[Playback 2021] Worried about the “next generation standard” α7 IV, mirrorless debut with α7C by Editorial Department: Sakai-AV Watch

2021 was a year to completely replace the devices we use every day, such as iPhones, iMacs, and iPads. I was thinking about replacing it a year or two ago, so I was ready, but there were unexpected expenses such as the AirPods Max in December last year and the new iPad mini in September this year, so I said, "I've used it quite a bit." I am approaching the end of the year with this feeling.

At the end of such a year, I bought a mirrorless camera "α7C" as an early Christmas present, the last splurge of the year, and made my full-size mirrorless debut.

In the first place, I started handling cameras after I became a member of society. Until then, I had only occasionally used the built-in camera of my mobile phone and Ricoh's "PENTAX Q10", which I bought because it was an Evangelion collaboration, but around 2015, I held a press conference at a certain web media that I worked for the first time as a working adult. I needed a single-lens camera for coverage and product photography.

The Ricoh PENTAX Q10, which I purchased just because it was an Eva collaboration, and the first full-scale single-lens reflex camera, the EOS Kiss X4. There are many staff who do not have it, and when multiple interviews overlap, the equipment may not be enough. A veteran reporter told him that "the best way to get used to it quickly is to use your own camera", so I borrowed the Canon "EOS Kiss X4" that his father used to use. made a camera debut.

I bought the SIGMA 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens, which was highly rated and reasonably priced after reading online reviews and YouTuber reviews. The EOS Kiss X4 was released in 2010, but thanks to its F2.8, bright, bokeh-like lens, it has been around for about five years. I've done it

The turning point was when I joined AV Watch in 2020 and when I was asked to telework due to the corona crisis. As I have more opportunities to shoot with earphones at home for review articles, in my room where there is only a ceiling light, the brightness is not enough even with the aperture wide open, and noise becomes noticeable as the ISO sensitivity is increased. rice field.

It's just a matter of preparing a separate light. ”. The actual selling price at the time of its release was around 100,000 yen, but when I purchased it around the summer of 2020, it was sold for 86,000 yen, making it easy to reach. The decisive factor was that it was too much and I couldn't get used to it.

The current "partner" Canon "EOS 9000D"

From the EOS Kiss X4, which had an effective pixel of about 18 million pixels and the video engine "DIGIC 4", to the effective pixel number of about 24.2 million pixels and the "DIGIC 7" EOS By switching to the 9000D, noise became less noticeable even if I raised the ISO sensitivity a little, and I no longer had any problems with photography (aside from my skill).

Since I just bought it, I plan to have the EOS 9000D play an active role as my work partner in the future, but in 2021, I became interested in the fact that this camera cannot handle it. It shoots 4K video. Influenced by the recent Vlog boom, I also wanted to leave a Vlog of my family and my dog ​​during the trip after the corona crisis.

Video taken by the author. The camera used "iPhone 13 Pro"

I would like to shoot in 4K high image quality, but the EOS 9000D can shoot up to full HD. Also, since it is not mirrorless, it has a large body, and it is hard to say that it is a size that you can easily carry around in your bag. Furthermore, recently, I have been shooting videos more and more at interviews, so I decided to purchase a mirrorless camera as a sub-machine so that I can use it at work. This is September of this year.

Based not only on the size of the main body, but also on the variations and prices of the lenses, I narrowed down the purchase candidate to the α7C zoom kit, but at the end of October, the “α7 IV” was announced overseas and overwhelmed the α7C in terms of performance. It was announced that it would be released in Japan, and the price of the body was US$2,500.

Even after the domestic release date and price were announced, my feelings wavered, but the decisive factors were the existence of the EOS 9000D and the fact that I touched the α7S III, which has a similar body appearance to the α7 IV, at the store. .

I just bought the EOS 9000D, so I'm not dissatisfied with its photographic performance, and I have a small amount of lens assets. I'm getting attached to it, so I'd like to continue using it as my main machine. However, I thought that if I bought the α7 IV here, I would not be able to use the EOS 9000D I just bought.

The α7C is the EOS 9000D (left) and the α7C (right) side by side, which was a size that was easier to hold than seen in the photo. Overwhelming size difference

And I knew this before I even touched the actual machine, but when I actually compare the α7C with the α7S III, which has a body size similar to the α7 IV, Of course, the α7C is the size that you can keep hidden. When I actually held it in my hand, the α7C was larger and easier to hold than I had imagined from the photo, which was a point that encouraged me to purchase.

Since I had a coupon, I bought a zoom lens kit at the Sony store this time. The purchase price starts at 262,900 yen, and with the coupon applied, it will be 231,940 yen (including shipping), which is nearly 100,000 yen cheaper than the α7 IV body alone. I was able to use the difference as a budget for future lens purchases.

I've been talking about it for a long time, but in short, I wanted a compact, easy-to-carry camera that can record 4K. I chose the A7C over the A7IV.

I also bought the Sennheiser "MKE200", which has a good reputation for Vlogs

It's only been about a week since I received it, so I'm confused about the operability and the color of the photos, which is different from Canon. , I also purchased Sennheiser's on-camera microphone "MKE200", which has a good reputation for Vlog shooting, and I am ready for video shooting.

I immediately left the white balance to the camera and took a picture of a dog taking a nap, and was amazed at the accuracy of Animal Eye AF in the video added in the recent update and the clear sound of the MKE200. rice field. During the year-end and New Year holidays, I would like to take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy a video walk instead of a photo walk with the α7C in hand.

First video taken with the α7C