Sony A7C II Review

The Sony A7C series should be on the radar of all underwater photographers. With the "C" for "compact", each new A7C camera combines full-frame image quality in Sony's smaller crop sensor bodies. The Sony A7C II is essentially a Sony A7 IV packed into a small body weighing in at 514 grams (1 lb 2.2 oz). The camera has a 33 megapixel sensor and retails for $2199 - less than the Sony A7 IV. That said there are some limitations to the camera like a small electronic viewfinder and a long flash sync speed of 1/160. 

During our Fiji underwater photo workshop we had the opportunity to shoot with the A7C II in an Ikelite housing among some of the world's most beautiful soft corals. I was extremely pleased with the results and by the fact that I was able to cut out almost seven pounds from my travel bag. But most importantly, the image quality of the A7C II is not compromised by being in a smaller camera body, making it an extremely compelling option for underwater photography. 

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Sony A7C II Specifications

• 33 megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor
• BIONZ XR image processor
• AI autofocus processor and autofocus tracking with subject detection
• 5 axis in body image stabilization with up to 7 stops of corrections
• 4K/60p video recording, 10-bit 4:2:2
• Burst shooting up to 10 fps
• 1/160 flash sync speed
• Log video recording including S-Cinetone
• AI auto framing
• Lowlight AF down to -4 EV
• Dimensions: 124 x 71 x 63mm
• Weight: 514 grams (1 lb 2.2 oz)

Sony A7C II vs A7C R

The Sony A7C II and A7C R share a camera body. Bluewater reviewed the Sony a7C R earlier this year and the performance was extremely impressive. The A7C R is the high resolution big-brother to the A7C II with a 61 megapixel sensor. It's the equivalent to the Sony A7R V. With both cameras featuring the same dimensions, the A7C R and A7C II share the same underwater housings as well. This is a benefit to anyone considering using a low resolution and high resolution body in one housing. 

Drawbacks of the A7C Series

Both cameras share the same downsides when compared to their full-frame counterparts - a slow sync speed of 1/160s and the lack of a large electronic viewfinder (EVF). Many underwater photographers would prefer to trade a viewfinder for a smaller size. It's important to remember that mirrorless cameras do not require the use of a viewfinder as the autofocus speed through the viewfinder and LCD is the same - unlike with DSLRs. That said, some macro shooters may opt for a larger mirrorless camera like the A7 IV or A7R V in order to use a 45 degree viewfinder to get in small, hard-to-reach areas. The 1/160s flash sync speed is much more likely to turn underwater photographers away. That said, during my time shooting in Fiji, I never felt like I had trouble exposing the sun. It's very rare that I need to be shooting at the max sync speed at ISO 100. 

Sony A7C II vs Sony A7 IV

As we previously mentioned, the Sony A7C II is the small-bodied counterpart to the Sony a7 IV - one of the most popuar Sony full frame mirrorless cameras ever created. With the Sony A7C II being a smaller and more affordable alternative, we think it's a better option for underwater photography, where a viewfinder is less critical. 

The Same Great Image Quality

The Sony A7C and A7 IV share the same 33 megapixel sensor. The dynamic range and low light performance on this sensor is excellent. We think it's the sweet spot for a full frame sensor as there is less noise at high ISOs as compared to the Sony a7C R. You can see this in just how much detail we captured on the colorful reefs of Fiji in both the highlights and shadows. 

I was most impressed with the color rendition in the files of the A7C II. I found the files to be more vibrant and easier to edit than past Sony models - much like Nikon files. 

Improved Autofocus

The Sony A7C II featured the new AI autofocus processor that was first introduced in the Sony A7R V. This results in significantly better subject detection when using the autofocus tracking system. We noticed this almost immediately when photographing bull sharks in beqa lagoon. For easy autofocus situations like reefscapes, any modern Sony camera would be sufficient. But it's nice to have a quick-action powerhouse. The 10 frames per second burst shooting is fast enough for most shooters and pairs well with the autofocus.

4K Video Recording

The Sony A7C II is an excellent video camera. Like the A7 IV, it can record in 4K/60p but it does have a 1.5x crop at this frame rate. The camera is capable of filming in LOG 10-bit 4:2:2, allowing for easy color editing in post processing. The A7C II also includesa few new features initially introduced in the Sony ZV-E1. This includes AI autoframing - a feature more useful for vlogging and topside shooting.

Sony A7C II Underwater Housings

There are currently three underwater housing options available for the Sony a7C II - the Ikelite A7C II polycarbonate underwater housing, the Marelux A7C II anodized aluminum housing, and the Nauticam A7C II anodized aluminum housing. We do hope to see additional housings from other brands, but at this rate it is unlikely. 

The Ikelite A7C II housing is a great option for those looking at the A7C II and are considering their budget. Ikelite has update the housing with newer, more ergonomic dials. Moreover, the A7C II housing is a dry lock micro housing - not the larger dry lock style housing. This means you can shave off significant weight and size with smaller DLM ports. We were able to get fantastic image quality with the Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens and the Sigma MC-11 adapter behind a 6 inch dome port.

The Marelux A7C II housing is an affordable anodized aluminum housing option with all the functionality, ergonomics, and quality of higher end brands. The housing is depth rated to 100 meters and is compatible with the Marelux flash fuel flash trigger - capable of charging the camera during the dive.  

The  Nauticam A7C II housing is a great option if you are considering pairing wet wide angle and macro lenses with the 28-60mm kit lens and flat port. It makes for a compact and versatile system that can shoot wide angle and macro at the same time.

If you're looking for a full system make sure to email sales@bluewaterphotostore.com or call their expert staff at 310-633-5052

Sony A7C II Underwater Lenses

Best Wide Angle Lenses

With improvements in autofocus with the Sony A7C II, the Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens with the Sigma MC-11 adapter should be the fisheye option for most wide angle shooters. I found the autofocus to be effective, though not as fast as a Sony native lens.

For both photo and video, the Sony 16-35mm F4 lens with an 8-inch dome or larger is an excellent choice. There are also some great wet wide-angle lenses available such as the Nauticam wet wide-angle lens or the Kraken KRL-01 wet wide-angle lens that can be used with the Sony 28mm prime lens. The Sony 28mm prime lens also works well with a fisheye conversion lens to capture even wider shots of large reefscapes.

If you're looking for the most versatile wide-angle Sony set up for underwater shooting, the Sony FE 28-60mm F4-F5.6 lens behind a flat port with zoom capability paired with the Nauticam WWL-1B Wide-Angle Wet lens is the way to go. The downside is that it's currently only compatible with Nauticam and Marelux housings. Check out the Underwater Photography Guide's article about the Sony FE 28-60mm F4-F5.6 lens for more information or email us at sales@bluewaterphotostore.com to get set up with this combination.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the new  LAOWA 10mm f/2.8 rectilinear wide angle lens. We had the opportunity to use this lens with the Sony A7C R in Catalina and the image quality was fantastic! As LAOWA's first autofocusing lens, LAOWA did an excellent job making the lens just as fast as any other native Sony lens. Even down to f/7.1 the corners were surprisingly sharp in our images. 

Best Mid-Range Lenses

The Sony 28-70mm F3.5-F5.6, the Sony 24-70mm F4 and the Sony 35mm F2.8 portrait lens are three good mid-range options.

Best Macro Lenses

There are two native Sony lenses that we think are great macro options: the Sony 90mm and 50mm macro. The 90mm has a faster autofocus motor, but if you need to get a little more in your composition, the 50mm macro does an ok job. Recently, we reviewed the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DN DG Art macro lens. It's an excellent and more affordable option to the Sony 90mm with better image quality. However, it is not a great choice for video due to focus breathing. We already mentioned the Sony FE 28-60mm F4-F5.6 lens and how it makes a great wide-angle option when used with a wide-angle wet lens, but combine it with the Nauticam Compact Macro Converter CMC-2, and it becomes a very versatile and highly capable macro set up too.

Canon Lenses for the Sony A7C II

Canon lenses can be attached to the Sony A7C R with the Metabones, Sigma MC-11, or Photodiox adapters, but auto-focus is generally better with Sony lenses. Lenses like the Canon 8-15mm, 16-35mm, 17-40mm, and 100mm can work well. I found that the Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens worked better with the Sigma MC-11 adapter than with the metabones adapter.

Who Should Buy the Sony A7C II?

The Sony A7C II is the perfect camera for someone looking for the best possible underwater image quality for the best price point and most compact size. I would recommend the A7C II to new underwater photographers or folks considering their first upgrade to full-frame. It's also a great option for professional shooters who are looking to downside so they can focus on their traveling rather than the camera.

Conclusions

The Sony A7C II is an impressive little camera. I thoroughly enjoyed bringing it on my underwater photoworkshop to Fiji - a destination notoriously known for baggage limits. In fact, I ended up bringing two full camera systems because the A7C II was so small! The image quality on the A7C II does not compromise - it's the same great full-frame Sony quality that we have always seen. And more impressively, the autofocus system in the A7C II has actually improved over the A7 IV. So if you are a new shooter looking at full-frame cameras or a seasoned shooter thinking about a smaller system, the A7C II should be on your radar.