Sony A7C II Battery & Charger Guide

Welcome to my Sony A7C II (ILCE-7CM2) battery and battery charging guide where I cover all of the compatible battery and charging options for the Sony A7C II mirrorless camera.

What’s in the Box?

If purchasing new then the Sony A7C II includes one Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (2280mAh) in the box.

Unfortunately there is no external charger included and Sony has also stopped including USB chargers and USB-C cables in the box.

This means that you will only be able to charge the battery in-camera if you happen to have one of these already from another device. Which I expect many of us do.

I’ve included some recommended cables and chargers a little further down this article.

Batteries

The official compatible battery for the Sony A7C II is the Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (2280mAh).

There are many third-party NP-FZ100 batteries on the market but a lot of these batteries will not work correctly with the A7C II and may display warning messages.

Those that do work correctly can stop working or throw error messages when the A7C II receives a new firmware update.

Sony NP-FZ100

The official battery compatible with the Sony A7C II is the Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (2280mAh).

Watson NP-FZ100

If you really want to take a risk with a third-party battery then one of the more reliable options is the Watson NP-FZ100. However, these batteries might still display warnings and I would still recommend sticking with the official Sony batteries despite their higher price.

Battery Chargers

Like I’ve already mentioned, the Sony A7C II does not include an external charger in the box. If you prefer to charge your cameras batteries externally then here are your options.

Sony BC-QZ1

The official Sony battery charger for the NP-FZ100 battery is the Sony BC-QZ1. With this charger you can charge the official NP-FZ100 battery in around two hours.

Sony BC-ZD1 Dual Battery Charger

The BC-ZD1 is a high-speed charger for Sony’s NP-FZ100 batteries. It can simultaneously charge two batteries in approximately 155 minutes when connected to a USB Power Delivery (PD) compatible power supply with 30W or higher output and a USB cable with USB PD support (3A) or higher current.

• Charges two NP-FZ100 batteries simultaneously in approximately 155 minutes when connected to a USB PD compatible power supply
• Equipped with an indicator lamp that shows the battery charging status in 5 stages
• Width approx. 84.5 mm x Height approx. 29.2 mm x Depth approx. 70.0 mm, weight approx. 149g
• With heat dissipation measures plus built-in heat monitoring and control

Sony NPA-MQZ1K

If you need to shoot for longer then you might want to invest in the Sony NPA-MQZ1K multi battery kit. This can charge 4x NP-FZ100 batteries in approximately 480 minutes and also power two USB devices and the A7C II at the same time. The NPA-MQZ1K includes two NP-FZ100 batteries, a cable protector and a mounting plate. 

Watson Mini Duo Charger

This Watson mini duo charger is one of the better third-party charging options. With it you can charge two NP-FZ100 batteries in around 5 hours. It features built-in overcharge, short-circuit, and power surge protection.

This charger is designed for Watson NP-FZ100 batteries, so you will be taking a risk if you charge original Sony NP-FZ100 batteries with it.

USB Charging

The Sony Alpha A7C II supports USB PD (Power Delivery) for fast in-camera battery charging via its USB-C port.

Unfortunately Sony does not provide a USB charger or USB-C cable with the A7C II.

USB-C Cables

If you don’t already have a USB-C cable then here are a couple of options.

Anker PowerLine II USB-C 3.1 Gen2

Use this cable with a USB-C charger. It has a USB-C connector on each end and supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 which will also enable you to transfer files at the maximum speed that the A7C II is capable of.

Anker USB-A to USB-C Cable

Use this cable with a USB-A charger. It has a USB-A connector on one end and a USB-C connector on the other end for the A7C II. It supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 which will enable you to transfer files at the maximum speed that the A7C II is capable of.

Power Banks

You can use a Power Delivery (PD) certified power bank to charge the battery when the A7C II is powered off. Sony recommends using a USB-PD device that is compatible with an output of 9V/3A or 9V/2A.

ANKER 10,000mAh PowerCore Slim PD

The ANKER 10,000mAh PowerCore Slim PD is one of many power bank options that could be used to charge the A7C II.

Continuous Power

If you need to provide power for longer shoots then here are your options.

Sony DC-C1 DC Coupler

The DC-C1 DC coupler allows for a stable power supply during long shoots or streaming by providing continuous, reliable power to cameras compatible with NP-FZ100 or NP-FW50 rechargeable battery packs using an external power source such as a USB PD (65 W or more) compatible AC adapter and USB cable with USB PD support (5 A).

• Supplies power directly from an external power source such as a USB PD compatible AC adapter (65 W or more) to a camera body that supports NP-FZ100 or NP-FW50 batteries
• To prevent accidental cable disconnection, the DC-C1 is equipped with the locking screw hole, or an anchor loop can be used to secure the cable to the USB port ​
• 1.6m cable connects plug-in plate to the power supply assembly for flexible setup during shooting
• Equipped with Power Indicator Lamp that shows the power supply status
• Width approx. 52.0 mm x Height approx. 70.6 mm x Depth approx. 32.0 mm

Battery Life

The battery life of the Sony A7C II will vary depending on your camera settings and also environmental factors. On cold days the battery will drain much faster than on warmer days.

Battery Life Shooting Stills

The A7C II can achieve approx. 550 shots (Viewfinder) and approx. 560 shots (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard).

These are CIPA standard figures and in the rear world if you are shooting a lot of continuous bursts then you can easily shoot thousands of images before depleting the battery.

Battery Life Recording Video

Shooting movies (actual) will get you approx. 100 min (Viewfinder) or approx. 105 min (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard).

Sony A7C II Guides & Resources

FAQs