Canon EOS R5 Mark IIvs EOS R8vs Nikon Z9

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon Canon EOS R5 Mark II Canon Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024) From £4299 Best for Hybrid shooters & professionals View Canon EOS R5 Mark II
VS
Canon EOS R8 Canon EOS R8 (2023) From £1099 Best for Full-frame entry View EOS R8
VS
Nikon Nikon Z9 Nikon Nikon Z9 (2021) From £5499 Best for Professional sports & wildlife View Nikon Z9

Which should you buy?

Hybrid Shooters & Professionals — Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024): The most complete hybrid camera Canon has ever made — 45MP stacked BSI, 30fps burst, 8K/60p RAW, and Canon's legendary Dual Pixel AF in one body.

Full-Frame Entry — EOS R8 (2023): Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.

Professional Sports & Wildlife — Nikon Z9 (2021): The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.

↓ Full specifications below

Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024)

  • You're a working photographer or filmmaker who needs high-resolution stills and professional video
  • You shoot commercial, editorial, or high-end portrait work
  • You want the absolute best Canon mirrorless has to offer

EOS R8 (2023)

  • You want full-frame image quality on a tight budget
  • You shoot mainly in good light and can live without built-in stabilisation
  • You primarily shoot stills with occasional video

Nikon Z9 (2021)

  • You shoot professionally and need a camera body that handles everything without compromise
  • You're a sports, wildlife, or commercial photographer who demands the absolute best
  • You want a camera body that will remain state-of-the-art for the next decade

Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the eos r8 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r5 mark ii, nikon z9 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024)EOS R8 (2023)Nikon Z9 (2021)
Price £4,299 £1,099 £5,499
Sensor 45MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 45.0MP 24.2MP 45.7MP
Video 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, Cinema RAW Light 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, AI subject tracking Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS (coordinated with IS lenses) None (no IBIS) 6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG
Battery Life 570 shots (CIPA) ~220 shots (CIPA) 740 shots (CIPA)
Weight 746g body only 461g body only 1340g body only
Dimensions 138.5 × 101.2 × 93.5mm 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm
Weather Sealed Yes No Yes
Viewfinder 0.64" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Canon RF mount (full-frame) Nikon Z-mount
Memory Cards CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II Single SD UHS-II slot Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R5 Mark II prices → EOS R8 prices → Nikon Z9 prices →

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