any noticeable sharpness difference? Thanks in advance. As everyone has stated, great job on the tutorial/review. You have been my go to guy for all things camera (especially Sony). Great teacher.
I have not noticed any difference and I don’t think Sony mention whether they use of AA filters on their late-model cameras anymore. As I only get to respond occasionally on UA-cam, you may like to head over to my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel for a premium service.
Mark, not sure if you mentioned this but neither camera has a true mechanical shutter. Only Electronic anf EFCS. This could affect the bokeh in some situations.
I think I may have mentioned this - but if not in this video, in one of my camera choice videos for my Patrons. I personally think the difference in bokeh, although apparent, is overstated. I have a video on the topic on this UA-cam channel. With so many question I think you may get a lot of value out of my Patreon support service ( Patreon.com/markgaler ), because I can only get to answer a small percentage of the questions I receive via social media every day. Time is money, so unfortunately I have to prioritise my patrons so I can keep the lights on.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I completely understand. I appreciate your time. I’m currently a Premium member. Maybe I’ll go to the Plus level if I have some critical questions. Thanks again.
Still a great video but I’m back with another question. Does the A7C II have an anti-aliasing filter or a low-pas filter on the 33 Mpixel sensor? Seems to be a discussion going back to the sensor in the A7 IV. I see people claiming both yes and no. Do you have a view/opinion on this or a source to trust? Thank you for your time.
Sony (from memory) stopped listing if their cameras have AA filters back in 2019. It used to be the case that the R cameras didn’t have them and all the others did. I could have a whole conversation on this topic (pros and cons) but that is what my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel is designed to offer.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsUnable to access the Premium Plus Patreon Support I am paying for. No way to get “Support” and figure out why I’m being asked to “Join to Unlock”. How do I get any help to resolve?
I have been waiting for the a7cii but the price is too much for me. I am retired and also have been considering the a6700. The problem is I have 6 Sony lenses, all full frame glass. Just bought the 70-200 f/4 macro. I would appreciate your opinion on full frame glass on aps-c bodies. I know about the crop factor, etc. I have the a7r5 but I want a lightweight body to travel and walk around with. I look forward to hearing your opinion. There are so many conflicting youtube videos on this subject. By the way, I am an extremely serious amateur so quality is a big factor in my decision. I heard great things about the a6700. Totally confused.
I use Full Frame lenses on my APS-C cameras, including the FE 70-200 F4 Macro, FE 85mm F1.8 and FE 35mm F1.8 lenses. Ignore the 'nay sayers' who tell you it is not a good idea, as I think it is great and have supplied ultra high-definition images to back up my views. Check out my A6700 Camera review on my UA-cam channel and I can offer further personal guidance on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Mark, on your Patreon, do you have the unenhanced versions of the high iso images? The ones that you shared are enhanced and I'm curious to see how the original raw file looks.
I share Raw images with my Patrons. They will load in their editing state (as they are DNG files), but you can reset the file to view them in their completely raw state.
Mark great video I currently use Olympus OM 1 for all my shooting. I mostly shoot insects (with flash and a diffuser) also landscape. I am considering the Sony A7C 2 or the A7C R I also never use the video option on any camera. the reason I am looking at the sony is for the insect eye detection and the ability to crop the full frame.... I know for landscape the sony would be great. The other concern is I want to keep it small and light. Do you think the Macro would work as planned????
You will need to stop the aperture down one more stop for Macro to get the depth of field you are currently enjoying on the cropped sensor Olympus (with its 2x crop factor).
This is excellent, well done and great to see some pics of my home town in Melbourne. One thing i would have liked to learn about would be the view finder.I know its an improvement on the original A7C from looking at the specs but I wonder how someone coming from a xt series fuji with its more mp's and slightly higher magnification would feel with the smaller sony option? Cheers
You write regarding creative looks: "These settings do not have any effect on Raw files being captured." However, when I import an ARW image into Lightroom (Lr, not LrC), it appears with the picture profile "Camera VV," and VV was the creative style I had selected.
Several things may be applied to Raw files on Import, such as white balance or aspect ratio but these changes are not 'baked in' adjustments, in that the file can be 'reset, and these changes removed.
Only if the Devlop Profile is st to mirror the camera, i.e., if you are not using the Adobe Color default. For someone who uses the Adobe Color Profile as their default the camera’s Creative Look has zero impact.
Cheers! Wondering how much I would miss the 8MP EVF from the a7RV compared to the cR ...🤔 Maybe the 8K recording... Is the back-screen resolution big between them?
The monitors of the A7CII and A7IV are pretty much the same, but the monitor of the A7RV is higher resolution and has a superior 4-Axis tilt swivel feature. I personally don't spend a lot of time with the finder at my eye or reviewing images on the monitor when I am out and about with a compact camera, so don't think this is a deal-breaking difference for me.
Great video, I learned so much! Would the Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 lens be good for everyday use and take videos of people/ places/ scenery? I'm a beginner hobbies for photography and the a7cii will be my first big purchase camera and I want to edit the videos to post on social media!
Most people go with a small zoom such as the FE 24-50 F2.8 G as their first lens but the 50mm F2.5 G is a a great compact prime that matches the form factor of the A7C cameras. here is my review of Sony's compact lenses: ua-cam.com/video/Oar2u5h20jI/v-deo.html I provide ongoing personal support via my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you I ended up going with the 50mm F/.5 G lens, but I’ll also be saving up for other lens as well. Your video was also very helpful, thanks!
All Sony cameras have in-camera lens distortion corrections for all Sony lenses when shooting JPEGs and Movies. Lens Profiles are required to correct Raw images in your post-production editing software.
Excellent presentation as always. Just returned from a trip where I took two apsc bodies and two lenses. Thinking about upgrading the apsc bodies to the a7cr to use for travel and wondering how/if an arca-swiss plate will work on the new finger grip.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I understand what you are saying. But, I use longer/larger Arca-Swiss plates on my full frame and apsc cameras, including L plates. To keep size and weight at a minimum, though, I can see why you would use a PD plate.
Love your videos Mark! Recently switched over from Canon and I’m not looking back. I picked up an A7C2 and an AR7V. I’m having a hard time figuring out why when I use spot focusing in the A7C2 it tracks. It does not do that on my A7RV. Any clarity you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
There are two types of spot options in the AF Area when using AF-C - those with tracking (selected from the menu that runs horizontally) and those without (from the genius that run vertically). You would also need to disable Subject recognition of you don't want any tracking and/or switch to the AF-S focus mode. I recommend downloading my 600-page eBook for your camera from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel and for full support and guidance (personal support) consider joining in the Premium Plus tier.
As a beginner, I had a started with an A7C paired with the compact 40mm G-lens. Unfortunately, my equipment was stolen. However, my insurance compensated me for a large part of it. Now I'm thinking about getting the A7CR paired with the 20mm f1.8 with the following consideration: As a beginner, my biggest shortcoming is my lack of confidence, especially in street photography. My idea now is to capture as much footage as possible with the mentioned pairing and then crop the image afterwards to bring out the desired details. What is your opinion on this idea? BTW great job, great channel. Take a subscription 👍
My preferred focal lengths for street are 35 and 85mm primes. There are, however, many approaches to this genre. I discuss workflows and gear choice at great length on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
A7C ii for birds in flight? I've got an A1+600/4, 200-600, etc., but age and a decreasing weight bearing capacity has me wondering if the A7C ii and the FE 300 GM (incredibly just a bit over 4 pounds for the combo!!!) could do (using TC's of course and popping into APS-C mode when needed) BIF. My only concern is jello/rolling shutter on the wings. Seeing Mr. Galer's running pooch shots leave no doubt that the A7C ii would have no trouble tracking the bids. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I usually use my A1 for BIF, but I have had excellent results while testing all late model cameras from the A7IV, A7RV, A6700 so don't see any reason these Compact full-frame cameras will behave any differently to their dual-card cousins.
You are looking at the wrong charts. The read noise is not comparable for different resolution sensors, because the pixel size is different. If you correct for that you will get almost identical read noise.
If you play that section of the review again you will see that I basically state that. The pixel pitch of the A7RV makes the read noise appear worse on a chart but when the files are exported from Lightroom the noise shrinks more, thereby creating a level playing field. I added the chart because some people will look at it and think the A7CR is worse but in real-world terms it is not.
The photos with version 1.00 former all have EXIF information that include the model name but I release now I should manually add the model names to the examples that were using cameras with the 0.01 pre-production firmware. Thanks for the heads-up
hi, mark I am a real fans of your video, question? if I used a aps-c lens ( Tamron 17-70 mm f2.8) in full frame camera A7CII , the quality of the imagen is significant reduced it?
The resolution is reduced but not necessarily the quality. Quality will only start to diminish if there are insufficient pixels for the screen resolution being used to view the image. Using an APS-C lens in APS-C mode will result in a 14 Megapixel image when using a 33 Megapixel full-frame sensor. You need 8.3 megapixels for a 4K screen. This allows you to crop further. As well as the eBook and camera setup file for your camera, I also offer many photographic seminars on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. One of these seminars is titled 'Resolution and Noise'.
OK, I signed up with Patreon and downloaded Mr. Galers e-book on the A7Cii. I spent the money hoping to find and answer to this question. Can you set up the intervalometer AND Bulb so you can do repetitive longer than 30 second shots. If the camera is on a tracker (think Milky Way) I may want 2-4 min exposures and many of them (and some darks and flats). If I have the A7Cii on my telescope and the tracking mount I may want 5 min exposures and several hours worth. I did not readily see an answer to this in the e-book. I own the A7C and you cannot used a wired intervalometer with it (a Sony choice in which usb-c they put into the A7C). So repeating long exposures is just painful for the A7C. I'm hoping the A7Cii has solved this??????? Still waiting for an answer to BIF and the A7Cii posted below.
Mark only has limited opportunities to answer some of the many questions he receives each day on his UA-cam channel. He offers personal support in a timely manner to his Premium Plus members on the monthly Patreon Q&A forum. Admin staff for Mark Galer.
Excellent and thorough as usual! One question...is there a way to turn off the icons on the left and right side of the monitor? There is no option for it in the Screen Display Settings (Monitor) menu.
I am pretty sure I showed the menu settings that controlled these icons in this video. Turning off Touch Operation turns off the icons - swiping with Touch Operation on removes or reveals the icons. A greater understanding of your camera can be had by downloading the 700-page eBook from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Hi,thanks for the interesting review! I'd like to know the following: If I bought a Sony A7CR and used it in crop mode very often to be able to use my A-PSC lenses,do you think I'd get at least the same image quality than with the Sony A6700 ( dynamic range,noise performance, colour depth and resolution)? Of course I'd use the Sony A7CR in full frame mode sometimes, but only when weight woudn't bother me and for certain types of photography ( portraits,night photogrphy and special landscapes photos.)
Thanks for the video. So the A7CR also doesn't support wired remote shutters and we can't use usb-c port for this? The problem with Sony's remote shutter and the App is that they have a super short range.
Thx Mark…nice work as always. With all the improvements in processing speed it’s odd Sony seems to be stuck at 10 fps even with electronic shutter on non stacked sensors. Still no Sony sports camera below the A9/A1 price range. I can only assume Sony is fine giving the lower end mom and pop sports crowd to Canon R6 ii / R7.
The main issue with users going over to Canon, thinking they will save money on a semi-sports camera with high fps, that does not have a stacked sensor, is that they will fall foul of Canon's restrictive Lens mount policy, which shuts out Tamron and Sigma from making AF lenses for the Canon mount. 10 fps, I think is just fine for little-league soccer, in my opinion.
..and its compact and it costs far less money. I roll out my weight and size savings across every item in my camera bag and have reduced the size of my camera bag to a medium-sized messenger bag (5L) from a large messenger bag (7L). I always start with the bag first and work backwards. When travelling light I am using compact G zooms or compact primes instead of GM zooms and my weight saving is measured in kilograms. I also run with an A1 and lenses that weight more than a kilogram for my sports photography so its all about priorities.
Thanks Mark, but have a question for you. At 31:40 is my main concern and disappointment of this camera body style. I really wanted to be able to use the A7CR on a motorized 4-axis intervalometer rig. Now, I have not seen any sort of system like these that use USB-C or a wireless connection direct to camera. Can you think of a solution to this, or is it DOA for the A7C body style?
Hi, I am planning to buy A7R V but I am worried because A7RV still doesn't support user LUTs function. Any chance this feature will be made available for A7RV through firmware update ? because it has same dedicated AI chip with cable processor Same as A7CR. Technically A7RV is more superior than A7CR. Latest firmware version was 3.0 which is good but i was expecting user LUTS function which still not available for A7RV.
That would depend on whether you want an Autofocus lens, a prime or zoom, what your budget tends to and what focal length you want covered. I could, without this information, suggest lenses that are outside your budget. This service is part of my Patreon.com/markgaler
For primes (since you are looking for sharpness) I would say the Sony 40mm f/2.5 G might be the best all rounder, it is very sharp, a good fit for the A7CR and 40mm is a very versatile focal length. The Sony 50mm f/2.5 G is also pretty good choice, it is about the same as the 40mm, maybe only slightly less sharp. If you are willing to go a little bit bigger, the Sony 20mm f1.8 G is an exceptional lens, one of the best lenses Sony makes period. I own both the 40mm and the 20mm. Both have really quick AF (maybe not quite as fast as some of the GMs like the 135mm, but pretty close) and the little aperture ring (if you use that). I really love the baby 40mm, it is my go to lens for most everything. On the A7C / A7CR it is a very small setup that I can comfortably take backpacking, hiking, or even running (I have done it). Some people say it is expensive for what you get, I could not disagree more, it is high quality, and works well, easily worth the $600 IMO. The 85mm f1.8 could be a good choice too. I have never used it, but I know that Mark likes it pretty well. I am hoping that Sony might come out with an updated semi-small (~f/1.8, ~1lb) 85mm or 105mm G lens that could be similar in quality / price / size to the 20mm f1.8 G in the future.
Wouldn’t need a second card slot if they added space-saving internal storage for when it really matters. Plenty of drawbacks and not ideal for wedding pros, but still an interesting model (especially if the camera could write the internal storage to a blank card in a pinch).
Memory storage can fail over time so it would have to be removable internal storage if Sony wanted to keep the second-hand value of these cameras acceptably high.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsIndeed, and this is part of why I couldn't see it as a basis for a truly professional workflow even if they went higher end (as with Leica on their M11) and over-provisioned the storage to allow for a far longer rewrite lifespan. But then that adds cost, complexity, etc. Lots of drawbacks. That said, I am an M11 owner and even at just 64GB (128GB for the Monochrom version), I've genuinely found it useful in a variety of unexpected situations. Although, humorously, I'm selling the M11 and my first-party Leica glass (thankfully I can easily adapt my fun Voigtlander stuff to E-mount!) and ordering an a7CR first thing tomorrow morning. I am extremely fortunate to own such a genuinely fun camera, but with the existence of the a7CR, combined with the breadth of my E mount glass, I wouldn't just be fortunate, I'd also be stupid.
When I I am discussing new features I may have to use photos captured on a camera that has the same new feature - review times are very very short and one of the camera's was recalled at 48 hours and the other was 'bricked' when updating from firmware version 0.01 to 1.00. This review is primarily about form factor and body design and the compact concept as the sensors already exist in the A7IV, A7RV and the firmware is virtually identical to the A6700. The ultra high definition images captured with the new compact cameras are all shared via the link below the video.
It takes a while to get used to but I am now used to it. In some instances it is better, e.g. when I release my thumb it starts tracking the object and it can move from a non-tracking to a tracking behaviour.
Sony Alpha Rumors is the best place to enter these hypothetical discussions. I aim to educate Alpha owners how to use the equipment that is currently available.
Hi Mark.Can you throw some light on the apparent bokeh problem when shooting wide open at shutter speeds over 1/1000 of a second.I’m about to buy either the a7cii or cr and this could change things as I love shooting wide open.Many thanks.
I don't think I would call this a 'problem' - more of a slight 'aesthetic' difference. I have no issues with the bokeh captured at 1/2000 and 1/4000 second shutter speeds using A7C cameras. Bokeh may slightly change in appearance, compared to switching the e-front curtain shutter offer (using mechanical rear and front curtain shutters) on the cameras that support this. I have extensive photo albums of ultra high-definition images on my Flickr support channel (link below video). I think the saying 'seeing is believing' is valuable in these instances, rather than listening to someone on a photographic forum who provides no visual feedback to back up their opinions. I offer full support on my Alpha support channel - Patreon.com/markgaler
I really don’t like straight jpegs coming from a Sony A7CR camera. Do you have in-camera settings that can emulate better colors? I don’t have time to do post-post-processing through Raw. Your viewers will be very happy if you share in-camera settings so that straight jpegs coming from A7CR can be useful. Right now AC7CR produces awful jpegs. Please guide us. Thanks.
I think the JPEGs are pretty amazing from this camera - the images in this review are all JPEGs as the Raw files could not yet be opened in Lightroom. I offer in-depth support and guidance so beginners can become better photographers on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Hi Mark. My grateful thanks for all you do and for this video too. My A7RC arrived three days ago and having set it up (also thanks to you what I have learnt from you when setting up my A1 etc) I went out today to get some shots (Lossless RAW L). When importing them to an ext. HD, via an up to date macbook pro, I now find Preview can't open the files and Lightroom wont import them at all. I don't know what to do now. Feeling disappointed! please can you give me any help at all? Many, many thanks in advance!
Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 600-page camera-specific eBooks + Over twenty 1-hour member-only seminars + cameras settings files + access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler
7 C2 would be great except for the backscreen. I'll pass for now
Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 600-page camera-specific eBooks + Over twenty 1-hour member-only seminars + cameras settings files + access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler
By far the best of the several videos I've seen on this release. Keep up the great work. Your take @58:57 on the A7CR vs A6700 sensors is immensely helpful to me, and an insight I haven't seen anywhere else. Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsPulled the trigger on an a6700 because of your insight in the video. Will be "tipping" some of the $1600 you saved me on your patreon.
(Photons to photos also helped me understand more of what you said)
@@knuckles9045 Didn't understand your comment, please explain, if a7cr or 6700 is worth..
@@hari_fyi as he mentions in video at time stamp given-the sensor in a6700 and a7cr are the same sensor technology and pixel pitch, just larger in a7cr. So you should expect identical performance between the sensors excluding the effects of full frame size vs APSC size.
Hats off to this masterclass on how to review photography gear.
Thanks for the feedback - this particular review was challenging. one of the pre-production cameras died during a short review period (shorter than the A6700) while the other was recalled after just a few days. Location shoots got cancelled at short notice while replacement units were sent to me.
Product shots were only made available 24-hours prior to announcement, so I had to do my own studio photography of the cameras so that I could showcase the changes to the body design - a primary factor in this camera release.
...so its good to hear when someone has noticed the effort I make to get these videos out on time. I felt the need to remind people at the beginning of the video that Sony do not ask me or pay me to make these videos. It's simply the first step in creating the 600-page eBooks I make available to my Patrons.
ALWAYS the best source for any Sony product review!! Thank you, Mark!!
My pleasure!
Dear Mark, I remember from one of your videos (weight watchers I think) that you've mentioned the a higher megapixel version of the A7C could be the perfect travel companion, according to APS-C mode in Sony cameras which makes a prime lens practically 2 prime lenses. This is exactly what I was hoping Sony to do and I was a kind of sorry to hear the rumors of a A7C Mark II with "only" 33 MP which does'nt really gives good crop possibilities. But now when I see the A7CR with that beautiful 61 MP sensor, I was surprised and hoped that it's not a rumor. Today the camera is officially announced and I'm more than happy!!
I have many G and GM lenses, but I'm planning to limit myself and travel with the A7CR + 20mm f/1.8 G lens to see how this combo would manage to capture the streets of Istanbul in 20mm and 30mm (in APS-C mode) focal lengths.
33 MP is enough of an increase to achieve a x2.0 post-production crop while the A7CR will allow a x2.5 crop before 4K resolution is reached. The examples used in my video review will help users decide if the 33 is enough for some buyers. It’s certainly night as tight as the 24 MP sensors when shooting in APS-C mode.
Yet another excellent review. I bought the 20-70 F4 G a while ago and just added the 70-200 F4 MACRO G OSS II. I carried them, along with a 1.4x TC and aan A7RV on a 5 mile hike this past weekend in a Wotencraft 7L. It was perfect. I appreciate all the work you put into your Patreon site. I have subscribed for a little over a year and it’s been enormously helpful to me.
Great minds think alike David :-) My Pilot 7L has become my limiting factor for how much gear I am prepared to carry. 2023 has been a very good year with the release of lots of lighter and smaller options. I took the A7RV to India but used the 70-350 G in the absence of the 70-200 F4 Macro. I took the Macro to Bali so will probably end up resting the E 70-350 for the foreseeable future. I also find the FE 20-70 F4 more flexible than the E 16-55 F2.8 G and there is not much of a weight saving with running the APS-C option in this instance.
I miss many of the comments left on UA-cam so you are more likely to get a response by leaving your comment on the Patreon platform.
Mark, I agree too many UA-camrs pay attention to little more than a fraction of what the camera they’re reviewing is actually capable of in their mad rush to be among the first. Ten minutes (two or three of them on sponsors, another two or three reiterating old-and probably pointless prejudices) is not enough. Many look as though they’ve spent more time editing their scripts and video than they did actually using the camera or lens they’re reviewing. I only rely on four now: you, Gordon Laing, Chris Frost (now reviewing cameras as well as lenses) and Gordon for tech aspects sometimes. I particularly dislike UA-camrs who shout at me!
Unfortunately many are drawn to the videos where strong opinions and prejudice’s are expressed. Most will give up on my video as it is unfashionably long. Glad you could stay the course 👍
I love your slideshow style of presentation and how you provide a visual aid to your talking points
Thanks - I decided not to create talking-head personality videos as I feel it should all be about the cameras, lenses and photos. I would, after all, like to be seen as a photographer and educator and not a camera reviewer.
Outstanding and thorough review. I was considering getting the A6700 to go with my A7IV and use it for travel and wildlife photography to get the extra reach. Now I'm considering selling the A7IV and getting the A7CR instead as it will give me one compact camera that can function as both the full frame and APSC ones.
I always said the A7RV was the best APS-C camera until the A6700 came along. Just as we have seen with the flexible uses of the new F4 G lenses (20mm ultra wide tagged onto a traditional 24-70 zoom and Macro capabilities tagged onto a traditional 70-200 zoom) I like the idea of a camera that can be an APS-C camera as well as a Full-Frame camera.
Fantastic job on this piece!! Very thorough and informative! I’m going to return to this video once I’ve made my purchase in upgrading from my α7C to the α7CII! Your video is the one that has helped me decide between the CII and the R, and I am grateful for your hard work in putting this together. I am looking forward to starting supporting you going forward!
Glad it was helpful! - I am just putting the finishing touches to a 700-page eBook for these cameras that I will be making available on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
You absolutely killed it with this movie!!! Any question i had and tons i didn't know to ask were answered. I especially loved all of your kit contemplating and lens highlighting.
Thanks - you may like to consider joining me on my Sony Alpha Support channel if you would like to access my full range of learning resources - Patreon.com/markgaler
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks. I'm definitely going to get your settings.
Hi Mark, I'm Ray from the UK. Hope you're well. I just come into the Sony world, with the a7CR and a trio of small primes. I come from Nikon(which I still own and use), but the small factor and the high resolution of the a7CR really fascinated me to the point that I decided to invest into the system(primarily for travel and street photography).
In doing so, I decided to research about Sony, a brand I didn't know anything about to be honest, and that's when I found your channel.
I must congratulate you!
I started watching from the older videos to the newer ones, and must have watched 40 or more videos, some of them, several times!
What a compendium of information!
Your channel really is a one stop shop for all Sony!
I want to thank you very much for your videos and for your approach.
All the best, Ray.
Thanks for the positive feedback Ray. I offer a much greater range of learning resources on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. One month's access to the entire collection of resources costs just US $10.00
Awesome Mark. The a7cr is a Leica killer for sure. I think Sony have hit the spot with these cameras. Thanks for your great coverage.
I was so happy to see Sony embrace the small camera concept in 2023 (ZV-E1, A6700, A7CII and A7CR)
Ah, I just stumbled across this review again. It helped me tremendously making my decision to buy an A7CII (as my very first camera). I'm mostly using it for filming motorsports and occasionally to take photos on vacation. Amazing little device! Thanks for the in-depth, straight to the point review.
Thanks for the positive feedback - when you take delivery of your camera remember that I run a s support channel where you can download an eBook and a camera setup file. There are also numerous extended seminars and a Q&A forum for Premium Plus Patrons - Patreon.com/markgaler
Nice Mark thanks the most thorough reviews on these two cameras so far and the a7cr looks like the perfect companion to my a7r3 which i love and would never sell
We are fortunate that many of us can afford to use two cameras rather than trying to search for the one 'perfect' camera (which does not exist).
I really like that you’re keeping the bigger picture in mind and considering the type of lenses people might want with these smaller bodies. Personally I went with a a7R V and a7c ii combo and couldn’t be happier.
Some may purchase these compact cameras because they are cheaper than the dual-card equivalents, but they really only make sense from the design perspective if they are married with the smaller G lenses (rather than the larger GM lenses) or several of the compact primes.
I continue to be amazed at the quantity and phenomenal quality of your reviews and demonstrations! I’m now a Patreon Member and sorry it took me so long to join!
Thanks for the positive feedback. Not everybody enjoys videos that last more than 30-minutes but I figure there are enough photographers out there who would appreciate a thorough review before they sarape with a few thousand dollars. Hope to catch up with you on the Patreon forums.
Thank you Mark, you create the best Sony videos.
Wow, thanks!
Thank you for a great video that included excellent A6700 vs. A7C II vs. A7CR feature charts. Well worth the time it took to view. Already have my A7C up for sale and try to decide between the A7C II and A7CR but will still keep my A7RV for its increased functionality. Also need to decide if I keep the A6700. Like it’s full function mechanical shutter.
Glad you enjoyed it!
"A better bit of buffer"…. you’re the best!
Don’t know where that came from as I don’t have a script when I start these reviews 🙂
Mark, this is by far the best review/POC of these two new Sony compact cameras that I have seen on UA-cam, thank you so much for the thorough and comprehensive information you have shared in this video. I have actually watched it few times to better understand all the useful content. I am considering buying one of these two cameras, which would be my first Sony and first full frame camera (currently own a Nikon DSLR). I have been waiting for a compact model with the latest technology and these cameras are checking pretty much all the boxes. I wonder if you plan to offer a detailed video tutorial on how to operate each of these two A7C cameras (with menu review) once they are available to the public, particularly for new Sony users who need to learn all their features and capabilities. Looking forward to more of your videos, great work!! 💯💯💯
I have now made available a 700-page eBook for these two cameras with links to over 50 supporting videos on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. It's US 10.00 to use the support channel for one month, but there are no contracts or commitments to stay longer than one month + you get to keep all the resources you downloaded.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Excellent, Mark, thank you very much for sharing the information about the eBook available in your Patreon channel. I will certainly look into it once I purchase the camera, great to know!!
I love the addition of the front dial and the custom (unlabelled) rear dial! Much needed for ISO control!!
Totally agree!
out of all the things listed as improvements this is probably the aspect that I use to justify buying the A7CR. :)
Great video, loved the way you delved into Len’s options. I am a canon r5 shooter but this gives me the compact hi res with ibis for travel and street. Blows canons r8 offering out of the water. Will get the the 24 and 40mm, but you gave me some great examples of the compact zoom and long range options. The a7cr is a beast of a body, not perfect but the best on offer at the moment.
If the change in menu systems is a bit daunting check out my A to Z series of 26 short videos and/or the 700-page eBook from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
My first mirrorless camera was the Olympus EP1. I loved that camera and took it everywhere. Olympus eventually discontinued this camera in favor of bigger bodies. The Sony A7C II just may be the replacement for that camera. Plus the sensor is twice as big.
The surface area of a full frame sensor is approximately 4x greater than a micro four-thirds sensor and with the A7C in a body that is smaller than many Olympus cameras.
Hello again. Just rewatched this because it has so much great info. After the announcement of the A7CII and A7CR I went back and forth on which to buy. In the end I kept in my pre-order of the CR and took delivery when it shipped here. Fast forward and after a month I decided I wanted the CII as well since I like the A7IV sensor in low light. Also when I travel I hate to go somewhere without a backup. So now I have both and extremely happy even though I also have A1’s and an A7RV for my BIF work and larger, heavier lenses like the 200-600; 100-400, 135: and 70-200/2.8 GM II. Also bought a A6700 originally when I sold my A7IV and A7C but I think that will be sold but will still use some of the APS-C lenses on the A7CR in crop mode for light travel. Even giving the E 70-350/4.5-6.3 G OSS a try since it’s relatively small. Of course I’m a gear head but there are so many options and these compact full frame bodies have so much to offer at 33 Mpixels and 61 Mpixels. This video is a great reference for anyone interested in smaller, flexible, ICL bodies. Thank you again.
Thanks for the feedback Steven - I have 600 and 700-page eBooks and camera setup files available for all your cameras on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Best Video on these new Sony Cameras. Helpful and concise. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
I just got my a7CR as an upgrade to my a7RIV and I was actually surprised that, with the Small Rig base plate, it is not much smaller and almost exactly the same weight, but it does have the appearance of being more slim without the viewfinder hump on top. Plus the simplicity of the dials makes it appear less like a professional camera, which can be good on the street. It is definitely faster, better AF and I like the new menus.
As outlined in the is video I am more than happy to put my little finger underneath the camera. The option to increase the size will be appealing to those who want to use larger lenses on this compact body. When packing my camera bag I save weight and size wherever I can.
Thank you for taking the time to share your input and knowledge into this detailed review.
As an absolute beginner that never owned a camera before besides the iPhone one this review answered all my questions and then some. I received the AC7II yesterday and your "Sony Alpha Menus A-Z" helped me set it up and clarified much of the menu options. As a sidetone, one of the reasons I went for this camera is the retro look (besides the compact form) I'm not a professional and the larger models really look like electronic machines tailored for pros.
Next in my playlist: "Sony Alpha Focus Masterclass"..
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome Video as always! I'm debating on the A7cR or A6700. Want small camera/lens combo for low profile travel and street shooting. I see the advantages of the A7cR over the A6700 but the price difference is quite a bit. Already own an A7RV, and like the idea of having two similar resolution cameras, but also find 26mp APS-C files excellent.
Check out my A6700 camera review and my Bali video that features images captured with the A6700 camera. Maybe this will help you make your mind up.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Wow Mark!! Your Bali video is insanely amazing. The images and IQ are outstanding. If you told me you made those images with a A7cR and GM lenses, I wouldn't doubt it for a second. Plenty of detail, sharpness, and background blur. No sense of lacking in any area. Thank you again!
High quality review and comparative, thankyou. Very useful to a prospective purchaser. Must have taken a lot of time and effort. I roll my eyes at some of the comments, you have more patience than I. Cheers, Jake, NZ
Glad it was helpful! I have my own forum on Patreon.com/markgaler where I provide individual guidance - i have to be very patient with some photographers who have strong opinions. There are no ‘best’ cameras or ‘best’ lenses, just the most appropriate gear to meet an individual’s needs.
Incredible video thanks Mark! I’m looking at the a7Cii for travel photography and vlogging. My only slight worry is I do like to shoot 60fps a faint bit, but you talking about the 11mm prime just made me think it could work, as I would essentially still be able to get to 16mm for vlogging when in super 35 crop at 4K60. Thanks so much!
Check out my APS-C wide-angle review here: ua-cam.com/video/gvFUL5gm_mE/v-deo.html
I was able to handle the A7Cr with it's dedicated grip extension snd I must say it feels fantastic!
Small camera with a bigger grip - what's not to like :-)
First of all, thanks for your great work on this channel, much appreciated. If you already own the A7C, is there an argument to get the a6700 as a companion camera instead of upgrading to one of the new A7Cs. You would then have the AI focusing features for wildlife and could make do with a 70-200 instead of getting a larger more cumbersome zoom lens. Would also work great for macro. Just upgraded to the new 70-200 macro and the thought of upgrading to a $3.5-5K camera is a bit daunting
An A6700 and A7C would complement each other. Your reasoning is sound. I can provide extended guidance on my Patreon support channel, but I never tell people what to buy - just help them come to their own decision
I can fully relate with your Travel Light statement :-) It is my religion as well !! I owe a a6500 and many apsc lenses (of which Sony 70-350 G and Sony 16 55 G) this is my travel kit. I d like to upgrade my ageing a6500 and I see the a7CII and a7Cr as possible upgrade (with new backlight sensor, better ibis, better menu, better AI focus ... ). They would also allow me to keep using my apsc lenses and travel light and yet also be a "soft" access to full frame when I d like to invest in some FF lenses (not for travel but maybe street or portrait).I like wildlife photo and a7Cr would allow me better reach/crop with 26 MP APSC mode but lower fps (although it is not clear if maybe in APSC mode A7Cr is faster than 8 fps ? ) and also probably lower sensitivity to light. A7cII on the other hand is faster fps and probably better in light sensitivity (less noise than a6500 at high iso with hight shutter speed ? ) but is only 14 MP in APSC mode ... my dilemma :-) :-)
8fps is the maximum fps in full-frame or APS-C mode on the A7RC. Check out my A6700 camera review before you make your decision or seek further support and guidance from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. Whichever camera you choose it will be a big step up from an A6500 camera. The AF performance of all these new cameras is streets ahead of the A6500, if you photograph thinks that move quickly.
Thanks for this great, exhaustive review of these compact cameras. The A7CR looks so enticing as a street/travel camera. (also I liked your Dr. Seuss-like reference with “Bit Better Buffer”😂)
Glad it was helpful!
The only disappointment is none of the two has the multi angle LCD screen like A7RV. Thank you for the review.
We can only wonder why Sony were unable to deliver this to the premium-priced A7CR. There many be factors more than just cost that may have prevented Sony adding features to a very small compact camera. Only Sony's engineers will know the answer to this question. The amount of improvements over and above the original A7C, however, has been huge.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills We can already look at the existing mechanism on the A7R5, and you see it adds some bulk, so this would mean the camera would have been heavier and thicker... kind of defeating the point of a "C"ompact camera.
Man I wish Flickr got the credit it deserves. Im a glamor/beauty guy, it’s just awesome being able to share my photos how they’re were meant to be seen rather than the horrific other social media sites.
If only I could get the models on there, it’d take off 😂
Instagram puzzles me greatly
This video helped me decide to pre-order the A7CR over the A7C II. Thank you!
I believe information-rich videos help users to make an informed purchasing decision - hope your new camera meets your expectations
Hi Mark, thank you for your amazing body of work on your UA-cam channel. It’s truly invaluable to the photog community. Are you still using these smaller bodies on the road? If so, are you rocking the A7cii or the A7CR? Cheers from London. Christophe
I have been posting every day for the last two months while traveling in Europe with the A7CII and A6700. Some people ask me why I chose the A7CII over the A7CR, when actually I chose the A7CII_A6700 over the A7CR. Head over to Patreon.com/markgaler if you want more information on my workflows.
Great video review and tips. Been waiting awhile and hoping these get manufactured.
You and me both!
Hi Mark!
Thanks for a very good video! I use the A7C, have some questions I hope you can answer:
* I use glasses, I find the A7CmkI working well with that, how is the A7CII/A7CR with glasses?
* What type of sensor cleaning does the new ones have, sensor shake or ultrasound?
* That new extension grip, when one fold it down to get the battery out, is there a latch to unlock the hinge on the extension grip or does it just fold down with friction?
Thanks!
I sometimes wore glasses for this review and it was OK. There is a latch on the grip. I offer personal support and guidance on my Patreon.com/markgaler channel.
The original sony a7r was about 465 gms! Resolution was 36mp. I love the form factor of these C cameras & also that they have the 61mp variant. However I have got so spoilt by the EVF - screen - ibis of the a7r5, hence the a7cr would not work. Yet it is good that they are doing so much with this form factor including the swipe menus that can compensate for extra dials - custom keys etc. The design is more evolved than the earlier Sigma fP/r modular designed cameras. I too find the compact 28-60 lens excellent for what it offers. With improved ibis I was able to get excellent detail in low light situations at 0.13 of a second. I find both the sigma 45 & 90 lenses would work very well with this compact factor as would the samyang tiny lenses. On a last note thanks for the very detailed & excellent review.
It’s good to be able to appreciate a design concept while recognising it does not meet your own personal needs. This is quite rare as many are disappointed that every camera announced was not designed to meet their specific needs - even though it’s quite obviously a niche product.
Thanks. Design technology is an integral part of developing the visual eye. Because there was the initial compact a7c design lenses like the 28-60 were developed. I bought the lens practically new for under 200$ and would also pair well with the new a7cr. It would work very well with some design fairs that we have now in Delhi. I used to go there with an old samsung nx500 bsi 28 mp & a tiny kit lens with no evf & far worse light sensitivity. The constantly evolving technology that - particularly sony - is giving us in such a niche market is amazing. Whether one buys a particular camera is not important but recognizing the design & technology offered with the knowledge that this technology will be passed on to their less expensive cameras -is. The fact that it is possible today to have such a small form factor that includes both FF & APS-c is special. Also if one needs to take a second camera then it could easily supplement the larger one. The compact with small lenses with a certain minimal sensibility & the larger camera perhaps with larger lenses. @@AlphaCreativeSkills
Hi Mark, I am a non-professional with an A7iv. The A7CII seems like a better camera for someone like me. Would you recommend making the switch? I've never really needed dual card slots. But the compact body, better IBIS, and improved AF all seem like big wins to me over the A7iv. Am I missing anything?
It’s an updated A7IV with Subject Recognition and improved IBIS but no option for CF Express - you should hold one and use the Finder before ordering online. I love small form-factor cameras and tiny lenses but not everyone shares my enthusiasm for these small cameras.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsthanks Mark! I somehow missed that the 7CII doesn't have CF Express. That is definitely a feature that I would miss.
I have the a7c and a6700 and the a7cR is really compelling. I was hoping for 8k video, but I could buy TWO a6700s for the price of one a7cR, Sony has done a good job of deploying these new cameras.
The file sizes of 8K movies is difficult to handle. You are forced to edit proxies and then who gets to see the 8K video when you are done editing. I would actually like to see Sony enable a 6K movie option which just gives us the freedom to crop out movie files and still export 4K videos. 6K is just 24 Megapixels so current computers will handle this much more easily than the jump to 8K.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Agreed! If the a6700 had OpenGate (6k) it would have been perfect. :)
Great review Mark thank you , the biggest disappointment for me is the viewfinder . As a glasses left eye dominant shooter , I need a large bright viewfinder. I like you wish Sony would at least bring out an add on high res viewfinder. Sadly I will not buy the A7CR unless this happens . Other than that it fitted my need’s perfectly, it’s just a deal breaker for me sadly 😢
It’s better than the A7C but not as good as the A7RV. It’s interesting to note that the resolution and magnification ratio of this A7Cll finder was considered ‘state-of-the-art’ on Sony’s last DSLR (the A99) and it received excellent reviews at the time.
Hi Mark, excellent review like always. I have a question about the a7cr with the combination of either 20-70 zoom or the two 24mm 2.8 and 50mm 2.5 primes. Do you think these lens are well suited for this high resolution sensor or a7c ii is a better combination for these lenses?
I think the compact G lenses are a good match for both the A7CII and A7CR cameras. There are many lenses in Sony's lineup that have excellent optical resolution but do not have the G Master branding, e.g., 20-70 G 70-200 Macro G, 20mm F1.8 G, 35mm F1.8, 55mm ZA, 35mm ZA and the G Compacts ...and the list goes on.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you so much for answering my question.
Thank you for this review. It is very helpful. For my commercial work I have the A7iv and A73. For my travel photography I use the Fujifilm Xt5 and the X100F. The Sony A7cR beckons, because I can work with 1 system for both purposes. I'm still in doubt because of the bad news about the EVF.
This year I traveled for the first time with my A7iv to Bolivia with the Tamron 28-200. This lens really surprised me.
I recommend looking through the finder. The finder was a step up from the original A7C and I find it very usable. I am also used to the large high-resolution finder on my A1 but don't have an issue switching between the two. If we were to roll the clock back 10 years the reviewers would be saying how wonderful the monitors on the A7CII/A7CR are. Everything is relative.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thanks for answering. Helps a lot.
Thank you for the masterclass review.
I have a question, are the A7CR and A7CII still design that do not have a mechanical front curtain?
The A6700 has the option to disable the e-front curtain shutter. The A7CII and A7CR do not.
Love your videos, always have, but please use a lav mic, the audio is rough to listen to. I recommend the DR10L or DR10L Pro.
Noted!
Really enjoying your videos, merging photo techniques with how to with Sony cameras without unnecessary blabla. I am wondering about the advantages of having an A7Cii vs a6700. In particular, what is the magnification we get by cropping a 33 MPixels image from A7Cii to 26 MPixels (res of a6700). I would say X1.12. So just 12% magnification advantage. On the other hand the pixel pitch ratio looks like 5.12/3.79 ~ 1.35 in favor of A7Cii. So 35% more light collected by pixel (assuming other parameters identical)... Also wondering if the A7Cii could correct in camera APSC lenses while staying in FF mode (just trying to get out of vignetting by zooming). To get more than the 14 MPixels of APSC mode... Sorry, beginner here, this may not make sense... Thanks for any comment you may have~
I am happy to answer Sony technical questions on UA-cam that require just a short answer, but these more advanced one-on-one 'conversations', to help users make a choice of system, are available on my Premium Plus membership tier of my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Hi Mark. Im curious if you notice any difference from a7cr/a7r5 apsc mode vs a6700 due to the lack of AA filter from the full frame? Any noticeable sharpness difference? Thanks in advance. As everyone has stated, great job on the tutorial/review. You have been my go to guy for all things camera (especially Sony). Great teacher.
I have not noticed any difference and I don’t think Sony mention whether they use of AA filters on their late-model cameras anymore. As I only get to respond occasionally on UA-cam, you may like to head over to my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel for a premium service.
Mark, not sure if you mentioned this but neither camera has a true mechanical shutter. Only Electronic anf EFCS. This could affect the bokeh in some situations.
I think I may have mentioned this - but if not in this video, in one of my camera choice videos for my Patrons. I personally think the difference in bokeh, although apparent, is overstated. I have a video on the topic on this UA-cam channel. With so many question I think you may get a lot of value out of my Patreon support service ( Patreon.com/markgaler ), because I can only get to answer a small percentage of the questions I receive via social media every day. Time is money, so unfortunately I have to prioritise my patrons so I can keep the lights on.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I completely understand. I appreciate your time. I’m currently a Premium member. Maybe I’ll go to the Plus level if I have some critical questions. Thanks again.
Brilliant, this channel is why I bought a Sony !!
Great to hear!
Really excellent video! So informative! Thanks!
Thanks for the positive feedback
Still a great video but I’m back with another question. Does the A7C II have an anti-aliasing filter or a low-pas filter on the 33 Mpixel sensor?
Seems to be a discussion going back to the sensor in the A7 IV. I see people claiming both yes and no. Do you have a view/opinion on this or a source to trust? Thank you for your time.
Sony (from memory) stopped listing if their cameras have AA filters back in 2019. It used to be the case that the R cameras didn’t have them and all the others did. I could have a whole conversation on this topic (pros and cons) but that is what my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel is designed to offer.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you. Got to get off my rear end and join
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I finally joined with the Premium Plus!
Excellent- I have almost completed the eBook and CAMSET for the A7C cameras so these should be available on Patreon next week.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsUnable to access the Premium Plus Patreon Support I am paying for. No way to get “Support” and figure out why I’m being asked to “Join to Unlock”. How do I get any help to resolve?
I have been waiting for the a7cii but the price is too much for me. I am retired and also have been considering the a6700. The problem is I have 6 Sony lenses, all full frame glass. Just bought the 70-200 f/4 macro. I would appreciate your opinion on full frame glass on aps-c bodies. I know about the crop factor, etc. I have the a7r5 but I want a lightweight body to travel and walk around with. I look forward to hearing your opinion. There are so many conflicting youtube videos on this subject. By the way, I am an extremely serious amateur so quality is a big factor in my decision. I heard great things about the a6700. Totally confused.
I use Full Frame lenses on my APS-C cameras, including the FE 70-200 F4 Macro, FE 85mm F1.8 and FE 35mm F1.8 lenses. Ignore the 'nay sayers' who tell you it is not a good idea, as I think it is great and have supplied ultra high-definition images to back up my views. Check out my A6700 Camera review on my UA-cam channel and I can offer further personal guidance on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
I am wondering if the A7c II has this "product shot" feature ? Thanks
This feature only appears on the ZV range of cameras.
Great review and comparison
Thanks for the positive feedback
Mark, on your Patreon, do you have the unenhanced versions of the high iso images? The ones that you shared are enhanced and I'm curious to see how the original raw file looks.
I share Raw images with my Patrons. They will load in their editing state (as they are DNG files), but you can reset the file to view them in their completely raw state.
Mark great video I currently use Olympus OM 1 for all my shooting. I mostly shoot insects (with flash and a diffuser) also landscape. I am considering the Sony A7C 2 or the A7C R I also never use the video option on any camera. the reason I am looking at the sony is for the insect eye detection and the ability to crop the full frame.... I know for landscape the sony would be great. The other concern is I want to keep it small and light. Do you think the Macro would work as planned????
You will need to stop the aperture down one more stop for Macro to get the depth of field you are currently enjoying on the cropped sensor Olympus (with its 2x crop factor).
This is excellent, well done and great to see some pics of my home town in Melbourne. One thing i would have liked to learn about would be the view finder.I know its an improvement on the original A7C from looking at the specs but I wonder how someone coming from a xt series fuji with its more mp's and slightly higher magnification would feel with the smaller sony option? Cheers
Thanks for the positive feedback
You write regarding creative looks: "These settings do not have any effect on Raw files being captured." However, when I import an ARW image into Lightroom (Lr, not LrC), it appears with the picture profile "Camera VV," and VV was the creative style I had selected.
Several things may be applied to Raw files on Import, such as white balance or aspect ratio but these changes are not 'baked in' adjustments, in that the file can be 'reset, and these changes removed.
Of course, but the creative looks do have SOME effect on RAWs.@@AlphaCreativeSkills
Only if the Devlop Profile is st to mirror the camera, i.e., if you are not using the Adobe Color default. For someone who uses the Adobe Color Profile as their default the camera’s Creative Look has zero impact.
Ah.
Thank you, Mark! Between Sigma 24-70 Art, Tamron 28-75 G2, and Tamron 28-200 which one do you recommend for Sony a7c II?
I covered my preferred compact lenses in this camera review
Cheers! Wondering how much I would miss the 8MP EVF from the a7RV compared to the cR ...🤔 Maybe the 8K recording... Is the back-screen resolution big between them?
The monitors of the A7CII and A7IV are pretty much the same, but the monitor of the A7RV is higher resolution and has a superior 4-Axis tilt swivel feature. I personally don't spend a lot of time with the finder at my eye or reviewing images on the monitor when I am out and about with a compact camera, so don't think this is a deal-breaking difference for me.
Great video, I learned so much! Would the Sony FE 50mm f/2.5 lens be good for everyday use and take videos of people/ places/ scenery? I'm a beginner hobbies for photography and the a7cii will be my first big purchase camera and I want to edit the videos to post on social media!
Most people go with a small zoom such as the FE 24-50 F2.8 G as their first lens but the 50mm F2.5 G is a a great compact prime that matches the form factor of the A7C cameras. here is my review of Sony's compact lenses: ua-cam.com/video/Oar2u5h20jI/v-deo.html
I provide ongoing personal support via my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you I ended up going with the 50mm F/.5 G lens, but I’ll also be saving up for other lens as well. Your video was also very helpful, thanks!
Wow. Excellent review.
Does the a7c II have in camera lens distortion correction for lenses like the Sony FE 24mm 2.8 G lens?
All Sony cameras have in-camera lens distortion corrections for all Sony lenses when shooting JPEGs and Movies. Lens Profiles are required to correct Raw images in your post-production editing software.
Excellent presentation as always. Just returned from a trip where I took two apsc bodies and two lenses. Thinking about upgrading the apsc bodies to the a7cr to use for travel and wondering how/if an arca-swiss plate will work on the new finger grip.
I have attached a Peak Design Arca Swiss plate onto the base of this grip extension without issue (I can still gain battery access)
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks for the reply. That is a pretty small plate. I guess a larger plate would interfere with the battery door.
If the plate was larger it would not be an Arca Swiss plate
@@AlphaCreativeSkills I understand what you are saying. But, I use longer/larger Arca-Swiss plates on my full frame and apsc cameras, including L plates. To keep size and weight at a minimum, though, I can see why you would use a PD plate.
Love your videos Mark! Recently switched over from Canon and I’m not looking back. I picked up an A7C2 and an AR7V. I’m having a hard time figuring out why when I use spot focusing in the A7C2 it tracks. It does not do that on my A7RV. Any clarity you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
There are two types of spot options in the AF Area when using AF-C - those with tracking (selected from the menu that runs horizontally) and those without (from the genius that run vertically). You would also need to disable Subject recognition of you don't want any tracking and/or switch to the AF-S focus mode. I recommend downloading my 600-page eBook for your camera from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel and for full support and guidance (personal support) consider joining in the Premium Plus tier.
As a beginner, I had a started with an A7C paired with the compact 40mm G-lens. Unfortunately, my equipment was stolen. However, my insurance compensated me for a large part of it. Now I'm thinking about getting the A7CR paired with the 20mm f1.8 with the following consideration: As a beginner, my biggest shortcoming is my lack of confidence, especially in street photography. My idea now is to capture as much footage as possible with the mentioned pairing and then crop the image afterwards to bring out the desired details. What is your opinion on this idea?
BTW great job, great channel. Take a subscription 👍
My preferred focal lengths for street are 35 and 85mm primes. There are, however, many approaches to this genre. I discuss workflows and gear choice at great length on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
I have an a7rc and a6700. Very revealing about the benefit of using the aps/c 70-350 lens will full frame. Most people advise against it.
If you look at the quality of the images I am showing it is up to the individual to determine whether using an APD-S lens has any merit.
thanks mark ,bought a7c 2 today
Good choice!
Very nice review, very helpful, thankyou
Thanks for watching!
A7C ii for birds in flight? I've got an A1+600/4, 200-600, etc., but age and a decreasing weight bearing capacity has me wondering if the A7C ii and the FE 300 GM (incredibly just a bit over 4 pounds for the combo!!!) could do (using TC's of course and popping into APS-C mode when needed) BIF. My only concern is jello/rolling shutter on the wings. Seeing Mr. Galer's running pooch shots leave no doubt that the A7C ii would have no trouble tracking the bids. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I usually use my A1 for BIF, but I have had excellent results while testing all late model cameras from the A7IV, A7RV, A6700 so don't see any reason these Compact full-frame cameras will behave any differently to their dual-card cousins.
You are looking at the wrong charts. The read noise is not comparable for different resolution sensors, because the pixel size is different. If you correct for that you will get almost identical read noise.
If you play that section of the review again you will see that I basically state that. The pixel pitch of the A7RV makes the read noise appear worse on a chart but when the files are exported from Lightroom the noise shrinks more, thereby creating a level playing field. I added the chart because some people will look at it and think the A7CR is worse but in real-world terms it is not.
Hi, Mark. Thank you for posting the sample photos. Is there a way to tell which were taken with the CR and which were taken with the CII?
The photos with version 1.00 former all have EXIF information that include the model name but I release now I should manually add the model names to the examples that were using cameras with the 0.01 pre-production firmware. Thanks for the heads-up
Heh Mark - luv your camera reviews and guide books. Any chance of an A9 iii one?
It’s been available for some time on Patreon.com/markgaler
hi, mark I am a real fans of your video, question? if I used a aps-c lens ( Tamron 17-70 mm f2.8) in full frame camera A7CII , the quality of the imagen is significant reduced it?
The resolution is reduced but not necessarily the quality. Quality will only start to diminish if there are insufficient pixels for the screen resolution being used to view the image. Using an APS-C lens in APS-C mode will result in a 14 Megapixel image when using a 33 Megapixel full-frame sensor. You need 8.3 megapixels for a 4K screen. This allows you to crop further.
As well as the eBook and camera setup file for your camera, I also offer many photographic seminars on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel. One of these seminars is titled 'Resolution and Noise'.
OK, I signed up with Patreon and downloaded Mr. Galers e-book on the A7Cii. I spent the money hoping to find and answer to this question. Can you set up the intervalometer AND Bulb so you can do repetitive longer than 30 second shots.
If the camera is on a tracker (think Milky Way) I may want 2-4 min exposures and many of them (and some darks and flats).
If I have the A7Cii on my telescope and the tracking mount I may want 5 min exposures and several hours worth.
I did not readily see an answer to this in the e-book.
I own the A7C and you cannot used a wired intervalometer with it (a Sony choice in which usb-c they put into the A7C). So repeating long exposures is just painful for the A7C.
I'm hoping the A7Cii has solved this???????
Still waiting for an answer to BIF and the A7Cii posted below.
Mark only has limited opportunities to answer some of the many questions he receives each day on his UA-cam channel. He offers personal support in a timely manner to his Premium Plus members on the monthly Patreon Q&A forum. Admin staff for Mark Galer.
Excellent and thorough as usual! One question...is there a way to turn off the icons on the left and right side of the monitor? There is no option for it in the Screen Display Settings (Monitor) menu.
I am pretty sure I showed the menu settings that controlled these icons in this video. Turning off Touch Operation turns off the icons - swiping with Touch Operation on removes or reveals the icons. A greater understanding of your camera can be had by downloading the 700-page eBook from my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Perfect, thank you Mark!
Hi,thanks for the interesting review!
I'd like to know the following:
If I bought a Sony A7CR and used it in crop mode very often to be able to use my A-PSC lenses,do you think I'd get at least the same image quality than with the Sony A6700 ( dynamic range,noise performance, colour depth and resolution)?
Of course I'd use the Sony A7CR in full frame mode sometimes, but only when weight woudn't bother me and for certain types of photography ( portraits,night photogrphy and special landscapes photos.)
Same quality
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks for the answer!
Thanks for the video. So the A7CR also doesn't support wired remote shutters and we can't use usb-c port for this? The problem with Sony's remote shutter and the App is that they have a super short range.
That’s why I outlined this in the camera review
Thx Mark…nice work as always. With all the improvements in processing speed it’s odd Sony seems to be stuck at 10 fps even with electronic shutter on non stacked sensors. Still no Sony sports camera below the A9/A1 price range. I can only assume Sony is fine giving the lower end mom and pop sports crowd to Canon R6 ii / R7.
The main issue with users going over to Canon, thinking they will save money on a semi-sports camera with high fps, that does not have a stacked sensor, is that they will fall foul of Canon's restrictive Lens mount policy, which shuts out Tamron and Sigma from making AF lenses for the Canon mount. 10 fps, I think is just fine for little-league soccer, in my opinion.
Simply superlative !!!
Thank you! Cheers!
So with the grip on, the a7Cr is only about 100g less in weight than the a7RV. Is it worth giving up all those features to save 100 grams?
..and its compact and it costs far less money. I roll out my weight and size savings across every item in my camera bag and have reduced the size of my camera bag to a medium-sized messenger bag (5L) from a large messenger bag (7L). I always start with the bag first and work backwards. When travelling light I am using compact G zooms or compact primes instead of GM zooms and my weight saving is measured in kilograms. I also run with an A1 and lenses that weight more than a kilogram for my sports photography so its all about priorities.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills thanks! That’s good to know - I’m leaning towards a C body and feel confirmed in that decision.
Thanks Mark, but have a question for you. At 31:40 is my main concern and disappointment of this camera body style. I really wanted to be able to use the A7CR on a motorized 4-axis intervalometer rig. Now, I have not seen any sort of system like these that use USB-C or a wireless connection direct to camera. Can you think of a solution to this, or is it DOA for the A7C body style?
The main communication pathway for these cameras is bluetooth, so you may need to search for something that can use this type of connection.
Hi, I am planning to buy A7R V but I am worried because A7RV still doesn't support user LUTs function. Any chance this feature will be made available for A7RV through firmware update ? because it has same dedicated AI chip with cable processor Same as A7CR. Technically A7RV is more superior than A7CR. Latest firmware version was 3.0 which is good but i was expecting user LUTS function which still not available for A7RV.
Sony does not share what they are planning with their firmware updates - even with their Ambassadors.
Thanks Mark,very good 2:09
Thanks
Also what would you recommend as the sharpest compact lens for the A7CR?
That would depend on whether you want an Autofocus lens, a prime or zoom, what your budget tends to and what focal length you want covered. I could, without this information, suggest lenses that are outside your budget. This service is part of my Patreon.com/markgaler
For primes (since you are looking for sharpness) I would say the Sony 40mm f/2.5 G might be the best all rounder, it is very sharp, a good fit for the A7CR and 40mm is a very versatile focal length. The Sony 50mm f/2.5 G is also pretty good choice, it is about the same as the 40mm, maybe only slightly less sharp. If you are willing to go a little bit bigger, the Sony 20mm f1.8 G is an exceptional lens, one of the best lenses Sony makes period. I own both the 40mm and the 20mm. Both have really quick AF (maybe not quite as fast as some of the GMs like the 135mm, but pretty close) and the little aperture ring (if you use that). I really love the baby 40mm, it is my go to lens for most everything. On the A7C / A7CR it is a very small setup that I can comfortably take backpacking, hiking, or even running (I have done it). Some people say it is expensive for what you get, I could not disagree more, it is high quality, and works well, easily worth the $600 IMO. The 85mm f1.8 could be a good choice too. I have never used it, but I know that Mark likes it pretty well. I am hoping that Sony might come out with an updated semi-small (~f/1.8, ~1lb) 85mm or 105mm G lens that could be similar in quality / price / size to the 20mm f1.8 G in the future.
Wouldn’t need a second card slot if they added space-saving internal storage for when it really matters. Plenty of drawbacks and not ideal for wedding pros, but still an interesting model (especially if the camera could write the internal storage to a blank card in a pinch).
Memory storage can fail over time so it would have to be removable internal storage if Sony wanted to keep the second-hand value of these cameras acceptably high.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsIndeed, and this is part of why I couldn't see it as a basis for a truly professional workflow even if they went higher end (as with Leica on their M11) and over-provisioned the storage to allow for a far longer rewrite lifespan. But then that adds cost, complexity, etc. Lots of drawbacks.
That said, I am an M11 owner and even at just 64GB (128GB for the Monochrom version), I've genuinely found it useful in a variety of unexpected situations.
Although, humorously, I'm selling the M11 and my first-party Leica glass (thankfully I can easily adapt my fun Voigtlander stuff to E-mount!) and ordering an a7CR first thing tomorrow morning.
I am extremely fortunate to own such a genuinely fun camera, but with the existence of the a7CR, combined with the breadth of my E mount glass, I wouldn't just be fortunate, I'd also be stupid.
35:58 You used the same photo in a6700 review, what camera and lens was used?
When I I am discussing new features I may have to use photos captured on a camera that has the same new feature - review times are very very short and one of the camera's was recalled at 48 hours and the other was 'bricked' when updating from firmware version 0.01 to 1.00. This review is primarily about form factor and body design and the compact concept as the sensors already exist in the A7IV, A7RV and the firmware is virtually identical to the A6700. The ultra high definition images captured with the new compact cameras are all shared via the link below the video.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks for the answer, i understand.
How's using the touchpad as a stand-in for the joystick if you have the viewfinder to your eye?
It takes a while to get used to but I am now used to it. In some instances it is better, e.g. when I release my thumb it starts tracking the object and it can move from a non-tracking to a tracking behaviour.
thanks mark this is a review
Glad you enjoyed it
Great content.....well done sir.
Thanks for the positive feedback 🙂
thank you! what about LCD BRIGHTESS?
Adjustable and similar to the vast majority of other Alpha monitors
should we wait for the A9 III to arrive end of the year ?
Sony Alpha Rumors is the best place to enter these hypothetical discussions. I aim to educate Alpha owners how to use the equipment that is currently available.
Hi Mark.Can you throw some light on the apparent bokeh problem when shooting wide open at shutter speeds over 1/1000 of a second.I’m about to buy either the a7cii or cr and this could change things as I love shooting wide open.Many thanks.
I don't think I would call this a 'problem' - more of a slight 'aesthetic' difference. I have no issues with the bokeh captured at 1/2000 and 1/4000 second shutter speeds using A7C cameras. Bokeh may slightly change in appearance, compared to switching the e-front curtain shutter offer (using mechanical rear and front curtain shutters) on the cameras that support this. I have extensive photo albums of ultra high-definition images on my Flickr support channel (link below video). I think the saying 'seeing is believing' is valuable in these instances, rather than listening to someone on a photographic forum who provides no visual feedback to back up their opinions. I offer full support on my Alpha support channel - Patreon.com/markgaler
If I do a lot of studio photography (macros with strobe), should I be concerned about the 1/160th sync flash speed?
Faster sync speeds are useful on location when using the flash as the primary light source rather than the fill.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsThank you!
I really don’t like straight jpegs coming from a Sony A7CR camera. Do you have in-camera settings that can emulate better colors? I don’t have time to do post-post-processing through Raw. Your viewers will be very happy if you share in-camera settings so that straight jpegs coming from A7CR can be useful. Right now AC7CR produces awful jpegs. Please guide us. Thanks.
I think the JPEGs are pretty amazing from this camera - the images in this review are all JPEGs as the Raw files could not yet be opened in Lightroom. I offer in-depth support and guidance so beginners can become better photographers on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Hi Mark. My grateful thanks for all you do and for this video too. My A7RC arrived three days ago and having set it up (also thanks to you what I have learnt from you when setting up my A1 etc) I went out today to get some shots (Lossless RAW L). When importing them to an ext. HD, via an up to date macbook pro, I now find Preview can't open the files and Lightroom wont import them at all. I don't know what to do now. Feeling disappointed! please can you give me any help at all? Many, many thanks in advance!
Raw support will appear in the next Lightroom update - for ongoing support and guidance consider joining my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel