The lightest and smallest full frame, mirrorless Interchangeable lens cameras go to the following two cameras:
- Buy Sony Alpha 7C Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
- Buy Canon EOS RP Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
A full-frame camera captures the most light and produces the best photos. However, such cameras have always been heavy and cumbersome to bring around every day, unless you are a professional. So for a professional whose primarily concerned with the best photos for special occasions (say wedding, presentations) or a photo studio, then the weight and size are less important.
Thanks to Sony and Canon, there is now two (almost) fully-featured, interchangeable lens, full-frame camera that is lightweight and compact for travelling. These cameras will lessen the load and are easier to pull out or stow away in your bag for your everyday use. Besides the ever-handy smartphone which is always good for snapshots, you can now have full-frame camera quality photos as well.
Conclusion
After reviewing the specifications, we have listed the key differences in the table below. The key differences that make us decide which camera to pick are:
- Sony a7C
- It is significantly smaller in size by 33%.
- It is environmentally sealed whereas EOS RP is not.
- It has almost 3 times the battery life more than Canon EOS RP.
- Better connectivity with USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec), wireless 802.11ac (dual-band) and NFC which EOS RP does not have.
- Canon EOS RP
- It is lighter by only 24g or 4.94%.
Source: apotelyt
Ofcourse, there are some specs where Canon EOS RP is doing better than the Sony a7C, but they are assessed to have negligible effects for our intended usage. This may be different for different users.
As such, we have attached the full comparison between Sony a7C and Canon EOS RP below for your review as well. Everyone may have their own preference or requirements.
Differences Between Sony A7C and Canon EOS RP[tie_index]Key Differences Between Sony A7C and Canon EOS RP[/tie_index]
| Specs Description | Sony a7C | Canon EOS RP | Winner |
| Weight (+batteries) | 509 g (1.07 lb / 17.1 oz) | 485 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz) | Canon EOS RP |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 124 x 71 x 60 mm (4.88 x 2.8 x 2.36″) | 133 x 85 x 70 mm (5.24 x 3.35 x 2.76″) | Sony a7C |
| Body type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless | SLR-style mirrorless | – |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy | Composite | – |
| Volume | 528cm3 | 791cm3 | Sony a7C |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes | No | Sony a7C |
| Sensor | |||
| Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 | 6240 x 4160 | Canon EOS RP |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels | 26 megapixels | Canon EOS RP |
| Sensor photodetectors | 25 megapixels | 27 megapixels | Canon EOS RP |
| Sensor size | Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) | – |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS | CMOS | – |
| Processor | BIONZ X | Digic 8 | – |
| Image | |||
| ISO | Auto, 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800) | Auto, 100-40000 (expands to 50-102400) | Sony a7C |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 204800 | 102400 | Sony a7C |
| White balance presets | 7 | 6 | Sony a7C |
| Image stabilization | Sensor-shift | No | Sony a7C |
| Image stabilization notes | 5-axis | Sony a7C | |
| CIPA image stabilization rating | 5 stop(s) | Sony a7C | |
| JPEG quality levels | Extra fine, fine, standard | Fine, normal | Sony a7C |
| File format | JPEG (Exif v2.31) Raw (Sony ARW v2.3) | JPEG Raw (14-bit Canon CR3) C-Raw (Canon original) | Sony a7C |
| Optics & Focus | |||
| Digital zoom | Yes (2X) | Sony a7C | |
| Number of focus points | 693 | 4779 | Canon EOS RP |
| Screen | |||
| Screen dots | 921,600 | 1,040,000 | Canon EOS RP |
| Viewfinder | |||
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.59× | 0.7× | Canon EOS RP |
| Photography | |||
| Maximum shutter speed (electronic) | 1/8000 sec | – | |
| Subject / scene modes | No | Yes | Canon EOS RP |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/160 sec | 1/180 sec | Sony a7C |
| Drive modes | Single | Single | Sony a7C |
| Continuous (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo) | Continuous (H/L) | ||
| Self-timer (Std/Cont.) | Self-timer | ||
| Bracket (Single/Cont.) | |||
| WB bracket | |||
| DRO bracket | |||
| Continuous drive | 10.0 fps | 5.0 fps | Sony a7C |
| Self-timer | Yes | Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom) | |
| Metering modes | Multi | Multi | – |
| Center-weighted | Center-weighted | ||
| Highlight-weighted | Spot | ||
| Average | Partial | ||
| Spot | |||
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | ±3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | Sony a7C |
| AE Bracketing | ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | Sony a7C | |
| WB Bracketing | Yes | No | Sony a7C |
| Videography | |||
| Modes | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM | 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 120 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 60 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM | Sony a7C |
| Connectivity | |||
| USB | USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | Sony a7C |
| Wireless notes | 802.11ac (dual-band) + Bluetooth + NFC | 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth | Sony a7C |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone or Bluetooth) | Yes (via cable or smartphone) | |
| Power | |||
| Battery description | NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery & charger | LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger | |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 740 | 250 | Sony a7C |
We have also attached the full specifications for both cameras further below in case you would like to confirm other specs.
In addition, we have also included the Sony a7R IVA which is currently ranked 3rd lightest full-frame camera at 665 grams. The fourth lightest is Nikon Z7 at 675g but not included in the table below.
Note that Sony a7R IVA is a more powerful camera at just 30% heavier than Sony a7C. It has more than double the resolution and some additional features. That said, we still think the a7C is a powerful mid-range, full-frame camera.
Another interesting point to explore for cameras is that even though their websites have stated about environmental sealed design, none of them explicitly stated that they are IP rated and certified.
Therefore, we are assuming that cameras are environmentally sealed by design only, and they might not be certified or tested work. Please feel free to inform us if this is not the case.
Full Specifications of Sony A7C and Canon EOS RP
[tie_index]Full Specifications of Sony A7C and Canon EOS RP[/tie_index]
| Specifications | Sony a7R IVA | Sony a7C | Canon EOS RP |
| Form | |||
| Weight (+batteries) | 665 g (1.47 lb / 23.46 oz) | 509 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz) | 485 g (1.12 lb / 17.95 oz) |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 129 x 96 x 78 mm (5.08 x 3.78 x 3.07″) | 124 x 71 x 60 mm (4.88 x 2.8 x 2.36″) | 133 x 85 x 70 mm (5.24 x 3.35 x 2.76″) |
| Body type | SLR-style mirrorless | Rangefinder-style mirrorless | SLR-style mirrorless |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy | Magnesium alloy | Composite |
| Volume | 965.95cm3 | 528cm3 | 791cm3 |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes | Yes | No |
| IP Ratings | No | No | No |
| Sensor | |||
| Max resolution | 9504 x 6336 | 6000 x 4000 | 6240 x 4160 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 61 megapixels | 24 megapixels | 26 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 63 megapixels | 25 megapixels | 27 megapixels |
| Sensor size | Full frame (35.7 x 23.8 mm) | Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS | BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
| Processor | Bionz X | BIONZ X | Digic 8 |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB | sRGB, Adobe RGB | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter | Primary color filter | Primary color filter |
| Image | |||
| ISO | Auto, ISO 100-32000 (expands to 50-102800) | Auto, 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800) | Auto, 100-40000 (expands to 50-102400) |
| Boosted ISO (minimum) | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 102800 | 204800 | 102400 |
| White balance presets | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Custom white balance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Image stabilization | Sensor-shift | Sensor-shift | No |
| Image stabilization notes | 5-axis | ||
| CIPA image stabilization rating | 5.5 stop(s) | 5 stop(s) | |
| Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Extra fine, fine, standard) | Extra fine, fine, standard | Fine, normal |
| File format | JPEG (Exif v2.31) | JPEG (Exif v2.32) | JPEG |
| Raw (Sony ARW v2.3) | Raw (Sony ARW, 14-bit) | Raw (14-bit Canon CR3) | |
| C-Raw (Canon original) | |||
| Optics & Focus | |||
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor) | Contrast Detect (sensor) | Contrast Detect (sensor) |
| Phase Detect | Phase Detect | Phase Detect | |
| Multi-area | Multi-area | Multi-area | |
| Center | Center | Center | |
| Selective single-point | Selective single-point | Selective single-point | |
| Tracking | Tracking | Tracking | |
| Single | Single | Single | |
| Continuous | Continuous | Continuous | |
| Touch | Touch | Touch | |
| Face Detection | Face Detection | Face Detection | |
| Live View | Live View | Live View | |
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Digital zoom | Yes (2x – 4x) | Yes (2X) | |
| Manual focus | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 567 | 693 | 4779 |
| Lens mount | Sony E | Sony E | Canon RF |
| Focal length multiplier | 1× | 1× | 1× |
| Screen | |||
| Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fully articulated | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3″ | 3″ | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 2,360,000 | 921,600 | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD | TFT LCD | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | |||
| Viewfinder type | Electronic | Electronic | Electronic |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.78× | 0.59× | 0.7× |
| Viewfinder resolution | 5,760,000 | 2,360,000 | 2,360,000 |
| Photography | |||
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 sec | 1/4000 sec | 1/4000 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed (electronic) | 1/8000 sec | ||
| Aperture priority | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shutter priority | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manual exposure mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Subject / scene modes | No | No | Yes |
| Exposure modes | Program | Program | Program |
| Aperture priority | Aperture priority | Shutter priority | |
| Shutter priority | Shutter priority | Aperture priority | |
| Manual | Manual | Manual | |
| Built-in flash | No | No | No |
| External flash | Yes (via hot shoe or flash sync port) | Yes (via hot shoe) | Yes (via hot shoe) |
| Flash modes | Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction, Wireless, Hi-speed sync. | ||
| Flash X sync speed | 1/250 sec | 1/160 sec | 1/180 sec |
| Drive modes | Single | Single | Single |
| Continuous (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo) | Continuous (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo) | Continuous (H/L) | |
| Self-timer | Self-timer (Std/Cont.) | Self-timer | |
| Bracketing (Ex0osure, WB, DRO) | Bracket (Single/Cont.) | ||
| WB bracket | |||
| DRO bracket | |||
| Continuous drive | 10.0 fps | 10.0 fps | 5.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes | Yes | Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom) |
| Metering modes | Multi | Multi | Multi |
| Center-weighted | Center-weighted | Center-weighted | |
| Highlight-weighted | Highlight-weighted | Spot | |
| Average | Average | Partial | |
| Spot | Spot | ||
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | ±3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps) | ±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | |
| WB Bracketing | Yes | Yes | No |
| Videography | |||
| Format | MPEG-4, XAVC S, H.264 | MPEG-4, XAVC S, H.264 | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Modes | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM | 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM | 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 120 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 60 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM |
| Microphone | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono | Mono | Mono |
| Storage | |||
| Storage types | Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II compatible) | SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-II supported) | SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-II supported) |
| Connectivity | |||
| USB | USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) | USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| USB charging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI | Yes (micro-HDMI) | Yes (Micro HDMI) | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone port | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless | Built-In | Built-In | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.1 + NFC | 802.11ac (dual-band) + Bluetooth + NFC | 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone) | Yes (via smartphone or Bluetooth) | Yes (via cable or smartphone) |
| Power | |||
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery & charger | NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery & charger | LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 670 | 740 | 250 |
| Other features | |||
| Orientation sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | None | None |
References:
we have obtained the specs using a tool at dpreview and re-organised the data for our review.
