If I were buying a camera today, this is the body I would get, travel or otherwise. The A7C R is one of the smallest full-frame, interchangeable-lens cameras on the market. This is why it’s our top pick for travelers in our guide to the Best Mirrorless Cameras. The 61-MP sensor offers amazing detail and very good dynamic range (14.7 EV). The super fast autofocus system is among the best you’ll find in mirrorless camera, and there’s great subject tracking as well, making it perfect for shooting fast-moving scenes on the go.
While Sony’s R series cameras are mainly for high resolution still images, the video specs here are solid enough for the casual video user, with support for 4K/60 fps video in full-frame mode (1.2X crop) or oversampled 4K/30 fps video. Both support 10-bit 4:2 color depth, various Log formats, and even 16-bit RAW output to an external recorder.
My main gripe about the A7C R is the same as it was in my initial review. The viewfinder is cramped and low-resolution (2.36 million dots). It’s not a deal breaker for me, but it’s something to keep in mind and good reason to rent a camera before you invest.
The big question with this camera is, which lens do you pair it with for travel? There’s a compelling argument to be made for the Sony FE 24-105-mm f/4 G ($1,398), which gives you everything from wide to portrait with a little bit of extra reach as well. Another great option if you like primes is the Sony 40-mm f2.5 G ($798), which makes for a compact kit, and 40-mm is a surprisingly great focal length for travel in my experience.
★ Alternative: At $2,198, Sony’s A7C II (note, no R) is a bit cheaper. It uses Sony’s smaller 33-MP sensor but is otherwise very close in size and capabilities, with considerably more video chops than the A7C R. If you want to make videos as well as stills, the A7C II is a better choice.
