Sony a7C2 (ILCE-7CM2) Review | Good Things Come in Small Packages?

Photographer Dustin Abbott shares a definitive review of the Sony a7C2 compact full frame camera. Is it the upgrade from the a7C we all wanted? | This video is sponsored by Fantom Wallet. Visit store.fantomwallet.com and use code DUSTIN15 to get 15% off | Read the Text Review: tinyurl.com/SonyA7C2da | Purchase the Sony a7C2 @ B&H Photo bhpho.to/46WMrry | Adorama howl.me/ckVZJJ2wnNV | Amazon amzn.to/47fiumc | Camera Canada shrsl.com/4ajcz | Sony Canada tinyurl.com/buysonycameras | Amazon Canada amzn.to/47n7nI5 | Amazon UK amzn.to/40nvgga | Amazon Germany amzn.to/3FK6g9n
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Table of Contents:
=============================
0:00​ - Intro and Concept
01:58 - Fantom Wallets
02:46 - Build and Design
11:45 - Autofocus
13:14 - Buffer Depth
15:02 - Video Performance
18:24 - Sensor Tests
19:45 - ISO Tests
24:20 - Dynamic Range
30:00 - Color
32:07 - Conclusion and Pricing
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Keywords: Sony a7C2, Sony a7CII, ILCE-A7CM2, a7C2 Review, a7CII Review, Full Frame, Review, Review, Hands On, Dustin Abbott, Real World, Comparison, Sharpness, Bokeh, Flare Resistance, Autofocus, Image Quality, Sample Images, Video, Portrait, Photography, let the light in, #letthelightin, DA, Weather Sealing, #ILCE-A7CM2

[@deepstriker]

Been waiting on this one, happy holidays Dustin

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Thank you!

[@Pfagnan]

Great job on this my friend. You are highly organized and extremely well spoken!!! 👍🏻📸😎

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Thank you very much.

[@Kevon420]

Great review, I hope you can do a review for the a7CR as well!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That's next. I think Sony is sending me a review loaner shortly.

[@bobdrawbaugh4207]

Thanks for the review. I rented this camera last week. I really liked it a lot. It may be my first Sony full frame camera.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Cool. Enjoy it!

[@keBsIsland]

Hi ,I just purchased my a7c2 and started to adjust the initial setup, i.e. language, date, time, etc. But I can't seem to to off the "voice tutorial " feature. It was helpful to have the voice tutorial saying what dials and features was for, but now I'm familiar with most features I can't find how to turn that setting off. Your videos are top notch, probably the best on utube and my go to for all things video and photography. Thanks again

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Unfortunately I don't know how to help you there. That feature was not turned on for the loaner camera I had, so I never encountered it.

[@keBsIsland]

Thank you for responding. I got help from someone and he solved this mystery for me. Just to help someone else who might encounter this: first go to "Setup", then "Accessibility", then to "Screen reader": click on off. Thank you again! Look forward to your next video!@@DustinAbbottTWI

[@LudwickMa]

Thanks for the hard work. I was wondering,does the a7c2 save oversampled 14mp (medium) pics the same way the a7r5 does full-frame 26mp pictures? Please also check if the a7r2 does so too when you get it? Thanks

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That is essentially what is happening, yes. You are not cropping the sensor; you are instead downsampling (oversampling) into a smaller resolution size. I do find that this can help (particularly on the high resolution bodies) in high ISO situations to get cleaner results.

[@brianode11]

Awesome review! I’m looking at picking this camera up. I’ve been a Canon user for years… but the lack of mid-tier RF lenses and 3rd party lenses has me considering grabbing a Sony. Dustin, what are your fav / most used lenses on Sony bodies? Native or 3rd party? Thanks!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My top choice is the Tamron 35-150mm VXD. It's my "if you could only own one lens" lens. I also regularly use the 50mm F1.4 GM, the inexpensive Samyang AF 45mm F1.8, the Viltrox AF 16mm F1.8 wide angle, and the Sony 200-600mm G telephoto. I've got a lot of other lenses that I like and regularly use, but those are the ones that spring to mind.

[@brianode11]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you for taking the time out to respond. Very much appreciated. 👍

[@miggyloz806]

idk how wide you need but my favorite 3rd party lens is the Full frame Tamron 20-40mm f2.8. perfect for car shows and realtor work

[@SM-sb4tr]

I got this recently as a first camera and i love it. I think it has everything a non-professional / specialist would need. The only thing I wish it had would have been an 8K mechanical shutter speed like its bigger brothe

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That's great. Enjoy

[@geuskoeman721]

thanks dustin very helpfull

[@Abakaschi]

Fantastic review!! How does the IBIS compare to the A7RV? E.g. handheld at 35mm at 1sec exposure? Are consistent sharp pictures possible?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I have rarely seen any camera produce consistently sharp 1 second handheld photos. According to Sony, however, the two systems are fairly similar in their performance.

[@RScottNH]

Another great, thorough review. I purchased it to do some street shooting. I have the 75mm and 35mm Rokinon’s for it, which are perfect size for the camera. Only thing is the autofocus goes crazy now and then. Almost like it’s being a zoom lens, yet they’re primes. Not sure if it’s the Rokinon’s, or the A7CII.

[@timothysteenwyk2978]

My Rokinon 135mm had the same issue on an a7iv but a firmware update to the lens fixed it

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

They are a great fit sizewise. A firmware update will probably come along to improve the quirks.

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

A very compelling general purpose hybrid travel camera. I may pick this up at some point for traveling/hiking setup.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Agreed

[@IRFAN-po5sz]

Very good review, in terms of video quality is it equal or better to FX3, what are the advantages it both have with each other .thanks.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'm not really a cine guy, so I've never reviewed the FX3. I'm afraid I can't give you an informed answer.

[@billmartin1663]

Thank you for this review! I have been looking for a Leica Q3-like body for street photography. This may be the answer!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'd say it is a good candidate.

[@billmartin1663]

@@DustinAbbottTWI now, an update 7 months later . . . I ended up buying the Sony a7Cii and the 40mm f/2.5 lens for street photography. I am very pleased with the camera and how it handles. It is enormous fun to use. Very light. Relatively inconspicuous. And it produces beautiful images. My only complaint is with the quality of the EVF and rear screen. When chimping, it is essentially impossible to tell whether I've got the quality of shot that I wanted. I have to trust it until I get home to look at the images on a computer screen. Still, thank you for this review!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

@@billmartin1663 That's very fair feedback.

[@rcpanorama]

Dustin, you do have the best reviews, thanks. As an enthusiast retired traveler shooting stills for street and landscape with a A7III, I am very happy. Should I upgrade to A7CII for weight and portability? I am trying to move from 1 pound zooms (Tamron) to light primes, still do not know which ones. What do you think about it? Anybody, comments?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hi there - if you check out the text review I actually have an extensive list of compact lenses that are a nice match for the a7CII

[@tennissir1986]

Well done review ! Did you test overheating in say 4K 30 ?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

It's winter in Canada - not much is overheating around here ;)

[@tennissir1986]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Your response reflects why you have far fewer views than other camera review channels.

[@adluong11]

Upgraded to the a7cII from a7III. For some people like me, the newer AI AF is more valuable than the additonal card slot of the a7IV. I also love the top-left evf because the center evf makes my nose touching the screen everytime I use it. The only thing I am missing from the a7III is the joystick and additional C buttons. However, 1700usd for a brand new "a7iv" within a compact body is just the best deal at this moment. The only conpetition is the canon R8, imo. Thank you for your informative video as always, Dustin.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'm glad you are enjoying it!

[@beepsperini4993]

Where did you get that deal!?!

[@adluong11]

@@beepsperini4993 I bought it in a Sony local store in Korea. It is a regional product for Korea only, so it is cheaper than the global version. However, there's no English in these regional products.

[@marvin9952]

Thanks for the always detailed review. All the improvements made it quite a bit better than the a7iv, plus the lightweight and compact body. But I prefer the better EVF and egonomics on a7iv. If they give it a better EVF that might would be perfect. Which one would you recommend for portraits? a7iv or a7rv? Hobbyist that mostly shoots primes (still on a a7rii). Heard a7rv has improved AF and AWB over a7iv, but not sure about low light performance and color with a 60MP sensor. Plus it's much more expensive than the iv (might as well get another lens for that price)

[@Vantrakter]

"Quite a bit better than the A7iv" how? The A7c ii has a significantly smaller buffer and lower res evf and worse flash sync speed. Focus stacking in camera is nice, the "AI" subject recognition a bit of an unknown. I don't mind one card slot as have never had a card fail. I think the A7c line is for those who love the form factor.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I personally prefer the a7IV, but I prefer the form factor of the larger camera. The advantage of the a7C series is the size for those who prefer that.

[@marvin9952]

I finally went with a7Rv @@DustinAbbottTWI

[@cameraprepper7938]

Thank you very much for your text review. Your list of compact Lenses for the A7C, A7CII and A7CR Cameras is a bit short, I would add Sony Zeiss Sonnar 35mm 2.8 ZA, Sony Zeiss Sonnar 55mm 1.8 ZA, te Zeiss Loxia series Lens with 21, 25, 35, 50 and 85mm Lenses, Tamron 20, 24 and 35mm Lenses, Sony 35mm 1.8, the new Viltrox 20mm 2.8, several Voigtländer Lenses and many more compact Lenses.

[@molybdnum]

I think the exciting opportunity for me is the A7CR + APS-C glass. I'm not sure what lenses will live up to the demands of that sensor, but theoretically that gives full access to the E-mount library at an image quality of >24MP.

[@justonbrazda3846]

@@molybdnum why not get an apsc camera then? doesn't make sense to pay for full Frame camera to run it in crop mode.

[@nafnaf0]

@@molybdnum Yeah you really have two cameras in one with the A7CR since it can shoot 26MP in APS-C mode, just like the A6700. Still I don't think I would get any APS-C lenses. Maybe if I needed something really small and didn't need the added resolution

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I focused on autofocusing lenses in my series. I don't include the Tamron lenses because I'm largely not impressed with the autofocus motor (OSD) in those lenses. I do find it a little odd that you call that list "short" when I list a total of 26 lenses.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

@nafnaf0 - I've done the same thing. I use the APS-C mode on my a7RV for APS-C reviews and even keep a couple of APS-C lenses that are exceptional.

[@gilles6238]

Hi Dustin, thanks for the video. I looked over the test you've made on the A7IV and on high iso performance, the A7IV hold it better. They have the same 33MP sensor. Do you have any explanations? Thanks a lot

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The results shouldn't be significantly different (and weren't in the originals when I went back and checked).

[@lewcehjitl3282]

Are you a Nikon shooter?😂

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

Rewatching this review. I ended up selling my A7C and A7IV and got A7CII now but I also bought an A7CR because I’m very nervous when I travel with only one camera body and now I have two small, well featured bodies that are almost functionally identical. Still deciding on what is the maximum ISO to limit each to for normal day to day and not super dark environments. Would the 7C2 be 6400 and the 7CR be 3200 ? What are your thoughts here? Anyway take care and thank you.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I think that is a practical goal for ISO

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you.

[@mjdrhd0318]

Im in market for a full frame camera..do u think the grip is comfortable enough to handle tamron 35 to 150 lens

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That may depend on your hand size. It's a heavy lens for this camera, but if you are supporting the lens with your left hand, you should be okay.

[@a_f2598]

thanks, i tried to get information about the difference in colors between a7iv and a7c2 in jpg. no chance. it is an important point for people who have to export pictures to social media really fast via creators app and have no time for extensive post.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The two cameras should produce similar results. It's the same sensor in both cameras.

[@DDHDTV]

I swear the 200k ISO on this looks better than ISO6400 on my A6000 . Didn't even know about the creative looks by Sony in Lightroom! Thanks Dustin, great Review as always.

[@alen2937]

Well... the a6000 is a camera from 10 years ago, indeed sensors have improved, but for what it is, I still use a lot my a6000 as it really gets the job done in almost all situations I used it. I had to replace the shutter button but that was not that difficult.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Full frame is typically better in that regard, and the technology keeps getting better.

[@DDHDTV]

Yeah I use my a6000 as well, but I always thought it's a bunch of marketing and KZbinrs always generating some hype about the newest best thing. Just got myself an A7C a month ago and the difference is a lot more than I thought.@@alen2937

[@toasty-toast]

Are tiny range finder lenses that are manual any good on this?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I don't see why not. There are plenty of focus aids to help with manual focus, and you can manually set the focal length for the camera stabilization.

[@rickbiessman6084]

Thanks for the detailed low light test! That grid pattern is awful :O Didn't expect that because on my A7C MKI, the noise pattern is really, really well managed IMO. Once you turn a photo black and white, you could mistake it for analog grain. And even in color it's one of the less obtrusive patterns I've seen. But something as obvious as that grid is a bit of a red flag to me...

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I was a little surprised, too.

[@dainesefreak]

Really considering chopping my A6700 in for this. I pair it mostly with the 200-600G for birds and wildlife and in finding the 6700 needs more noise reduction in post compared to my old A7iii. I'd obviously be losing reach for better noise control and depth of field though.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I wonder if you should go for the a7IV instead. Deeper buffers and a better grip for matching with your big lens.

[@dainesefreak]

@@DustinAbbottTWI I like the size and the AI of the A6700. Size wise it's nice when I'm not using the 200-600, that's why I got to the A7Cii.

[@debasissaha6452]

Can we add "Focus stacking app" of sony?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I don't think you can add apps to the camera

[@OdiumTV]

I just wished they'd make the battery slot in at a 90° rotated angle and the body flat without a grip. like a cheapo Leica. it would excuse the missing hight and make it more charmingly retro-looking...

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That might work if people stuck with very compact lenses, though there’s a difference in the general approach between Leica and Sony. Leica has more lenses produced to suit a body with a form factor like that, whereas Sony lenses have primarily been designed around a more traditional body.

[@akanbilincoln1307]

I pray, I get one to buy.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Good luck with that.

[@PhotoTrekr]

Shooting mainly travel and landscapes these days, I bought an A7CII to try out. I liked the A7CII so much that I also bought an A7CR. These two cameras will cover whatever I want to shoot both home and away. Goodbye full size cameras.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Sounds like you are the perfect a7C customer!

[@HectorHughMunro]

I very nearly bought it but didn’t. I went Fuji XH2 mostly on the viewfinder and the shutter noise. The shutter on the Sony is extremely loud and for street photography, I felt it would make me the centre of attention rather than blending in. The image quality of the Sony seems to be better as is the focussing but they’re both so good that it didn’t matter to me. If they do a stacked or global sensor in three years or so, the Sony might be viable for me.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The shutter quality is nice on the X-H2 for sure. Sony is the better autofocus machine, and yes, Sony files continue to be easier to work with when it comes to sharpening.

[@charmerci]

I'm pretty sure the A7Cii has a silent shutter as did the A7C.

[@HectorHughMunro]

@@charmerci No, it's a normal shutter although you can use the electronic shutter which comes with a lot of problems as the sensor isn't stacked.

[@marcoblondus3204]

Hi, it is normal to get more noise than a7c = 7III, 24 mx vs 33mpx, little more noise is normal, some noise of the sony a7 IV of this cII. Find a FF 24 mpx camera and live happy.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

It is typically normal to get a bit more noise as the resolution increases.

[@MrPedalpaddle]

Did you mention its new ability to Focus Bracket?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I didn't, but that is a valuable addition for certain types of photography.

[@ericvaleraphotography27]

Thank you for suck another great review...I am going crazy to find the sensor life of this camera.I know that my A7RII is 500,000 and A7C if I'm not wrong is 200,000 but nobody is talking of the sensor life of these 2 new 7C's

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I don't know too many people who have ever worn out one of these cameras. I've used camera professionally for years and never got anywhere near the shutter rating life.

[@ericvaleraphotography27]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks for the feedback, never really thought of it before until the other day.

[@ankanarpan8306]

sir i want to buy sony a7c ii , which prime lens will suit the most at reasonable price? within 430 usd

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Do you have any focal length preference?

[@ankanarpan8306]

@@DustinAbbottTWI yeah i would like to grab a 35 prime

[@geuskoeman721]

thanks dustin

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My pleasure

[@a_f2598]

two points of criticism i don´t really understand nowadays: * joystick: follow focus point in the center and recompose. much faster, much better. times have changed. * micro hdmi: you can record most material in body. no need of an external recorder (most of the time). if you want a larger monitor, you will rig up and have a cable clamp. otherwise you stay compact. there is only one thing: give those powerhorses a proper evf (and brighter screens). that´s it. the evf and the screen are the only bottlenecks for me.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

You can focus and recompose even if you have a joystick, so why not have it? I use the joystick more during menu navigation and sometimes for precision when moving a focus area. If you use AF-C (which I do), focus and recompose doesn't work as well, and also focus and recompose doesn't produce the best focus results when shooting at large apertures. On your second point, many video shooters use external recorders and monitors, and they typically hate the smaller micro HDMI port. It is a legitimate criticism. I agree on the EVF and LCD.

[@TVe200]

My only problem with a7Cii (and a7CR) is the EVF. It is mediocre and since my right eye is not very good, rangefinder style is not great for me.

[@Kevon420]

For me the issue is that it’s a small offset viewfinder. It’s too bad only the Leica Q2 and Q3 have high quality ones, both in terms of resolution, magnification, display quality, optical quality, etc. At least the Sonys have decent refresh rates.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

There are a few people who have written that prefer the rangefinder setup, but most people feel like you.

[@aaantunes]

Excellent review! Waiting for my A7c II.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Enjoy

[@veikop]

Nice to see some improvement but still happy with a73😅

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Fair enough.

[@cameraprepper7938]

I like the design with the EVF in the corner a lot, but I wish that the EVF had larger magnification and a lot more resolution, I would shift both my Sony Cameras to Cameras with EVF in the corner if the magnification and resolution was as in the A7RV. I would also wish for a joystick. I do not like the fully articulating back screen, it also makes the Camera thicker. Right now the prices of the A7CII and A7CR are higher than A7IV and A7RIVA ! The prices of the A7CII and A7CR have to be reduced a lot to be attractive.

[@Vantrakter]

Yeah, the A7CII is priced higher than the A7iv here too (Sweden). As for a missing joystick I've heard of different strats to handle that. Lock-on af for one, so let it lock on to what you wish to focus on then reposition the camera rather than use your finger to move a spot around. Haven't had the opportunity to try it so couldn't say how it works

[@Kevon420]

Meh, the screen doesn’t make the camera meaningfullythicker because it’s articulates the way it does. Unless we go back to completely fixed screens, the minor yet varying degree of bulk will always be there. The only camera I’ve used that has a truly flush but flip out screen is the X100V.

[@bobdrawbaugh4207]

In the US the A7CII is cheaper than the A7IV. But, I do agree it’s a little over priced.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I've definitely heard that in some markets the prices are reversed. That also means that the price of the a7C2 will probably drop fast in those markets, as that has obviously been the case with the a7IV (which would have started with a higher MSRP than the a7C2)

[@a_f2598]

@@Vantrakter in my country (eu) a7iv is 400 euros cheaper than the a7c2. so, it´s hard at the moment. a7c2 is the better camera, however, a7iv is much less money for the value.

[@billx4266]

Colors are good now but still, for me, canon colors are still better.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Agreed.

[@Peterogen]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

:)