2021: A camera that I am willing to take out with me, the experience of buying a SONY A7C full-frame mirrorless camera

This content comes from @WHAT IS WORTH BUYING APP, and the opinions only represent the author’s own Author: Mr. Tuya

Hello everyone, I am Mr. Tuya.

I love coffee and work in coffee, but I am still a digital lifestyle product worth buying.

It has been 8 years since Momo was worth buying irrigation. At the end of 2021, this is the 119th week of my continuous creation. It seems that 2021 is too late to round up, so I will leave the 120th week to 2022 as the beginning.

On Double Eleven not long ago, my wife gave me a SONY A7C full-frame mirrorless camera, and I immediately took it with me on a one-month coffee trip to Yunnan. I wrote this article Let me first introduce to you (Xuan) (Yao) my beloved "Xiao Qi" and my personal considerations in choosing lenses and camera accessories.

As a small full-frame mirrorless camera launched in 2020, there are already many reviews about SONY A7C on the site, so I won’t go into details. In addition to unboxing, this article will talk more about it with you. During this month of use in Yunnan, I have some personal experience and skills. Recently I heard that the A7C will be discontinued, and I don’t know if the price will increase.

Note that the following enters the main text.

As I said before, this is a gift my wife gave me on Double Eleven, but I didn’t buy it with cash, but used it to buy a Jingdong card worth redeeming. I originally planned to buy it for my wife again. It’s something big like an Apple, DJI or Dyson, but my wife insisted and because of the upcoming trip, she decided to buy a higher-end camera for the house - the SONY A7C that we had long been optimistic about.

I bought it during Double Eleven, and the bare metal price was 1.220,000 yuan. In addition to the 10,000 yuan Jingdong card I saved before, I also paid an additional 2,000 yuan. This should be considered the most expensive camera I have ever bought.

The moment you unbox it, you’ll find shoulder straps, batteries, data cables, charging heads, instructions, etc.

Holding it in your hand, you really can’t imagine that such a mini body actually has a full-frame sensor inside.

Top details: mode wheel and exposure compensation wheel, switch, shutter button, video button, microphone, and the gray hot shoe cover that everyone complained about does not match the silver body.

There are not many buttons and pulsators on the top of the machine, and the lack of a front pulsator is a point that has been widely complained about. Being used to using double pulsators, I was not used to it at first, but in fact, I just got used to it. .

In the bottom battery compartment, Sony’s FZ100 battery is very powerful, 2280mAh. I don’t need to change the battery when I go out for a whole day. During subsequent trips, I usually charge it once every 2 days, and every time I charge it At least 30% of the battery is left. Compared with the previous Panasonic cameras, I had to carry 2 more batteries when I went out. It is much lighter.

I have only used half-frame and M43-frame cameras before. This is the first time I touched a full-frame sensor. It’s so big...

Naturally, I don’t have the money to buy a G lens, but the A7C I was very optimistic about the original 28-60mm F4-5.6 kit head because of its compact size, so I spent 1,000 on a brand new kit head from Xiaohuangyao.

The screen on the back has been upgraded to a flip-up type. The ease of use is a matter of opinion. I am actually more used to flipping it up and down. However, another advantage of the flip-up type is that it is more convenient to shoot videos. However, Sony's screen also has a disadvantage, that is, no matter how high-end the machine is, the so-called touch screen can only support touch focus, but does not support full touch screen operation, let alone touch control menus.

There is an NFC contact area on the side, but when I put on the camera holster, I cannot use the NFC connection.

+1

There are abundant interfaces on the left side of the camera, and an SD single card slot in the middle. This is another point that many people will complain about, but I have never used a machine with dual card slots, so it doesn’t matter. I can accept sacrificing a card slot for the ultimate size.

So the most important criterion for me to choose a camera and lens is "light enough". No matter whether you take photos or not when you go out every day, you can carry it with you without any burden. (For details on the origin of this red panda pendant, please see the previous Pu'er article)

I prefer the carrying method of shoulder bag + liner, and the latest tested Manfrotto tote bag It is also particularly suitable for mirrorless cameras like the A7C. You can easily use one camera and two lenses.

The first camera I bought was a D90 from a shoe factory, and later I changed it to a D300. However, the bulky SLR made me not like taking it out for a while. The camera + lens weighed more than 3 pounds. , shoulders and neck are almost useless.

So I later changed hands and fell into the pit of M43, Olympus EM5, EP5 (for my parents) and Panasonic GX85 (for my wife). Although the image quality is slightly inferior, they make me continue to enjoy taking the camera with me when I go out.

(I bought the 17mm F1.8 specifically to match this lens cap)

I love the push-pull feel.

Not only is the 35mm equivalent camera comfortable to hang, but the manual focus switching ring is really handy.

Putting the SONY A7C together with these cameras, you can see how exquisite its size is, almost equivalent to my M43 format Panasonic GX85.

Putting it together with the SLR from the shoe factory can better reflect the size difference.

Technological progress visible to the naked eye.

From the earliest fixed screen, to the flip-up screen, and finally the side-fold screen of the A7C, I have them all. However, in terms of user experience, it is faster and more intuitive to open it by folding it up and down. When the screen is on the side of the lens, there is always a deviation in the movement of the lens.

After starting with DX, I did not switch to FX, but downgraded to M43, but finally returned to the embrace of full-frame sensors. Compared with the M43 sensor of my Olympus EM5, the sensor of Xiaoqi is really much larger.

But having said that, this menu is really difficult to use. Not only can’t you control the menu by touching it, but it also takes a long time to find a function. For example, when I go to a cafe to take pictures, I usually use the silent mode, which is the electronic shutter. However, the shutter sound and focus sound of the A7C are actually controlled by two settings, so I need to change two settings every time I switch to mute, which is troublesome!

These are the options I currently use in my favorites list. Silent and half-frame modes are what I commonly use. In addition, if you delete photos directly from the computer card reader, there will be a problem that the photos cannot be displayed in the camera, so you need to "repair the image database" to rebuild it.

After talking about the camera body, I want to talk about this kit lens that everyone doesn’t seem to like very much.

As a lens released together with the A7C, the SEL2860 is a compact and lightweight full-frame standard variable lens. Weighing only 167g and measuring 66.6mm diameter * 45mm length, it can form an extremely lightweight full-frame imaging system with the A7C.

I have used many standard variable lenses, such as Nikon’s 18-105mm and Olympus’ 14-42mm. This 28-60mm is the highest quality. On the A7C’s 24MP sensor, it can Shows very good sharpness and resolution.

Usage. Its opening method is somewhat similar to my previous Olympus 1442. You need to open the lens to the 28mm usable state first, and then fold it up for easy portability and storage.

In comparison, I prefer the electric zoom head of Olympus 1442. It would be better if the 28-60 could refer to its design.

Small aperture. This one is indeed small, F4-5.6, and has even changed my daily habit of using aperture priority. In order to maintain sufficient capture speed, I usually keep the shutter speed at 1/160, but fortunately the A7C’s full-frame sensor has a pretty good high-sensitivity , the shutter speed is not high enough. This may be the correct way to open the 28-60mm lens.

The minimum focusing distance is 0.3m (end 28) - 0.45m (end 60), which cannot be said to be easy to use, but the overall minimum focusing distance of Sony lenses is not very close. (My Olympus 12-40mm is still easy to use, the closest focus is only 0.2m)

There is no 24mm wide angle. What's there to complain about? Do we usually stick to 24-70? In fact, there is really no difference between the wide-angle end of 24 and 28. If the 28 is not able to capture the whole picture, the 24 is too weak, and nothing will happen if you take two steps back. Those who really shoot architecture and ultra-wide portraits use the 16-35mm. This is a building I took in Kunming 1903. It is indeed difficult to capture the big scene with 28mm, but I used a 19mm wide-angle shot on my mobile phone and it was able to meet the standard.

This was taken with a 19mm wide-angle lens on a mobile phone.

Half-frame mode opens up a new world. Full-frame cameras generally have a function called half-frame mode. After the A7C turns on the half-frame mode, it becomes 1000W pixels, and the focal length of 28-60 becomes 42-90mm, so don’t think that the focal length is an obstacle, and it can easily cover 28-90mm.

Kunming’s Daguan River is a very popular arch bridge.

Both milk fan and tamarind can be combined with coffee to form special blends.

Persimmon trees shot using half-frame mode at 90mm focal length.

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the light in Dianchi Lake is strong.

Zhuanxin Farmers Market

Even at night, the aperture of F5.6 + high ISO is actually enough.

Houhai of Dianchi Lake

I don’t know how to take photos, just pure travel photos.

The 28-60mm kit lens was mentioned above. I think it is a very good mount option for the A7C. If you want a portable standard zoom lens, it is good to use it.

Of course, it cannot be said that the 28-60 is the best camera head. Considering the compact size, there are also a series of fixed lenses such as the SEL35F28Z, the newly released SEL50F25G, SEL40F25G, SEL24F28G, etc., which meet the portable characteristics of the A7c. At the same time, it is suitable for A7 to be used on-hook.

SEL35F28Z

SEL50F25G, SEL40F25G, SEL24F28G

Sigma released a series of Contemporary lenses in 2020, which are very suitable for matching the compact body of the A7C. With a strong retro style, compact lens size and heavy feel, and a magnetic lens cover included, Sigma named it the "I" series, striving to create a "compact and high-end fixed focus lens."

The two most promising lenses here are probably the 35mm F2 and 45mm F2.8. The 35mm F2 lens is compact. The key is that it is cheaper than the original SEL40F25G and has a larger aperture. 45mm F2.8 is equivalent to the original SEL50F25G, but the price is much cheaper. If you don’t have high aperture requirements, it is also a good choice for hanging up.

35mm F2

The choice of zoom lens to adapt to the A7C is actually very confusing. Without considering the adapter ring, there are currently Sony SEL24105G, SEL24240, Sigma 28-70, and Tamron. 28-75 and Tamron 28-200. For this reason, I also made a special table to compare the size and weight of the lenses. After comprehensive consideration, the original kit 28-60 is the smallest in size, but in terms of overall lens quality, the Sigma 28-70 is the most suitable standard variable lens for the A7C.

The size is 72.2mm*101.5mm and the weight is 470g. Its weight and volume are not much different from the Rio Lympus 12-40mm in my hand. I checked the appearance and found it acceptable. The Auba 12-40 head is basically the limit of my tolerance for conventional mirrorless lenses. This head is still very classic and feels great in the hand. I love it when I touch it. Especially the sound of the manual focus ring clicking up and down is very pleasant. It is because of this problem that I keep the EM5 and never retire.

The size and weight of the lens are just fine when paired with the A7C body. (It would be great if the A7C could be adapted to this lens)

Finally, the two lenses are large in size. Although they are a bit less portable when paired with the A7C, they are my favorite lenses.

The choice of Sony cameras in 35mm is too wide. There is 35.4GM on the top, FE35.8 on the bottom, and 35 2.8ZA in the middle. But I prefer 35.4ZA, even though it was released 6 years ago. Although the purple fringing is serious and it is heavy, after all, it is the Sony 35 flagship of the year. It has fast focusing, beautiful out-of-focus, Zeiss blue label, and the second-hand price of about 5,000. I think the above problems are not a problem. .

Sony’s 24-105mm F4 is a G-head, covering common focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto. This focal length coupled with the constant aperture of F4 is very practical whether you have been a shoe manufacturer or are moved. of a lens. The focus is fast and the image quality is good. Apart from the large key points (83.4mm*113.3mm, 663g), there are no other problems.

How old is it? The Nikon 17-55mm F2.8 I currently have is about the same size and weight as the 24-105. I will use it instead and pair it with the A7C body to demonstrate the effect.

Not to mention the size, the weight alone will make it appear top-heavy.

Are you talking about the GM master? Heavy, big, and expensive, leave it to the real mages.

After purchasing Dafa’s Xiaomi 7, it’s time to equip some camera accessories. I saw that the first thing many people do after getting the camera is to put on the camera film, but I don’t like this ( I don’t like stickers on my cell phone either), so I set my sights on the “rabbit cage”.

The word "rabbit cage" may be unfamiliar to friends who have never been exposed to photography. Of course, it is not a cage for raising rabbits. "Rabbit cage" comes from the field of professional photography. It can not only provide safety protection for cameras, It can also provide a wealth of accessories for expansion.

A friend who also purchased the A7C purchased a domestic brand of rabbit cage: SmallRig.

Smoker's rabbit cage has a wide range of accessories to choose from. I was spoiled for choice in the store. After being rationally persuaded by a friend, I only bought the Smoker A7C vlog set (rabbit cage + tripod), as well as extra handles and handle.

The vlog set includes a special rabbit cage and tripod for the A7C. The rabbit cage is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy, which has high strength and is not easily deformed. It is also light in weight. The total weight of the camera does not exceed 900g. It is suitable for portable positioning. For the A7C, even if a rabbit cage is installed, it will not affect the portable performance of the whole machine.

After buying the A7C, this was considered the first wave of accessories I bought for Xiaoqi. People said photography was a big problem, so I had to work harder to move it.

The installation tool is magnetically attached to the bottom of the rabbit cage, which is convenient and can prevent loss. After installation, it does not affect the opening of the battery cover, and the overall quality is 100 points.

The rabbit cage contains multiple 1/4 threaded holes, 3/8 threaded holes, cold shoes and other external extension interfaces, which can be expanded with a variety of accessories. After installing the handle and side handle, it looks like this. It not only fits the camera and is easy to expand, but also brings a more comfortable and firm grip to the A7C for shooting videos. Seeing the cute Xiaoqi just now becomes so professional and powerful in an instant , my wife also likes it very much.

After installing the rabbit cage, handle and handle, it provides a very comfortable experience whether it is daily shooting, carrying with one hand or holding with both hands. In the future, I will use Xiaoqi to record more It’s a wonderful life, please take care of me.

By the way, I forgot to mention the tripod. It is also made of metal. It is equipped with a flexible head and adapts to the Aka plate at the bottom of the rabbit cage. It can be quickly disassembled and assembled for flexible and creative shooting. It is absolutely vlog tool.

This set of rabbit cage equipment is actually not very expensive. In addition, it is relatively affordable if you buy it on Double Eleven. The link is attached below. Friends like me who chose the Sony A7C camera may wish to consider this. Rabbit cage accessories.

After purchasing Dafa’s Xiaomi 7, it’s time to equip some camera accessories accordingly. The A7C has 24 million pixels. I usually save JPG and RAW at the same time when taking photos, which is convenient for sharing the phone and leaving room for post-production. , so in addition to the memory card, a mobile hard drive that is easy to carry, efficient and durable is also needed for storage.

It’s already 2021, and it seems outdated to use mechanical mobile hard drives, so I chose a mobile hard drive with SSD as the core. What I finally bought was the ORICO Xunlong-Wing solid-state mobile hard drive. (512G), uses NVMe protocol and USB3.1 interface to achieve high-speed transmission, 22g is lightweight and portable, and the aluminum alloy material ensures durability when going out.

This is the complete mobile hard drive. Blue is also my favorite color. It is made of aluminum alloy and is resistant to falling and wear.

If you can’t see its size in the picture above, just hold it in your hand and compare it. Is it the same size as a USB flash drive, but it does have a built-in M.2 NVMe SSD, which uses 3D NAND flash TLC particles and supports up to 940MB/S rapid reading and writing. This is very convenient for me who has a lot of file storage needs.

The USB 3.1 GEN2 Type-C interface is used for connection, and it is equipped with two short data cables, C to C and C to A. However, it is a pity that the mobile hard disk does not have built-in cables. For lazy cancer I am somewhat inconvenienced.

Connect it to my Thinkpad T540p and try it. Because the computer is relatively old and only has a USB3.0 interface. Due to the limitation of the interface, the writing speed after testing is 412MB/S and the reading speed is 417MB/S. If the interface is USB3.1 GEN2, the speed will be faster.

After thinking about it for a while and still not giving up, I found a friend’s computer with USB3.1 GEN2 and ran it again. The reading and writing speed seemed to take off all of a sudden, even higher than the official 940MB/S. It’s really incredible.

The first time I came into contact with high-speed storage was the Sandisk CZ80. It was easy to cure a fever and it was difficult to cure it. After that, I no longer wanted to wait for the long time for file transfer. When buying a mobile storage device, the first point is the transfer speed. Therefore, ORICO's NVMe high-speed mobile hard drive is exactly what I want. Not only is it super fast to access files, it is also compact, durable, and very suitable for carrying around.

This green leather camera strap was handmade by my wife out of real leather. I like it very much, and I can’t buy it~~~

This strap was originally intended for Panasonic GX85, but because the body is small, I have always used a wrist strap, and I have no chance to use the shoulder strap. I didn’t expect to use it for Xiaoqi this time, and it is particularly suitable for Xiaoqi’s body.

I rarely use shoulder straps, but the A7C+2860’s lightweight size and comfortable shoulder strap make it completely stress-free to hang the camera around your neck when going out.

The leather case was based on my previous experience of scratching the handle of the Panasonic GX85 with my fingernails. Xiaoqi immediately bought a brown leather case after receiving it.

Most of the leather cases suitable for A7C are made by handmade workshops, so I won’t post the link here. If you search for A7C leather cases, you can find many. Pick one you like and give it to Xiaoqi to protect. .

The installation is also very simple. The bottom screws can be tightened with coins, and there is a battery port, so the battery can be replaced without removing the leather case.

I bought a leather case like this because the paint on my GX85 was picked off by my nails. The front of the Xiaoqi fuselage and the inside of the handle are made of plastic, which is more susceptible to scratches from fingernails. Now it is also equipped with Xiaoqi, which not only protects the fuselage handle, but also improves the grip of the handle. , there will be no embarrassment of having nowhere to place your little finger.

After purchasing the rabbit cage, the shoulder straps will be slightly affected every time I use it. The top-design quick-release buckle is installed. There are many imitation products online, and the price is much cheaper, but considering The value of the camera is a bit more expensive but peace of mind.

Especially for this kind of expensive and very desirable item, you must buy it during the Double Eleven and Double Twelve discounts. If you save a little, it seems to be a good deal no matter how expensive it is.

The rope buckle is tied to the camera, and the bayonet female base is connected to the shoulder strap.

Installation and removal only takes one second to complete.

Later, I saw that Smog had a similar product, so I bought it for comparison. I thought it could be used universally, but unexpectedly... it was not universal. I was careless.

Smog’s bayonet base only has one hole for shoulder straps, while the pinnacle design’s bayonet has two holes for shoulder straps.

Smoker's rope buckle looks larger and the rope is thicker.

The fixing methods of Smoker and Peak designs are different. In comparison, Smoker is looser and the Peak design requires slightly more force to disassemble.

Generally speaking, the quick-release buckle of Pinnacle design is more refined, but the price is also more expensive; Smog does not look as refined as Pinnacle design, but its strength is also good, and the most important thing is It's much cheaper.