Sony A7C II Mirrorless Camera Body Black

Sony A7C II Mirrorless Camera Body Black Summary

With a compact design and significant upgrades both inside and out, the second generation Sony A7C II Mirrorless Camera Body Black places powerful capabilities into the hands of content creators, housed in a highly portable form factor.

The next-gen update to Sony’s compact C line-up of hybrid mirrorless Alpha cameras is home to a 33 megapixel full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, found in the A7 IV. The A7C II camera is also powered by the same generation BIONZ XR processor from flagship cameras, for 8x the processing speed compared with the previous model.

Alongside these core components sits the powerful AI processing unit, ported from the Sony A7R V, which handles subject recognition and tracking more efficiently and accurately than ever. Other significant upgrades include improved in-body stabilisation, with up to 7-stops, along with continuous shooting at up to 10fps with AF/AE tracking.

Moviemakers can record in a variety of formats up to 4K 60p (Super 35) and full-frame 4K at 30p, in 4:2:2 10-bit. Predefined Creative Looks are now available, along with S-Log and S-Cinetone profiles, and LUT support for all-round advanced video performance.

The A7C II body has also been refined by Sony, with enhanced ergonomics from a 0.7x magnification EVF, new front and rear dials, S&Q dial and an improved grip for better handling.

Key Sony A7C II Camera Features

• 33 megapixel Exmor R full-frame CMOS sensor
• BIONZ XR image processor for 8x faster processing than previous camera
• Dedicated AI processing unit with powerful subject recognition and tracking
• 759-point phase-detection AF covers 94% of the sensor area
• Up to 7-stops 5-axis in-body stabilisation
• Shoot at 10fps with AF/AE tracking in electronic and mechanical modes
• Large buffer for longer bursts at up to 1000 JPEG fine and 44 RAW images
• 4K 60p (Super 35) with full pixel readout video and 4K 30p in 4:2:2 10-bit oversampling
• S-Cinetone, Creative Looks and Monitor LUTs
• Excellent low light performance and wide dynamic range
• Active mode stabilisation
• Updated ergonomics with new dials, improved grip and great battery life
• Vari-angle LCD with touchscreen control and a more intuitive interface
• Magnesium alloy parts and weather sealing

Sony A7C II Mirrorless Camera Body Black in More Detail

New 33 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor

This full-frame mirrorless camera houses Sony’s 33 megapixel Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor, which is new to the range, and a big leap up in resolution from the previous generation camera. The sensor has more than double the surface area compared to an APS-C camera, which provides a wider angle of view and shallower depth of field. These attributes are ideal for subject-driven content, which includes portraits, street photography, vlogging and similar genres, where you gain greater control in order to experiment with depth of field.

The sensor enables you to capture outstanding detail and resolution in 3:2 format JPEG, HEIF and RAW, with image sizes measuring up to 7008 x 4672 pixels. The camera also combines the power of the BIONZ XR processor with a dedicated AI processing unit, which render more accurate colours and skin tones, graduations, dynamic range, and overall enhanced image quality.

Upgraded BIONZ XR image processing engine

With updated resolution comes greater processing capacity, which is handled by Sony’s advanced BIONZ XR image processing engine. This is a tried-and-tested solution found in flagship cameras across the line-up and delivers high-end performance, with up to 8x the processing performance of the previous model’s BIONZ X.

New Real-time Subject Recognition AF from an AI Processing Unit

A dedicated AI processor harnesses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence in order to recognise a wide range of subjects, human poses, vehicles and insects, and accurately track them across the frame. This dramatically improved AF performance, with more tenacious tracking, as well as providing improved auto white balance and colour rendering of skin tones.

New Human pose estimation

Among the benefits which the AI processor brings is subject form data, which recognises movement. This provides an improvement in human eye recognition accuracy, as well as adding human pose estimation, to precisely recognise the subject’s eyes, as well as their body and head position. The result is the ability to lock onto and track a subject, even when they are facing away from the camera, wearing a mask, or glasses.

New subject tracking

For both stills and video, as well as human eye, head, body and poses, the Sony A7C II recognises animals and birds, insects, cars, trains and airplanes. Heads and bodies are now recognised for Animal, and Bird settings too, which improves the hit-rate for your photos and accurately tracks subjects when recording videos.

Thanks to additional new subjects, enhanced tracking and wider sensor AF coverage, you can concentrate on framing your shot and capturing emotive images, without worrying so much about tracking the subject.

Wider AF with improved features

A series of upgrades help you come away from any situation with great results, which include:

• 759 phase-detection AF points (vs 693 in the previous gen)
• Focusing in lower light, with -4EV (vs -3EV)
• Full time DMF in AF-C or AF-S, for manual focus override whenever required
• Focus bracket with up to 299 images

Improved natural skin tones and consistent colour

Alongside improved auto white balance, creators gain more accurate skin tones when shooting human subjects with the updated A7C II. Natural, healthy-looking colours are consistently and accurately achieved, with features such as smooth skin toning applied during live-streaming, contributing to all-round improved image quality.

New Creative looks

Creative looks allows you to get more out of the camera by applying automatic processing in keeping with the mood or look which you’re going for. The A7C II camera includes 10 unique presets, and skin tones in stills and movies can be enhanced with AE (automatic exposure), which detects the skin area and controls exposure accordingly.

By changing various image parameters such as tone, saturation, contrast, sharpness and brightness, the same subject can be given different styles or looks. For additional control, you can also fine-tune various characteristics and render your own unique style.

New Selectable image quality

The Sony A7C II mirrorless camera joins other models in Sony’s range by introducing Lossless Compressed RAW. You can select S/M/L for HEIF format, and HLG photo mode. Another advantage which this model has over its predecessor is high-frequency flicker-free shooting, whereby the variable shutter reduces the impact of flickering automatically. This can occur when ambient artificial lighting is present, or you need to compensate when shooting with LED lighting.

Upgraded 5-axis optical image stabilisation

Within the second generation A7C II lies a high-precision stabilisation unit and gyro sensors, which work together with upgraded image-stabilisation algorithms to provide up to 7-stops of shake compensation. This provides exceptional handholding capabilities with far longer shutter speeds, as well as low light prowess and the ability to capture a greater variety of shots without relying on a tripod as often.

Upgraded sensitivity and wide dynamic range

Shoot stills and movies with the A7C II at a native ISO 100-51,200, which is expandable to ISO 50-102,400 when photographing stills.

Improved burst shooting and buffering

Not only has the resolution and image quality been improved, but continuous shooting is now available in electronic and mechanical shutter mode at up to 10fps, with autofocus and automatic exposure (AF/AE).

When burst shooting you can keep up with fast-paced action and capture more images too, thanks to improved buffer memory for over 1000 shots in Fine JPEG, 44 RAW files and 35 RAW and JPEGs combined.

New support for focus while recording video

Thanks to the AI processing unit, real time recognition AF and tracking for video are supported in the Sony A7C II camera. You can even maintain subject tracking while using Clear Image Zoom or the digital zoom function, so your subject stays sharp all the time.

Real time tracking for movies covers 97% of the sensor vertical and 93% horizontally and can be customised.

High quality video recording from a compact body

Video quality has been significantly upgraded in this generation camera and the A7C II allows you to record full-frame 4K 30p in full-frame 7K oversampling, with full pixel readout without any pixel binning. 4K 60p recording is also possible, without pixel binning in Super 35mm format (APS-C).

For even greater slow motion effects you can capture 120p high frame rates in Full HD, for expressive slow motion segments in your films.

XAVC S-I and XAVC HS are provided along with S­-Cinetone, Creative Looks and Log recording with LUTs, monitor LUT/lmport LUT and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), with 4:2:2 10-bit.

Substantial upgrades for video content

Sony has introduced a series of features to aid with video content, solo productions and hybrid content creation for any channel. These include:

1. Auto-framing, where the camera recognises the position of your subject within the frame, in order to automatically crop around the body edges. You can even keep your subject in a fixed position within the frame, even while you’re walking alongside and moving erratically.
2. In-camera time-lapse can be created showing the passing of time, which is all handled in the A7C II body.
3. Improved 4-channel audio and wind noise reduction, with volume control while an external analogue video mic is attached.
4. Active mode stabilisation, which doesn’t impact video quality
5. Advanced movie support features include:

• AF assist
• Focus map
• Breathing compensation
• Focus peaking during AF
• REC display emphasis
• Shot Mark
• Shockless WB
• Image stabilisation metadata

MI Shoe (digital audio interface)

With the addition of Sony’s digital audio interface you can record up to four channel audio with the latest cable-free, battery-free and space-saving microphones, XLR adapter, and utilise MI shoe compatible Sony fit flashguns.

Updated body with improved ergonomics and useability

On the exterior of the Sony A7C II mirrorless camera body you’ll find a 2.36 million dot XGA OLED viewfinder with approx. 0.70x magnification and 60fps or 120fps display options.

A vari-angle touchscreen LCD gives you greater shooting freedom withe a large 3-inch screen and new menus join the C-series camera, which offer more intuitive control, such as swipe access, touch and menu control, operation during playback and more.

The body itself features an improved grip for better hold of the camera body, and an optional Sony A7C II and A7CR Extension Grip for the ultimate handling. Operation is significantly easier now thanks to a new front dial button, another C button and a switch for Stills/Movies/S&Q dial.

Power management has also been updated, with the second generation camera also supporting the powerful Sony NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Battery for up to 540 images using the LCD. USB-PD charging support and USB-C super speed 5Gbps is also available.

Robust and reliable build quality

Despite being the smallest interchangeable camera in the range, the Sony A7C II features a dust and moisture resistant design, and magnesium alloy parts for rigidity and durability.

E-mount lenses for every situation

A huge range of Sony mirrorless lenses is available to choose for every style of photography and video content, from lowlight fixed focal width primes and versatile zooms, to specialist Sony cine lenses.

Using native E mount lenses for your content provides a number of benefits, which include fast autofocus to image stabilisation and iris control, and breathing compensation compatibility with the AC7 II camera. Sony even released a new generation 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II Lens alongside the camera, which is smaller, lighter and offers enhanced image quality over the original.

If you would like an all-in-one kit from the outset, the Sony A7C II Camera Black with 28-60mm Lens Kit is available, which combines the world’s smallest zoom of its kind with the Black body.

What’s in the box

• Sony A7C II Mirrorless Camera Body Black
• Rechargeable Battery NP-FZ100
• Shoulder strap
• Body cap
• Accessory shoe cap
• External Battery charger NOT INCLUDED

Sony A7C II Image Samples

Sony A7C II with Sony FE 50mm F/1.4 GM Lens. Exposure: 1/2500sec. f/1.4. ISO 100

Sony A7C II with Sony FE 70-200mm F/4 G OSS II lens. Exposure: 1/250sec. f/4. ISO 125

Sony A7C II with Sony FE 50mm F/1.4 GM Lens. Exposure: 1/2500sec. f/1.4. ISO 100