This is my list of the 7 most recommended accessories for the new Sony A7C II.
You definitely don’t need all of them, but the first few will make your photography life a lot easier. Don’t worry, this is not a “most expensive” items list, but more of a best bang for the money.
7 Best Accessories for the Sony A7C II:
- Camera Strap – Peak Design Slide Lite
- Charger – Neewer Dual USB Charger
- Battery – Sony NP-FZ100
- Cleaning – Altura Full-Frame Kit
- Memory Card – Kingston Canvas SDXC
- Microphone – Sony ECM-B10
- Gimbal – DJI RS3
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1. Camera Strap – Peak Design Slide Lite
Peak Design has two straps, the first one is the Peak Design Strap Lite and goes around your neck and replaces the official Sony one you get with the camera.
Why is it so much better?
See those red circles on the photograph above? It’s the whole point of the Peak Design brand; it takes you 2 seconds to remove the strap from the camera, making it ideal for gimbal/hand-held work when you’re often switching.
It’s made out of nylon, holds up to 200lbs and is simply more comfortable than the regular Sony strap. I’ve been using them for years and never had any issues (once you see it in person, you’ll instantly understand how secure it is).
If you often switch between gimbal and hand-held, this is a must have. Trust me, it saves you time and mental energy. Even if you don’t use a gimbal, this mechanism makes it easier to pack your camera in a bag without the strap and then quickly attach it again.
It’s not the cheapest thing, but at ~$50 it’s a must-have, especially because a strap is something you need anyways.
You can buy the Peak Design Strap at Amazon here.
This second one is a smaller wrist strap: Peak Design Cuff Strap. I only use it for photo shoots where I’m okay with the camera constantly being in my hand, and not so much for when I’m causally shooting (I prefer the neck strap for that).
If you’ve got the budget for only one, definitely go with the neck strap because this one is a bit more specific.
You can buy the Peak Design Strap at Amazon here.
2. Battery Charger – Neewer Dual USB Charger
None of the newer Sony cameras come with a charger so I recommend the Neewer Dual USB charger.
It’s affordable, works perfectly fine and doesn’t damage your batteries. I’ve charged them hundreds of times and never had any issues.
If you will only have 1 battery then it’s okay to charge it while it’s inside the camera, but if you’ve got 2 and want to charge them overnight, this is your best option.
I don’t recommend buying non-Sony batteries, but as far as chargers go, third-party options are perfect. The Neweer costs 3x less than Sony’s, which only has 1 charging slot. Again, an easy choice.
The USB cable provided is USB 2.0 and not USB-C, but hey, at least it’s included! It takes between 2-3 hours to charge them both.
You can buy the Neewer Dual USB Charger at Amazon here.
3. Extra Battery – Sony NP-FZ100
If you travel or do lots of photography/video, you need at least 2 batteries. The A7C II uses the
Sony NP-FZ100 battery.
Trust me, even though the Sony A7C II has a good battery life, the majority of photographers I know own far more than that (both beginners and professionals).
The A7C II is rated at ~550 shots (~100 minutes for 4K video). In real life, this means you can expect almost double the amount, so if you just photograph casually, having only 1 battery might even be okay for a few days.
For paid work, long sessions or shooting in hot/cold climates, you want to be super safe. This is a small investment to protect yourself and not lose potential clients or footage.
A lot of third-party batteries unfortunately don’t work with Sony’s cameras, otherwise I’d recommend those.
You can buy the Sony NP-FZ100 at Amazon here.
4. Cleaning Gear – Altura Full-Frame Kit
Lenses and sensors get dirty, especially if you do lots of outdoor photography.
The Altura Cleaning Kit has an air blower, brush, 2 microfiber cloths and most importantly, the sensor cleaning swab + cleaner.
Most spots and dirt can be easily removed with a blower. If that doesn’t work, you use the liquid solution (1-2 drops) and gently go over the sensor.
It’s not dangerous and the whole process takes less than a minute (video here). If you often switch between lenses or shoot in windy conditions, you will at least want to have an air blower with you.
So many of my trips would have been ruined if I forgot to pack a few cleaning accessories with me. Random sensor spots even though I double checked it all, LCD getting dirty, camera body having random sand, you name it.
Instead of buying all these things separately, I really recommend you to get a kit that covers it all.
You can buy the Altura Cleaning Kit at Amazon here.
5. Memory Card – Kingston Canvas UHS-II U3/V90
Related: The 7 Best Lenses for Sony A7C II
With only one SD card slot, I recommend you to get a 128GB card, especially if you do plenty of videos.
If you want the best for the money check out the Kingston Canvas UHS-II. It’s a U3, V90 rated card. It can handle any video file bit rate (including 4K at 120p), let alone RAW/JPEG files. Since the A7C II can’t do 4K at 120p, you’ll be able to use this card for any future camera you upgrade to.
Oh, it’s also half the price of Sony’s card. Nearly identical performance, but both are more than enough for A7C II.
If you do lots of paid work, it’s much safer and smarter to split all your files between a couple of 32GB or 64GB cards (personally I prefer 128GB cards).
For video, especially 4K at high bit rates, you’ll want a V90 rated card. V60 will be fine if you shoot in Full HD or lower quality 4K options. Again, 64GB is the bare minimum because you’ll quickly run out of storage.
You can buy the Kingston Canvas SD Card at Amazon here.
6. Microphone – Sony ECM-B10
No cables, no adapters, just attach it to your camera and get high quality audio.
The Sony ECM-B10 is easily my favorite and extremely popular new microphone for any Sony shooter, thanks to its ease of use.
It’s a mini shotgun microphone with manual features, but you can trust the Auto mode in many situations.
There are 3 different pickup patterns (front, front+sides, front+side+back), 3 filters for cutting frequencies and gain levels.
If you are serious about audio quality and can’t replicate the sounds in a studio/stock footage, then a shotgun microphone is a must. It’s really small and convenient to travel with.
You can buy the Sony ECM-B10 at Amazon here.
7. Gimbal – DJI RS3
Both the Sony A7C II and DJI RS3 gimbal were released in the same year, so if you want the latest and best, this what I recommend.
The Catalyst Browse from Sony helps to further stabilize your footage, but it crops your image and unless your shutter speed was like over ~1/200, your results might come out ugly/choppy. It’s good, but not always perfect. If you follow the shutter speed rule (double the frame rate) then it’s not going to work too good for fast paced movement.
Having a gimbal will eliminate the need for 99% of further post process stabilization needed. However, it’s an accessory you always have to carry around and fiddle with, so think about it before just thinking it’s going to fix all of your issues. Some scenes look better with a “hand-held” look to them.
For around $500, the DJI RS3 is honestly an amazing value.
- 3-Axis Automatic Lock – Turning on/off the gimbal doesn’t require you to lock every axis anymore, as the RS 3 does it automatically. A huge time saver compared to all other gimbals
- Up to 6.6lbs (3.3kg) load – The A7C II body weighs 1lb, a lens between 1-3lbs, and you’re still way under the maximum load
- Bluetooth – Connect to the camera once and you can always use the record button on the gimbal itself
- 12 Hour Battery Life – This gimbal lasts a very long time, I’m always amazed after a long shoot. The battery is not removable though.
You can buy the DJI RS3 at Amazon here.
Sony A7C II: My Other Guides
- With over 100 Sony lenses to choose from, here are my Best Sony A7C II Lenses in 2024.
- How does the Sony A7C II compare to other cameras? Sony A7C II vs Sony A7 IV – 5 Biggest Differences
- To fully master shutter speed and get better photos, read my What is Shutter Speed? Ultimate Photography Guide.
- How to get low noise images with the A7C II? Check out my Ultimate ISO Guide – 5 Tips for Beginners.
