I have analyzed the technical drawings and physical clearance of these recently. If you are worried about the footprint, you have to be careful with full cages. The standard cages add bulk that negates the compact design of the a7C series, tho they do offer better heat dissipation for long video takes.

• SmallRig Cage for Sony Alpha 7C II / 7CR 4422

This is a full wrap. It weighs roughly 152g. It features a hinged arm at the battery door which actually solves the clearance issues people mention. It feels very secure but it does make the camera wider.

• Falcam F38 Quick Release Camera Cage for Sony A7C II / A7CR

This model is geared toward the Falcam ecosystem. It is slightly thinner on the sides than the SmallRig. The integrated F38 plate is great if you use their tripods. Battery access is fine, but it lacks the hinged arm design.

• SmallRig Bottom Mount Plate for Sony Alpha 7C II / 7CR 4424

This is technically not a cage but a baseplate. It provides an Arca-Swiss mount and improves the grip height by about 10mm without covering the top of the camera. If you are just going on a trip and dont need a bunch of accessories like monitors or microphones, the bottom plate is probably the most logical choice. It keeps the aesthetic while giving you the functionality you actually need for tripod mounting. It is basically the slimmest way to add a mounting plate without ruinng the form factor.

Tbh I disagree about needing a full cage. The SmallRig L-Shape Grip for Sony A7C II A7CR 4438 is way cheaper and adds zero width to the 124mm body! Amazing budget win.

Quickly replying before I head out... been using the a7CR for a bit now and honestly I'm so satisfied with the protection. I'm a bit of a stickler for keeping my gear mint, especially for resale later. Quick question though, what kind of lenses are you taking? If you're using heavy glass, that might change things for your balance. I actually went through three different setups before landing on the Tilta Half Camera Cage for Sony a7C II / a7CR Black which usually runs around 45 bucks. It works well because it gives you the mounting points on the left but keeps the grip side feeling like the original camera. I had a nightmare experience with a cheap cage once where the screw loosened and scratched the bottom plate, but this Tilta one is rock solid. No complaints at all about the battery or port access, and it feels way safer than going naked.

Huh interesting. I had no idea. The more you know I guess 🤷