Best Flashes for Sony a7C II
The a7C II is a 429 g full-frame body with no pop-up. Flash sync is 1/160 s, not 1/250, and Sony’s own shutter menu turns flash off in Electronic Shutter. The flash that matches this camera is the Sony HVL-F46RMA — GN46, radio commander, and small enough that it does not turn a compact into an F60 tower.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Reviewed August 2026 · Matched to Sony a7C II (ILCE-7CM2) · sync 1/160 s, HSS for faster
GN46, Sony radio in the shoe, ~317 g. The current compact native flash — not the 143 mm F60RM2.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓Round 76 Ws head, SU-1, 2980 mAh, Godox 2.4 GHz in the shoe. Buy the S foot. Heavier than the Sony.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓GN60, P-TTL, HSS, X-system, four AAs. The real budget TTL — not a Neewer V1 clone on a different radio.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate affiliate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Comparison Table
| Product | Power / battery | Radio on a7C II | Size note | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony HVL-F46RMA | GN46 · 4× AA · ~2.0 s Ni-MH | Sony 2.4 GHz commander | ~317 g · 115 mm tall | ~$450–$480 | Check |
| Godox V1Pro S | 76 Ws · 2980 mAh · ~1.3 s | Godox X 2.4 GHz | ~580 g with battery | ~$260–$330 | Check |
| Godox TT685II-S | GN60 · 4× AA · 0.1–2.6 s | Godox X 2.4 GHz | ~405 g · 190 mm tall | ~$110–$140 | Check |
| Sony HVL-F28RMA | GN28 · 2× AA | Sony 2.4 GHz | ~226 g · no swivel | ~$250–$290 | Check |
| Sony HVL-F60RM2 | GN60 · 4× AA · pack port | Sony 2.4 GHz | ~439 g · 143 mm — skip as default | ~$550+ | Check |
How We Picked These Flashes
- The body: Sony ILCE-7CM2 is 32.7 MP full-frame, 124.0 × 71.1 × 63.4 mm, 429 g without battery. Multi Interface Shoe, no built-in tube, no PC sync socket. X-sync is 1/160 s (about 1/200 s in APS-C crop). HSS is listed. Wireless flash needs a separate controller — the body is not a radio commander by itself. Flash compensation ±3 EV. Mechanical shutter for stills up to 1/4000 s; electronic to 1/8000 s. Sony’s Shutter Type page: when Electronic Shutter is selected, flash shooting is not available. 10 fps continuous. One SD slot. The shoe also carries digital audio — a speedlight occupies it.
- The size problem: This camera exists because it is small. HVL-F46RMA is 72.4 × 114.7 × 88.9 mm and 317 g without cells — the current GN46 native (it replaced HVL-F46RM). HVL-F60RM2 is 78.1 × 143.1 × 104.6 mm and 439 g: a real GN60 event light that makes the a7C II look like a grip for the flash. Godox V1Pro S is ~580 g with the pack. Round light is better; balance on a 429 g body is worse. Neewer Z1-S copies the round head and runs its own 2.4 GHz — it is not a Godox or Sony radio remote.
- Two radios: A Sony HVL in the shoe is a Sony radio commander (14 channels, groups) for other HVLs. A Godox S-mount unit is a Godox X-system commander for V1 / TT685 / AD200. They do not share a protocol. Buy the S foot on Godox, not C/N. Sony’s “sync to 1/80,000 s” line on F46RMA/F60RM2 marketing is for compatible global-shutter / high-speed bodies. The a7C II stays at 1/160 s plus HSS on a mechanical shutter.
Best Flashes for Sony a7C II: Detailed Reviews
Sony HVL-F46RMA View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | HVL-F46RMA · B0FF5F3BCS |
|---|---|
| Guide number | 46 (ISO 100, m) · zoom 24–105 mm (15 mm with panel) |
| Head | Tilt −8° to 150° · 180° left/right |
| Power | 4× AA · ~0.1–2.0 s Ni-MH · ~320 full-power pops |
| Wireless | Sony radio · commander / receiver · 14 ch / 5 groups |
| Burst | Up to 60 flashes at 10 fps at 1/32 (Sony spec, Ni-MH) |
Why it fits the a7C II. P-TTL and HSS through the Multi Interface Shoe, plus External Flash Set on a compatible body — that is the native path. GN46 at 105 mm is enough to bounce a ceiling on a compact walkaround. Quick-shift bounce and 180° swivel matter when the a7C II is in portrait. Dust/moisture sealing matches the weather-sealed body better than a bargain plastic shoe. Recycle about 2.0 s on Ni-MH at full power is slower than a Li-ion Godox; that is the AA trade for 317 g. This is the 2025/26 GN46 SKU (RMA). Do not pay F60RM2 money to light a 429 g camera.
Skip this if you already own Godox S-mount strobes — V1Pro S is the commander that talks to them. Skip F46RM listings unless the price is clearly better; RMA is the current outline (9 g heavier, a few millimetres deeper).
- Sony radio + menu control on a compact GN46
- Weight and height that match the a7C II
- AA recycle vs V1Pro Li-ion
- Rectangular head, no magnetic AK-R1 bayonet
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Godox V1Pro S View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | V1Pro S / V1 PRO-S · B0D45LXNLQ |
|---|---|
| Output | 76 Ws · 28–105 mm zoom · ~5600 K |
| Battery | 7.2 V / 2980 mAh · ~1.3 s to 1/1 · ~500 full-power pops |
| TTL / sync | Sony P-TTL · HSS · 1st/2nd curtain |
| Wireless | Godox 2.4 GHz X · master in the shoe · ~100 m |
| Weight | ~580 g with battery |
Why it is Value, not Overall. Round head and SU-1 fill when the main tube is bounced — that is better light than the F46 rectangle. P-TTL and HSS work on the Sony shoe. The X transceiver in the flash is how you run AD200 / V1 remotes without an extra X3 occupying the only MI shoe. 2980 mAh recycles faster than four AAs. The cost is mass: this pack is heavier than the a7C II body. The original V1S is the previous round-head SKU (2600 mAh, no SU-1). V1Pro S is that job in 2026. Buy S, not C or N.
Skip this if the point of the a7C II was a small bag. That is F46RMA or F28RMA. Skip Neewer Z1-S as a substitute — different radio, same silhouette.
- Round 76 Ws + SU-1 + X-system for less than F46RMA
- Li-ion recycle the AA Sony cannot match
- ~580 g on a 429 g body
- Godox radio, not Sony HVL remotes
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Godox TT685II-S View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | TT685II-S · B09W2K4768 |
|---|---|
| Guide number | 60 m / 197 ft at ISO 100, 200 mm |
| Zoom | 20–200 mm auto/manual |
| Head | −7° to 120° tilt · 330° swivel |
| Recycle | 0.1–2.6 s · four AAs |
Why this rectangle. GN60, P-TTL, HSS, TCM (TTL-to-manual lock), and a 2.4 GHz master/slave at street prices the F28RMA cannot touch. 20–200 mm zoom is tighter than the V1’s 105 mm for a tele fill. Ni-MH AAs are the recycle story: 2.6 s at 1/1 is why it is Budget. Confirm the listing is the S foot. USB-C for firmware. This replaces a Neewer round-head clone as the budget TTL.
Skip this if you bounce all night at full power — Li-ion V1Pro. Skip TT685 (non-II) and any TT685-C.
- P-TTL + HSS + X-system for about $120
- GN60 and 200 mm zoom
- AA recycle at 1/1; tall plastic body
- Not Sony radio
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If You Need Something Else
These two are not cheaper versions of the Top 3. One is the pocket native that actually matches the a7C II silhouette. One is the GN60 Sony some compact-body lists still treat as the “pro” default.
Sony HVL-F28RMA View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | HVL-F28RMA · B0F2JLPY5Y |
|---|---|
| Guide number | 28 (ISO 100, m) at 50 mm · 24 mm with wide panel |
| Head | 0–120° tilt · no horizontal swivel |
| Power | 2× AA · 226 g without cells |
| Wireless | Sony radio commander / receiver |
Sony pitches this as the compact-mirrorless flash. On an a7C II that is the honest use: daylight fill, short ceiling bounce, Sony radio to a second HVL. No swivel means portrait bounce is a compromise. GN28 is not an event key light. Current SKU is RMA (226 g, 94.4 mm deep), replacing F28RM.
Skip this if you need 180° swivel or GN46. That is F46RMA.
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Sony HVL-F60RM2 View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | HVL-F60RM2 · B09JX3S93M |
|---|---|
| Guide number | 60 (ISO 100, m) · 20–200 mm |
| Size | 78.1 × 143.1 × 104.6 mm · 439 g without cells |
| Extras | Quick Shift Bounce · external pack port · metal foot |
GN60, 200-frame 10 fps bursts, and a pack socket are real. They are a7 IV / A1 event-kit features. On an a7C II the flash is taller than the camera is thick. If you already own F60RM2, it will P-TTL and command Sony radio just fine. Do not buy one to “unleash” this body. The same skip applies to Profoto A-series as a first speedlight here.
Skip this if the camera is an a7C II and the bag is small. That is the entire point of this row.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is sync really 1/160 s?
Yes, 1/160 s on full-frame. Crop can be a hair faster (~1/200 s). The old FAQ that said “typically 1/250 s” was copying a generic speedlight blurb. Use HSS when you need a wider aperture in daylight. HSS costs guide number.
Can I fire flash in Electronic Shutter?
No. Sony’s a7C II Shutter Type help lists flash shooting as unavailable when Electronic Shutter is selected. Set Mechanical Shutter. This is not an A1 / A9 III global-shutter body.
Will a Godox talk to a Sony HVL off-camera?
Not as one radio family. Shoe TTL can fire either brand on camera. Off-camera groups are Sony-to-Sony or Godox-to-Godox. An X3-S in the shoe still occupies the only Multi Interface Shoe.
Can I keep a shoe mic and a flash?
Not on the same MI shoe. The a7C II has a 3.5 mm mic jack; use that if the flash is in the shoe. Digital MI mics (ECM-B) wait until the speedlight is off.
Final Verdict
The a7C II syncs at 1/160 s, has no pop-up, and will not fire flash in Electronic Shutter. Buy the HVL-F46RMA if you want Sony radio and a compact GN46. Buy the V1Pro S if you want a round head and Godox remotes. TT685II-S is the AA TTL. Skip F60RM2 as the default, skip Neewer as the budget row, and do not treat this body like a 1/250 s or 1/80,000 s camera.