• Sony has announced two new compact full-frame cameras as part of its Alpha 7C lineup.
• The new cameras are the Alpha 7C II and 7C R.
• While billed as less expensive than the models they are based on, these new cameras still start at $2 200.

Regardless of where your brand allegiances lie, when it comes to the gold standard of all-around camera performance, Sony’s Alpha series is up there. It is also the reason why the cameras often carry a panic-inducing price tag, and now two new models in the camera makers’ Alpha 7C lineup have been added to the mix.

The cameras in question are the Alpha 7C II and 7C R.

According to Sony they are based on the Alpha 7 IV and Alpha 7 R V respectively, with the company’s Yann Salmon-Legagneur, adding that, “With the launch of the Alpha 7C II and Alpha 7C R, we are allowing creators of both stills and videos to have a new tool in their kit that allows for high-quality image performance in mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.”

“As the demand for sending and sharing captured content on social media networks has increased, more creators are looking for a combination of compact size and high imaging performance in mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras,” the company continues.

While that may indeed be true, these more affordable options do not come cheap, with the A7C II expected to retail for $2 200 (~R40 947) and the 7C R for $3 000 (~R55 844). As such, the price tags on these cameras definitely place them in professional territory.

So what’s on offer here?

Starting with the Alpha A7C II, it sports a full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor with an approximate 33.0 effective megapixels and the BIONZ XR image processing engine. It is also 22 percent lighter and features 45 percent less volume compared to its predecessor, with the body tipping the scales at 698g.

“The standard ISO sensitivities range from 100 to 51200 for both still images and movies (expanded ISO 50 to 204800 for still images), enabling high-sensitivity, noise-free shooting,” Sony highlights.

Next, the Alpha 7C R too features a full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor and latest BIONZ XR image processing engine, but the latter is larger at approximately 61.0 effective megapixels.

Compared to the model it is based on, Sony too has kept this camera on a diet, with it weighing 725 g. The company says it is approximately 29 percent lighter and has 53 percent less volume too.

“In addition to 7.0-step optical 5-axis in-body image stabilisation, even slight blurring at the 1-pixel level is detected and corrected,” boasts Sony. “Equipped with a Pixel Shift Multi Shooting that takes multiple images and synthesises them on a PC to create an image with a sense of high resolution,” it continues.

We have not spotted local listings for either model just yet, but when they do land in SA, they will likely carry hefty price tags, along with being coveted by South African content creators and professional photographers.