EOS R6 Mark IIvs EOS R8vs Nikon Z9
Which should you buy?
Portraits & Action — EOS R6 Mark II (2022): 40fps burst, 8-stop IBIS, and Canon's best-in-class Dual Pixel AF — exceptional for action, sports, and portrait work.
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.
Who should buy what
EOS R6 Mark II (2022)
- You want a do-everything full-frame body for weddings and events
- You need reliable subject tracking across stills and fast-moving video
- You shoot both photos and video professionally and need a single body that handles both
- You want Canon's colour science with a modern mirrorless system
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 eos r6 mark ii, nikon z9 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R6 Mark II (2022) | EOS R8 (2023) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,099 | £1,099 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/60p 10-bit oversampled, 6K RAW out, FHD/180p | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 6072 zones, deep-learning subject tracking | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops (coordinated with IS lenses) | None (no IBIS) | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical, 40fps electronic | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | ~760 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 670g body only | 461g body only | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 138.4 × 98.4 × 88.4mm | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.76× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.1, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
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