Sony sets launch date for new Alpha mirrorless camera – here’s what it could be

Two A7C-style cameras and a lens?

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Sonyhas shared a teaser and launch date for a new Alpha mirrorless camera – and while the launch page doesn’t give any details away, recent rumors have revealed some possible contenders for the announcement.

The teaser, which was shared on X (formerly Twitter – you can see it below) andYouTube, simply states that “a new camera is coming” on August 29 at 7am PDT / 10am EDT / 3pm BST (which works out as 12am AEST on August 30).

Other than the fact that it’ll be an Alpha camera (which covers almost all of Sony’s entire camera range) and will seemingly be just one model, we don’t have any more official hints to go on. But recent leaks about aSony A7C IIsuggest that camera is a hot favorite for the launch next week.

Mark your calendars. A new camera is coming in one week… 👀 #SonyAlpha pic.twitter.com/Dvc6uqR7vhAugust 22, 2023

The current Sony A7C, which launched last year, is one of the smallest full-frame cameras we’ve ever seen, and has become popular with street and travel photographers.

But those A7C II leaks, which were shared bySony Alpha Rumorsand the Chinese YouTuberAlex NGon August 10, suggest the imminent successor could fix some of the original model’s flaws. Those rumored A7C II specs include a higher-resolution 33MP sensor (compared to the 24.2MP one on the A7C) and some boosted video performance, including support for 10-bit4K/60p shooting and the S-Cinetone profile for color graders.

Despite the suggestion from Sony’s teaser that we’ll only see a single new camera, the rumors have also hinted at the announcement of a potential companion model called the A7C R (with the ‘R’ typically standing for Resolution on Sony cameras). This could include the same 61MP sensor as theSony A7R V, but otherwise we don’t know too much about it.

According toSony Alpha Rumors, we could also see the announcement of a new 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II lens, which is expected to be a smaller version of the current wide-angle zoom (one of thebest Sony lensesaround).

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Analysis: the best compact full-frame cameras?

If the rumors are true, and the Sony A7C II and A7CR are both announced at Sony’s event on August 29, they would be new contenders for the titles ofbest mirrorless camerasandbest travel cameras.

The current Sony A7C already packs a lot into its 509g body, and the suggestion that it may add a new 33MP sensor, 4K/60p video, and better autofocus than theSony A7 IV(among other treats) will excite anyone who’s been looking for a tiny, discrete camera with a full-frame sensor.

That said, it’s also a camera that divides opinion – with ourSony A7C reviewcalling it “tiny full-frame with compromises” and criticizing its small viewfinder, lack of a grip, and high price tag. According to the latest leaks, Sony may not have fixed all of those gripes with its sequel, particularly the EVF (which we found to be “too small for a full-frame camera”).

But the A7C II, and the possible A7CR, are certainly still both worth looking out for, and it seems that we’ll learn all of the official specs in just a week’s time.

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Mark is TechRadar’s Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he’s contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph’s Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London’s Square Mile.

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