Ultimate Sony A7C Accessories Guide

Whether you are already shooting with the Sony a7C or considering adding one to your gear bag, my ultimate accessories guide will help you to find the best accessories available for this compact full-frame camera.

If you happen to already own another Sony Alpha camera like the Sony a7III, then you’ll be glad to know that many accessories like the battery, memory cards and bluetooth remote are also compatible with the a7C.

Screen Protectors

The Sony a7C includes a very thin screen protector on the LCD out of the factory, however this doesn’t really provide protection against knocks and drops. I’d therefore strongly recommend adding an additional screen protector on top.

Sony PCK-LG1 Screen Protector

The Sony PCK-LG1 is a hard screen protector that provides the best possible protection for your a7C. I’ve used these on my a7R III, a7R IV, a7III and a9 and so far haven’t had one fall off like the cheaper screen protectors that I’ve used.

The PCK-LG1 is normally labelled on the packaging as being for the Sony a9, however it is fully supported with the Sony a7C and you can check this on Sony’s compatibility page here if you like.

Memory Cards

The Sony a7C has a single memory card slot that supports UHS-I and UHS-II compatible (SDHC/SDXC) memory cards.

UHS-II SD Cards

If you shoot a lot of continuous bursts and want the buffer to clear the fastest then you’ll want to be using the faster UHS-II memory cards in your a7C. These SD cards will also allow you to copy images over to your computer at around twice the speed of UHS-I cards when you are using a UHS-II card reader. Here are my top 3 UHS-II recommendations:

Sony SF-G Tough UHS-II (300/299)

The Sony SF-G Tough cards have a read speed of 300MB/s and a write speed of 299MB/s. They are rated v90 for video and are available in sizes from 32GB up to 256GB.

The Sony Tough series of memory cards are 18 times stronger than traditional SD cards, bend proof to 180N, drop-proof to 5 meters, waterproof to a depth of 5 meters for up to 72 hours (IPX8 rating) and dust proof with an IP6X rating. They feature a one-piece ribless structure and don’t have the common lock switch, they are also X-ray proof, magnet proof, anti-static and temperature proof.

SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II (300/260)

The SanDisk Extreme Pro cards have a claimed read speed of 300MB/s and a write speed of 260MB/s. The newest version of this card is V90 rated for video and they are available in sizes from 32GB up to 128GB.

Lexar Professional 2000X UHS-II (300/260)

The Lexar Professional 2000X cards have a claimed read speed of 300MB/s and a write speed of 260MB/s. They are rated V90 for video and are available in sizes from 32GB up to 128GB.

For additional memory card recommendations please head over to my Sony a7C Memory Card Guide.

Memory Card Readers

You can transfer files from the memory card in your a7C direct to your computer by using the USB-C connection, but if you prefer to remove the card and use a card reader then here are your options.

Sony MRW-S1 UHS-II USB Memory Card Reader/Writer

If you don’t plan to use CFexpress Type A cards then all you really need is Sony’s MRW-S1 UHS-II USB SD Card Reader/Writer. It can read/write to UHS-II SD Cards via a USB 3.1 interface and is backward compatible with UHS-I SD cards. The MRW-S1 together with Sony SF-G UHS-II SD cards can transfer files to and from your computer around 2.6x faster than the standard UHS-I SD cards.

SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II USB Type‐A

An alternative to the Sony is the SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II USB Type‐A. Like the Sony it also supports UHS-II SD cards and is backwards compatible with UHS-I cards. It’s compatible with USB 3.0 and also backward-compatible to USB 2.0. It has a Type A USB connector.

SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II USB Type‐C

If you would prefer a card reader with a Type-C connector then the SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II USB Type‐C will do the job. Just like the Type-A version above it supports UHS-II SD cards and is backwards compatible with UHS-I cards. It’s compatible with USB 3.0 and also backward-compatible to USB 2.0.

Batteries and Chargers

The Sony a7C is compatible with the Sony NP-FZ100 battery. There are third-party NP-FZ100 batteries available, however I’d strongly recommend that you stick to the official Sony batteries to avoid the risk of frying your new camera.

Many third-party NP-FZ100 batteries will also display a warning message when used in the a7C, and the battery percentage remaining indicator will not work correctly.

Sony really appears to be at war with third-party battery vendors, as when the a7C firmware is updated it will often impact third-party batteries that currently are not showing error messages. This doesn’t make them useful but you do have the annoying message to clear each time you start the camera, and lose the battery percentage indicator.

Sony NP-FZ100 Battery

The Sony NP-FZ100 rechargeable lithium-ion battery 2280mAh is the official battery for the a7C.

Sony BC-QZ1 Battery Charger

The Sony a7C does not include an external battery charger in the box. If you want an external charger then the official battery charger for the NP-FZ100 battery is the Sony BC-QZ1. You can charge one NP-FZ100 battery in around two hours with this charger.

Sony NPA-MQZ1K Multi Battery Adaptor Kit

The Sony NPA-MQZ1K multi battery kit can charge 4x NP-FZ100 batteries in around 480 minutes. You can also power two USB devices as well as the camera at the same time. Two NP-FZ100 batteries are included along with a cable protector and a mounting plate. 

USB Charger

The Sony a7C can also be charged via its USB Type C Port. The battery does need to remain in the camera, and if the camera is turned on the battery will not charge.

ANKER 10,000mAh PowerCore Slim PD

The Anker PowerCore Slim PD is Power Delivery certified. I use this myself and it will comfortable charge the Sony NP-FZ100 battery in camera two times before it needs recharging itself.

Battery Grips

At this time there are no battery grips available either from Sony or third-parties for the a7C. I’ll certainly add them here if any do come on to the market.

L-brackets and Grip Extensions

The Sony a7C is a pretty compact camera and some shooters might find it uncomfortable to hold, especially if you have larger hands. If this is the case then you might want to consider using a grip extension. Some grip extensions include l-brackets built in for quickly changing to vertical shooting when on a tripod, there are also dedicated l-brackets. Here are some of your options at present:

SmallRig a7C L-Bracket – 3089

The SmallRig 3089 L-bracket lets you quickly change between horizontal and vertical shooting positions. It’s arca swiss compatible and features multiple 1/4″-20 threaded holes on the side for attaching accessories like a cold shoe mount. It also extends the grip of the a7C and gives your little finger somewhere to rest.

Cages

Cages are a great option for video shooters as they allow you to comfortably attach additional items like an external recorder and a microphone. They also provide additional protection for the a7C.

SmallRig Sony a7C Cage – 3081

The SmallRig 3081 cage has been built specifically for the small body of the Sony a7C. The cage attaches to the a7C with a 1/4 screw on the bottom and an m2.5 screw on the right side to prevent twisting. Arca compatible rales are included on the bottom and there’s a cold-shoe mount on the top. There are multiple 1/4″-20 & 3/8″-16 threads and ARRI-style mounts for attaching a range of accessories.

Neck and Wrist Straps

The Sony a7C includes a neck/shoulder strap in the box, but in my experience it’s not the most comfortable of straps and one of the first things that I do when I get a new camera is to replace this with a Peak Design strap. Their unique anchor system allows you to quickly attach and remove their straps with ease. I also like to use their wrist strap for additional drop protection when I’m not using the shoulder strap.

Peak Design Slide / Slide Lite

The Peak Design Slide can be worn as a sling, neck, or shoulder strap. The nylon strap has a smooth side that glides over clothing in sling mode and a grippy side that prevents slipping in shoulder mode.

Peak Design Cuff

The Peak Design Cuff also uses the Peak Design anchor system. Once on your wrist the strap magnetically locks into place, it takes a while to get used to this locking mechanism but once you do it’s easy to use and provides additional drop protection for your a7C.

Eye Cups

Unlike the majority of Sony Alpha Cameras the Sony a7C does not feature a detachable eye-cup, and the eye-cup that it does have isn’t the greatest as it’s difficult to form a good seal and light can still creep in. Thankfully there are some third-party solutions here.

Kiwifotos Soft Silicone Extended Eyecup Eye Cup

This eye cup from Kiwifotos attaches to the a7C via the hotshoe mount. It’s made from soft silicone for comfort and helps to block unwanted stray light from entering the EVF.

Remote Controls

You can use the mobile app Sony Imaging Edge to control the a7C remotely, but it’s pretty basic and the connection isn’t the most reliable. Thankfully there are a couple of alternatives.

Sony RMT-P1BT Remote Commander

The RMT-P1BT bluetooth remote will work with the a7C up to around 18m or 60 feet away. There are buttons for the essential camera controls such as releasing the shutter, a focus button, a lock switch that prevents accidental operation during transport, movie recording start/stop and power/digital zoom. You’ll also find two custom buttons that basically mirror the functions of the C1 and AF-ON buttons on the camera body.

The 0.05 second shutter release time is very useful for catching shots like the one above where the kingfisher dives from its perch into the water in just a few fractions of a second. Note that I was using my a9 mounted on a gimbal for this shot whilst I was a few meters away in a hide, but since I had manually focussed there is no reason at all why I couldn’t shoot the same with the a7C.

Burst shooting is also supported in continuous shooting mode, which means you can hold down the shutter button to shoot continuously.

One important note that you should be aware of is that you cannot link location information with a smartphone when the [Bluetooth Rmt Ctrl] is set to [On]. Also if you want to manually control the focus using this remote, you need to switch the camera into MF mode using the camera’s menu, and not the MF/AF switch on the lens, otherwise it won’t work.

Sony GP-VPT2BT Wireless Bluetooth Grip

The Sony GP-VPT2BT Bluetooth grip controls recording and zoom operations, and doubles as a tripod for hands-free shooting. A customisable button and easy camera angle adjustment make it perfect for as a selfie-stick, or it can be used as a mini tripod, but only if the lens that you are using is not too heavy.

Flashes

Since the a7C does not include a built-in flash, so you might want to consider an external flash unit when additional lighting is required.

Sony HVL-F28RM

The HVL-F28RM is the smallest flash from Sony that you can put on the Sony a7C. Despite its small size the HVL-F28RM delivers output that rivals the high-end HVL-F45RM at the same illumination angle. It features a 2.4 GHz radio transceiver and is able operate as either a radio commander or remote as part of Sony’s radio wireless system. The flash head offers 0 to 120° of tilting for bounce control. Slow, high-speed, 1st and 2nd curtain sync is supported and it has a recycle time of 0.1 to 6.4 seconds with alkaline batteries or 0.1 to 4.1 with NiMH batteries. It weighs in at around 7.7 oz / 219 g. Full details for the HVL-F28RM can be found on Sony’s product page.

Godox TT350S Mini Thinklite TTL Flash

If you are on a budget and the Sony HVL-F28RM is a little too pricy then the Godox TT350S Mini Thinklite TTL flash is worth taking a look at. It supports HSS and features an integrated 2.4 GHz X radio for wireless triggering. The flash head can be tilted from -7 to 90° and rotated a total of 270° for controlling bounce. The flash runs on two alkaline or NiMH AA batteries which deliver around 210 full-power flashes with recycle times of 0.1-2.2 seconds. It weighs in at around 7.05 oz / 200 g making it just a fraction lighter than the Sony HVL-F28RM.

Microphones

If you’re not happy with the audio quality of the built-in-mic on the a7C then you’ll probably want to think about an external microphone. Here are just a few options for you to consider.

Sony ECM-B1M Digital Shotgun Microphone

The Sony ECM-B1M is a digital shotgun microphone that features a built-in Digital Audio Interface that delivers a digital audio stream directly through the Multi Interface Shoe of the a7C. The lightweight design of this mic complements the compact body of the a7C, the mic measures 99.3mm (4 in) long, and weighs 77.3g (2.8 oz).

Rode Wireless Go

The Rode Wireless GO is a fantastic little wireless microphone that can transmit up to 230 feet between the transmitter and receiver. The transmitter has a microphone built-in but there’s also a 3.5mm TRS powered port that supports a lavalier microphone like the Rode Lavalier GO.

The rechargeable battery will last up to seven hours and both transmitter and receiver can be fully charged via USB-C in just two hours. The transmitter has a built-in pre-polarized omnidirectional microphone with a frequency range of 50 Hz to 20 kHz.

I use this microphone myself for recording YouTube videos together with the Rode Lavalier Go. I prefer it to the shotgun microphones as there is very little reverb when used indoors and I don’t need to worry about being too far from the mic.

Lens Adapters

If you have a collection of lenses that are not E-mount, such as Sony A-mount lenses, Canon EF lenses or Nikon F mount lenses, then you can use a lens adapter to adapt these to work on the a7C.

Sony LA-EA5 Adapter

The LA-EA5 adapter provides autofocus support for Sony A-mount SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) lenses, SAM (Smooth Autofocus Motor) lenses, and even non-motorized screw-drive lenses (currently limited to the a7R IV and a6600 only) in still shooting modes.

Metabones Canon EF to Sony E-Mount Lens Adapter

The Metabones adapter lets you mount Canon EF/EF-S lenses to Sony E-mount cameras like the a7C. It retains electronic communication between the camera and lens to provide automatic aperture control, EXIF data, image stabilization and autofocus. Metabones regularly update the firmware that helps to improve AF performance with many Canon EF lenses.

Sigma MC-11 Canon EF to Sony E-Mount Lens Adapter

The MC-11 Mount Converter enables the use of Sigma EF-mount lenses on Sony E-mount camera bodies. It supports autofocus and auto-exposure, as well as in-camera image stabilization and full EXIF data transfer. Sigma has a lens compatibility list for this adapter but many Canon lenses also work very well.

Monster Adapter LA-FE1 Nikon F to Sony E

The Monster adapter LA-FE1 adds autofocus capabilities to Nikon AF-I, AF-S and AF-P lenses. For lenses with full support, the adapter will also drive both electromagnetic and mechanical lever aperture diaphragms. Fully-manual lenses and screw-drive lenses don’t get any sort of focus or aperture control, but the adapter will still work passively with them. The LA-FE1 is supported with the Sony a7C and it also supports high-speed continuous shooting up to 10 frames per second.

Replacement Parts

The only replacements parts that you can easily change yourself on the a7C are the mount cap and hotshoe cap.

Sony ALC-B1EM Mount Cap

The Sony ALC-B1EM Mount Cap protects the sensor on the front of the a7C when there is no lens attached. It’s handy to have one or two of these spare as they are easy to lose.

Sony FA-SHC1M Hotshoe Cap

If you are constantly attaching accessories to the hotshoe of your a7C, then you might want to keep a few of these Sony FA-SHC1M hotshoe caps spare. It’s important to to use a cap in the hotshoe when it’s not in use to help protect the electrical contacts from water.

Cleaning

If you want to keep your a7C spotless then there are a few cleaning products that will help.

VSGO VS-S03E Full-Frame Sensor Cleaning Kit

The VSGO full-frame sensor cleaning kit includes 12 swabs and a cleaning solution. I use these myself and 99 percent of the time I’ll only ever need to use the swabs to remove any dust or marks from the front of the sensor. When using these I recommend taking a light touch approach.

Rocket Air Blaster

The rocket air blaster is a very useful tool for blowing dust of the a7C, out of the viewfinder, off the sensor and off the front of lenses and filters.

Zeiss Cleaning Wipes

These cleaning wipes from Zeiss are helpful for cleaning your a7C camera body, lenses and filters. I also keep a bunch of these in my camera bag.

MagicFiber Cleaning Cloths

There are tons of microfiber cloths out there, but these ones from MagicFiber appear to have some of the best reviews.

If you are using any other must have accessories for the a7C then please drop a comment below and I might add them to the article. Thank you!