Choosing a camera: A Sony A7c review
For our first blog post we thought we’d take the easy route and talk about a product we’ve used extensively, and that would be the Sony A7c full-frame mirrorless camera.
(NB: Sony have now released the A7c Mark 2, an upgrade for sure, but we still stand by our review and think both the first and second versions will make many photographers happy!)
My name is J-F and I have been working in the camera paradise that is O’Leary’s Camera World in Cork City for the past 5 years. I am passionate about many different types of photography. During the lockdowns I was obsessed with learning everything I could about lighting and Photoshop. At the shop, I usually have a camera handy for documenting our days and recording content for our socials. If it is sunny and I can get away for a few hours, you won’t find a happier camper! I share those results in a photographic project called Tropic of Cork.
Even though I spend my days recommending cameras for every photographer type and use case, when it came to choosing a camera for myself I was paralysed. I wanted to get it right from the start and fully commit, but being surrounded by all the options at once (with new models constantly being announced or worse, rumoured!) made the decision process impossible.
Choosing the right camera
I started making a list of the features I couldn’t do without: long battery life, tilting screen, good for stills and video, healthy ecosystem of lenses and accessories. There was still too much choice.
The big break came when I considered the lens types I wanted:
- A macro lens for product photography that could pull double-duty for portrait sessions.
- A bright standard zoom for versatility.
- A telephoto for adding compression to landscape and cityscape captures and the odd bird, rabbit or fox when out hiking.
The compact size meant I always had outstanding image quality with me.
After overthinking this for weeks, a good deal of lost sleep and going back and forth to the point of almost swearing off photography, one of our customers showed me a feature on the Sony A7C that sealed the deal for me. Seriously, we have the best customers!
The Sony A7C has a nice big round button labelled AF ON which rests perfectly under your thumb. Place anything in the center of the frame, hold that magical button and the camera will track it as the subject moves around the frame or as you recompose. No joysticks, no waiting for face recognition and no constantly switching between focus modes.
Suffice to say I was hooked and the rest is history.
The Sony A7c and its big AF-ON button makes focusing anywhere in the frame a breeze.
Building the right kit
The kit I started with evolved quite a bit over time as I sussed out different lenses for my use cases. As most photographers that think they know anything, I snubbed the kit lens (more on that later) and went straight for the Tamron 28-200 f/2.8-5.6.
Near or far, the Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is so so versatile as a travel lens on the Sony A7c
The Tamron 28-200mm really shines when you don’t know what lies ahead. During a hike in the Comeraghs, the fact that I could switch from taking portraits of a sheep to a wide shot of the mountain range without changing lenses (or even carrying another lens) was invaluable. And again, when visiting lighthouses on windy days, I came back with many keepers (the lens is plenty sharp!) and a clean sensor. If you have ever found yourself juggling between lenses outdoors, you are familiar with the feeling of sometimes coming back with nothing but missed shots and a dirty sensor.
As if these weren’t reason enough for having this lens, I found myself using it mounted on a tripod set wide open (f/2.8) to the wide end (28mm) for talking-head video content and as a top class webcam.
To round out the kit, for product photography and portraits, I added the Sony 90mm f/2.8 macro lens. Can a lens be too good? When you consider this lens excels at close-up photography, it is a bit of a surprise that it also shines for portraiture, video b-roll, low-light and landscapes.
In the end, I didn’t keep it as I found it was physically large for the Sony A7C. My colleague Chris would disagree as he loves his on the Sony a6500, but he is mad about close-up photography and I hope he’ll tell you more about what he does in another blog post.
Well I must have a thing for smaller cameras, because I eventually replaced the 90mm with the FE 85mm f/1.8 and gave the FE 28-60mm kit lens another shot. I can now proudly and with great relief say that I am content!
Longer lenses like the Sony FE 85mm F1.8 are also great for picking out details in architecture. Here is the Waterford Treasures Museum.
To me a fast (low f-stop number – here f/1.8) 85mm lens on a full-frame camera is so much more than just a portrait lens. Sure, it’s brilliant when friends need pro looking headshots for work and I can capture some stunning memories of my partner and our life, but it’s really when I screw it onto the Sony A7C and go for a walk in Cork City, committing to the focal length, that it shines for me. The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 adds a good deal of compression making buildings stack nicely to seem more imposing and the quality of this lens always surprises me when I’m back at the computer later, cropping in digitally to isolate details in architecture. And finally, since Covid, I have found myself much shyer in my street photography. This mid-telephoto lens with its longer reach helps me hang back a bit while I build my confidence back up.
All in all, the Sony 85mm F1.8 is a definite keeper!
And now a paragraph on the lowly kit lens… which ended up being my favourite lens of all! Maybe it’s a knee-jerk reaction to being surrounded by exotic glass or maybe it’s the fact that I never second guess taking the camera with me when this lens is bolted on, but the fact of the matter is that I consistently get the shot with the Sony 28-60mm kit lens. The zoom range seems to strike a good balance between the “zoom with your feet” stance prime shooters have and the “i am not moving from this comfortable spot” luxury of zoom lens users. It has built-in image stabilisation, a 7 blade iris for nice sunstars, some metal in its build (mount and front outer barrel) and its compact size keeps with the mirrorless camera promise of lightweight and “carryability”.
The Sony FE 28-60mm kit lens: by far my favourite and most used lens, just don’t tell the camera snobs 😉
Making it yours
As photographers, whether total gear nerds or compositional artists, we tend to forge emotional attachments with our equipment. It could be from having followed us on adventures, nabbing us some deeply sentimental photos or helping us connect with like-minded people.
I can trace my connection to the Sony A7c back to a specific moment.
Maybe I had been ambivalent about it, maybe a new camera was getting my attention… I can’t remember exactly. One day on my way out for a photowalk, hoping to gain clarity on whether I should keep the camera or try something else, I locked my A7c into the Peak Design Capture Clip on my backpack strap and whipped the bag over my shoulder. Well the bag buckle broke and down went the camera… like Indiana Jones’ whip cracking on the tiled floor! Time stood still and the realisation that I actually LOVED that camera came crashing down on me. What a shame I had just used it as a jackhammer…
It was in that moment, when I picked the camera up and it turned on without any issues but a scratch, that the Sony A7C became MY camera, the one!
It doesn’t hurt that the Sony A7c is gorgeous!
Am I still tempted by new releases and tormented by the other brands’ marketing? Of course! It’s undeniable. But in the 2 ½ years that I’ve had the camera, I’ve never seen anything that checked so many boxes for me. Usually, if I start feeling the pang for something different or if the grass starts growing greener on the other side, it’s usually time for a good ol’ photo walk with the Sony A7C.
Dear customers
Thank you for reading along. It was a lot of fun writing this Sony A7c camera review and we hope you liked it.
Please share it along 🙂
As your local camera shop in Cork we can’t do it without you!
best full-frame mirrorless camera which camera #1 which full frame camera is best for photography which full frame camera to buy