Sony A7C II vs A7CR vs A7R V at a given price point

[Casualshots_1]

Hello fellow forum members,

I wanted to seek your opinion on which camera (A7C II vs A7CR vs A7R V) would you buy if you were getting them at below prices (grey market rates from some online retailers with discounts/cashback thrown in)

1. A7C II -> $1950

2. A7C R -> $2600

3. A7R V -> $3050

I am a hobbyist and don't make any money from this. I am interested in portrait, general( family events) and wildlife photography. It mostly is still pics but shoot 4K videos occasionally during family events. I currently own a Sony A6400 and a Fujifilm X100V. I have owned a few E mount lens since last few years - Kits lens, Sigma 100-400mm and Tamron . Have recently acquired Sigma 35mm f/2 and Sigma 65mm f/2 lenses along with Sony 20mm f/1.8 G. Lets say money is no object.

How I see the above dilemma ->

A7CII offers the best bang for your money with diminishing returns as move to A7CR and A7RV. A7CR is somewhat stuck in no man's land. I want to buy it but if I am spending so much, why not spend a bit extra and get A7R V (mechanical shutter, much better EVF and LCD in a slightly bigger body). Still can't make up my mind !

Would love to hear from others.

 

[LennyLevino]

I just bought the A7CII. Didn't want the 60 megapixels.

If I was a professional photographer (portraits, weddings, sports etc) I would definitely get the R5. But I am not.

 

[Casualshots_1]

I just bought the A7CII. Didn't want the 60 megapixels.

If I was a professional photographer (portraits, weddings, sports etc) I would definitely get the R5. But I am not.

Thanks. The only use case that I see the 60MP coming handy is for cropping and 26MP APSC mode which would be a boon for wildlife photography. Otherwise, I agree 33MP is a plenty.

 

[Interceptor121]

Also consider the A7 IV which with cashback can be had at the same price of the A7C II however it lacks some features from it

 

[Casualshots_1]

Also consider the A7 IV which with cashback can be had at the same price of the A7C II however it lacks some features from it

Yes, that’s a fair point. I am not including it here since A7C II with its autofocus is a better camera in my opinion. Although, mechanical shutter and EVF are better, having latest autofocus system gives C ii the edge.

 

[SafariBob]

If you prefer compact, go for the a7cii, if not, stretch for the r5 if you can afford it.

With the right lenses, the difference in resolution is not that great. Although if you intend to use small primes instead of zooms and crop, then the a7cr could make sense

 

[deednets]

Hello fellow forum members,

I wanted to seek your opinion on which camera (A7C II vs A7CR vs A7R V) would you buy if you were getting them at below prices (grey market rates from some online retailers with discounts/cashback thrown in)

1. A7C II -> $1950

2. A7C R -> $2600

3. A7R V -> $3050

I am a hobbyist and don't make any money from this. I am interested in portrait, general( family events) and wildlife photography. It mostly is still pics but shoot 4K videos occasionally during family events. I currently own a Sony A6400 and a Fujifilm X100V. I have owned a few E mount lens since last few years - Kits lens, Sigma 100-400mm and Tamron . Have recently acquired Sigma 35mm f/2 and Sigma 65mm f/2 lenses along with Sony 20mm f/1.8 G. Lets say money is no object.

How I see the above dilemma ->

A7CII offers the best bang for your money with diminishing returns as move to A7CR and A7RV. A7CR is somewhat stuck in no man's land. I want to buy it but if I am spending so much, why not spend a bit extra and get A7R V (mechanical shutter, much better EVF and LCD in a slightly bigger body). Still can't make up my mind !

Would love to hear from others.

I had also been looking at the A7CII/R when I was still using the A7IV. My motivation for getting the A7RV was not necessity, the A7IV already was sensational regarding AF and IQ, here is an image I had posted here before I am just lazy regarding looking for a different one, "reduced" ;-) to 4800px at the long end:



What else could anybody possibly want?

And yet, since I travel a LOT, I was curious as to how I could make some more economical decisions regarding weight and volume. So, going to the US in September this year, I thought that my lenses would give me the extra 1.5x reach at 26Mpx - like you pointed out - to save on some lenses:


Sigma 90/2.8 in APS-C mode

I tried the A7C in 2021, a good camera, but there were 2 things that kept on bothering me: the EVF was a big step back and no front wheel. I still had the Batis 40/2 at the time, no aperture ring, so a bit clumsy in operation. The A7CII/R have a higher magnification and looked better, not great-great, but better, than the original A7C's EVF.

But then I tried the A7RV at the SONY centre. The EVF is pure joy by comparision, not just ok but great. Hard to go back, in a First World awkwardish way ...

I always found 2 card slots for the peace of mind when shooting - no, not once in a lifetime, but rare enough to easily replicate - at locations or events that are kind of rare. Something like this:




Voigtländer 15/4.5 III

Not a deal-breaker if I had to re-shoot this at some other time, but you know how it is, the next time there might not be any clouds - or it might be overcast?

Nah, a second card is nice to have ...

One aspect to keep in mind here is that the A7CII/R might be a temporary one, a stepping stone which you might sell again after a year and then get a model with above mentioned advantages, you might factor that in. The A7RV is extremely hard to beat regarding quality. And the weight is tolerable.

Good luck with your decision!

Deed

 

[Casualshots_1]

If you prefer compact, go for the a7cii, if not, stretch for the r5 if you can afford it.

With the right lenses, the difference in resolution is not that great. Although if you intend to use small primes instead of zooms and crop, then the a7cr could make sense

Thanks. Yes, I prefer primes over zooms and extra MP would come in handy. I am leaning more towards either I go for A7C ii and save some cash or I go all in and get RV and enjoy additional benefits compared to CR

 

[ahaslett]

I'd get the A7Rv because my main subject with FF is landscape. I'm happy with my A7Riv and OM1 as a set.

You should get the A7Rv because it's the best camera of the three. If you want small, then the A7Cii is best unless you want the ability to carry smaller zooms and crop to 26Mpix APSC.

Frankly, I'd just get the A7RV - you want FF for a reason and that comes with cost and weight.

Andrew

 

[Casualshots_1]

Thanks Deed. Those are some amazing shots and some very valid points. I have waited a long time since selling my Canon gear 2.5 years back. Since then, I have been rocking a Fuji x100v for general photography and a A6400 for bird photography. After finally making up my mind to upgrade to Sony Full frame, I think I it will be wiser to scratch this itch fully by going for a R V

Casualshots_1, post: 67359321, member: 708010"]
Hello fellow forum members,

' wanted to seek your opinion on which camera (A7C II vs A7CR vs A7R V) would you buy if you were getting them at below prices (grey market rates from some online retailers with discounts/cashback thrown in)

1. A7C II -> $1950

2. A7C R -> $2600

3. A7R V -> $3050

I am a hobbyist and don't make any money from this. I am interested in portrait, general( family events) and wildlife photography. It mostly is still pics but shoot 4K videos occasionally during family events. I currently own a Sony A6400 and a Fujifilm X100V. I have owned a few E mount lens since last few years - Kits lens, Sigma 100-400mm and Tamron . Have recently acquired Sigma 35mm f/2 and Sigma 65mm f/2 lenses along with Sony 20mm f/1.8 G. Lets say money is no object.

How I see the above dilemma ->

A7CII offers the best bang for your money with diminishing returns as move to A7CR and A7RV. A7CR is somewhat stuck in no man's land. I want to buy it but if I am spending so much, why not spend a bit extra and get A7R V (mechanical shutter, much better EVF and LCD in a slightly bigger body). Still can't make up my mind !

Would love to hear from others.

I had also been looking at the A7CII/R when I was still using the A7IV. My motivation for getting the A7RV was not necessity, the A7IV already was sensational regarding AF and IQ, here is an image I had posted here before I am just lazy regarding looking for a different one, "reduced" ;-) to 4800px at the long end:



What else could anybody possibly want?

And yet, since I travel a LOT, I was curious as to how I could make some more economical decisions regarding weight and volume. So, going to the US in September this year, I thought that my lenses would give me the extra 1.5x reach at 26Mpx - like you pointed out - to save on some lenses:


Sigma 90/2.8 in APS-C mode

I tried the A7C in 2021, a good camera, but there were 2 things that kept on bothering me: the EVF was a big step back and no front wheel. I still had the Batis 40/2 at the time, no aperture ring, so a bit clumsy in operation. The A7CII/R have a higher magnification and looked better, not great-great, but better, than the original A7C's EVF.

But then I tried the A7RV at the SONY centre. The EVF is pure joy by comparision, not just ok but great. Hard to go back, in a First World awkwardish way ...

I always found 2 card slots for the peace of mind when shooting - no, not once in a lifetime, but rare enough to easily replicate - at locations or events that are kind of rare. Something like this:


Voigtländer 15/4.5 III

Not a deal-breaker if I had to re-shoot this at some other time, but you know how it is, the next time there might not be any clouds - or it might be overcast?

Nah, a second card is nice to have ...

One aspect to keep in mind here is that the A7CII/R might be a temporary one, a stepping stone which you might sell again after a year and then get a model with above mentioned advantages, you might factor that in. The A7RV is extremely hard to beat regarding quality. And the weight is tolerable.

Good luck with your decision!

Deed
[/QUOTE]

 

[Mr_Win]

I dont agree with the "no man's land" comment of the A7CR comment at all.

it is the ONLY high megapixel small body camera, and carving that niche makes it a winner.

The A7iv and A7cii are very close to one another, and I read your AF comment, and in practical use, very little difference if any. The A7c and A7iii had a big difference because of AF tracking, and from that moment on, the AF advantages of camera bodies has somewhat diminished.

you buy the smaller cameras because.......... they are smaller.

 

[Casualshots_1]

I'd get the A7Rv because my main subject with FF is landscape. I'm happy with my A7Riv and OM1 as a set.

You should get the A7Rv because it's the best camera of the three. If you want small, then the A7Cii is best unless you want the ability to carry smaller zooms and crop to 26Mpix APSC.

Frankly, I'd just get the A7RV - you want FF for a reason and that comes with cost and weight.

Andrew

Thanks for sharing your views. Makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[Casualshots_1]

I dont agree with the "no man's land" comment of the A7CR comment at all.

it is the ONLY high megapixel small body camera, and carving that niche makes it a winner.

The A7iv and A7cii are very close to one another, and I read your AF comment, and in practical use, very little difference if any. The A7c and A7iii had a big difference because of AF tracking, and from that moment on, the AF advantages of camera bodies has somewhat diminished.

you buy the smaller cameras because.......... they are smaller.

Thanks. I agree that smaller cameras have their charm and it’s about whether one prioritizes that over the features. So yes, there would be a segment of consumers preferring CR over R V.

 

[The Lamentable Lens]

Hello fellow forum members,

I wanted to seek your opinion on which camera (A7C II vs A7CR vs A7R V) would you buy if you were getting them at below prices (grey market rates from some online retailers with discounts/cashback thrown in)

1. A7C II -> $1950

2. A7C R -> $2600

3. A7R V -> $3050

I am a hobbyist and don't make any money from this. I am interested in portrait, general( family events) and wildlife photography. It mostly is still pics but shoot 4K videos occasionally during family events. I currently own a Sony A6400 and a Fujifilm X100V. I have owned a few E mount lens since last few years - Kits lens, Sigma 100-400mm and Tamron . Have recently acquired Sigma 35mm f/2 and Sigma 65mm f/2 lenses along with Sony 20mm f/1.8 G. Lets say money is no object.

How I see the above dilemma ->

A7CII offers the best bang for your money with diminishing returns as move to A7CR and A7RV. A7CR is somewhat stuck in no man's land. I want to buy it but if I am spending so much, why not spend a bit extra and get A7R V (mechanical shutter, much better EVF and LCD in a slightly bigger body). Still can't make up my mind !

Would love to hear from others.

It's hard to argue that anyone needs 61MP, but the extra cropping flexibility sure is nice to have (especially if you're shooting wildlife). If budget isn't a factor, I see no reason not to take the extra flexibility, but that's just me.

As between the a7CR and the a7RV, that mostly comes down to personal preference. The a7c bodies are compact, and with a small lens (like one of those Sigma primes), it can make for a pretty small kit, which can be nice.

But if I had to choose one, based on my own preferences, I'd stick with the A7RV. There are plenty of times when I actually prefer the lager body (especially the larger grip). And for me, the other differences add up.

The EVF is a particularly notable difference. The new a7c bodies do improve on the original a7c EVF, and it's noticeable. But it's still not great, and compared to the A7RV's EVF, it's night and day. The crazy multi-angle tilt/flip mechanism on the A7RV LCD is also fantastic, and of course you get the full mechanical shutter with the higher flash sync speed. I also appreciate the anti-dust shutter mechanism more than I thought I would (I shoot a lot of long exposures, so I'm always fighting with dust).

Like I said, none of those things on its own would be a big deal, but they all add up. I could be perfectly happy with an a7CR -- it's a great camera. But given the choice, I'd stick with the A7RV.

 

[Porkinson]

I had a similar dilemma. I had to choose between the A7RV and the A7CR. One factor is that the CR is new and seems harder to get a discount. I chose the V but it was a tough choice. The CR has a huge merit in my book in terms of size and weight. The V is for the most part more full featured. The finder is a big deal. The finder on my A7R is the same resolution as the CR's, so I am in a position to compare. I find the V's finder much nicer for manual focusing, which I do a fair bit of. Image review too. For composition and there's not much of a practical difference although higher resolution of course wins.

I would suggest you look into Greentoe if you are in the US. I won't share the details of what I paid out of respect for the system, but looking at the grey market prices you've shown you may be happier going this route: they didn't take sales tax, and all sellers are authorized Sony dealers so you will get a US warranty. I was also able to claim the $50 Sony rebate that's currently running.

Getting a US warranty seemed like a big deal to me as I've heard you may face difficulties getting a grey market model repaired even if you are prepared to pay. Possibly not currently true for Sony, but I had an experience like this with my NEX-7 in the past.

The main disadvantage is time, it could take days to buy something. For me the process worked like this:

1. make a low offer

2. receive a counter offer from a dealer (this took a couple of hours and sometimes this is the best you'll do)

3. gradually increase the offer over a number of days until somebody bites

In my case, after maybe 3 increments and 4 days in, a dealer accepted an offer that was considerably lower than the counter offer.

I've heard tales of people having offers accepted and having to wait weeks/months for the product. I think this may be because Greentoe orders are given lower priority that proper orders, if so you'd only encounter this for recently introduced products. Anyway DYOR but in my case the order was shipped immediately and I had no issues with the buying process.

 

[SafariBob]

I dont agree with the "no man's land" comment of the A7CR comment at all.

it is the ONLY high megapixel small body camera, and carving that niche makes it a winner.

mostly agree.

The A7iv and A7cii are very close to one another, and I read your AF comment, and in practical use, very little difference if any.

To me, the difference in ibis is real.

The A7c and A7iii had a big difference because of AF tracking,

agree

and from that moment on, the AF advantages of camera bodies has somewhat diminished.

yes and no. I agree the a7iv and a7c is very similar in af, and that the enhancements of the a7r5 is somewhat unclear. But, the step up to the a9/a1 series is very material.

you buy the smaller cameras because.......... they are smaller.

and better value

 

[liggy]

Went with the RV. I'd have gone with the CR is it had a higher spec EVF because this is intended to be the backup to my A1/travel camera but there was just too much extra goodness in the RV to pass up for the price difference.

And with the lenses I intend to use on the body the form factor/weight wasn't much different. The missing joystick on the CR is a negative for me.

I shoot some events and the odd wedding or two and dual fast card slots are really nice to have too.

I'm sure they are all great but for my use cases I think the RV is a better choice. If only it had a stacked sensor...

 

[Casualshots_1]

I had a similar dilemma. I had to choose between the A7RV and the A7CR. One factor is that the CR is new and seems harder to get a discount. I chose the V but it was a tough choice. The CR has a huge merit in my book in terms of size and weight. The V is for the most part more full featured. The finder is a big deal. The finder on my A7R is the same resolution as the CR's, so I am in a position to compare. I find the V's finder much nicer for manual focusing, which I do a fair bit of. Image review too. For composition and there's not much of a practical difference although higher resolution of course wins.

I would suggest you look into Greentoe if you are in the US. I won't share the details of what I paid out of respect for the system, but looking at the grey market prices you've shown you may be happier going this route: they didn't take sales tax, and all sellers are authorized Sony dealers so you will get a U S warranty. I was also able to claim the $50 Sony rebate that's currently running.

Getting a US warranty seemed like a big deal to me as I've heard you may face difficulties getting a grey market model repaired even if you are prepared to pay. Possibly not currently true for Sony, but I had an experience like this with my NEX-7 in the past.

The main disadvantage is time, it could take days to buy something. For me the process worked like this:

1. make a low offer

2. receive a counter offer from a dealer (this took a couple of hours and sometimes this is the best you'll do)

3. gradually increase the offer over a number of days until somebody bites

In my case, after maybe 3 increments and 4 days in, a dealer accepted an offer that was considerably lower than the counter offer.

I've heard tales of people having offers accepted and having to wait weeks/months for the product. I think this may be because Greentoe orders are given lower priority that proper orders, if so you'd only encounter this for recently introduced products. Anyway DYOR but in my case the order was shipped immediately and I had no issues with the buying process.

Thank you. I am not located in USA ands hence green toe is not an option but I can pick a R V at approx. $3060 immediately which comes with 1 year warranty. The other 2 cameras I have mentioned would be around that price with Black Friday deals.

 

[Casualshots_1]

Went with the RV. I'd have gone with the CR is it had a higher spec EVF because this is intended to be the backup to my A1/travel camera but there was just too much extra goodness in the RV to pass up for the price difference.

And with the lenses I intend to use on the body the form factor/weight wasn't much different. The missing joystick on the CR is a negative for me.

I shoot some events and the odd wedding or two and dual fast card slots are really nice to have too.

I'm sure they are all great but for my use cases I think the RV is a better choice. If only it had a stacked sensor...

Thanks. Looks like far more votes in favor of RV in comparison to CR. CR is a great camera but given the price difference and additional features, stretching to RV makes some sense until unless you absolutely can’t tolerate its extra weight

 

[LarryB2]

I have a A7RV and love it. The quick focusing and tracking is amazing.

I'm debating on getting an A7CR along with a Sony 24mm f2.8 lens for portability. I can choose crop mode and will still yield a high res image. This will be my go to for travel.