DJI Osmo Pocket 3vs Nikon Z8vs Nikon Z9

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

DJI DJI Osmo Pocket 3 DJI DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (2023) From £379 Best for Vloggers, travellers & content creators View DJI Osmo Pocket 3
VS
Nikon Nikon Z8 Nikon Nikon Z8 (2023) From £3999 Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals View Nikon Z8
VS
Nikon Nikon Z9 Nikon Nikon Z9 (2021) From £5499 Best for Professional sports & wildlife View Nikon Z9

Which should you buy?

Vloggers, Travellers & Content Creators — DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (2023): A 1-inch sensor on a 3-axis gimbal in a palm-sized body — the Osmo Pocket 3 makes cinematic stabilised footage as simple as pressing record.

Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals — Nikon Z8 (2023): Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.

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

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (2023)

  • You travel and want cinema-quality stabilised video in your pocket
  • You vlog solo and need reliable automatic subject tracking
  • You want significantly better image quality than a smartphone gimbal

Nikon Z8 (2023)

  • You need Z9-level performance in a more travel-friendly and portable body
  • You shoot wildlife, weddings, or sport and need exceptional resolution with speed
  • You want the best Nikon mirrorless body available without carrying the full Z9

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 z8 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the dji osmo pocket 3 is the most affordable; only the nikon z8, nikon z9 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (2023)Nikon Z8 (2023)Nikon Z9 (2021)
Price £379 £3,999 £5,499
Sensor 1-inch CMOS 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 20.0MP 45.7MP 45.7MP
Video 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus Omnidirectional obstacle sensing + face/subject tracking AF Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation 3-axis mechanical gimbal 6-stop IBIS 6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 20fps 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG
Battery Life 166 mins video (CIPA) 330 shots (CIPA) 740 shots (CIPA)
Weight 179g 910g body only 1340g body only
Dimensions 46.0 × 33.5 × 139.8mm 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm
Weather Sealed No Yes Yes
Viewfinder None 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen 2.0" rotating OLED touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Fixed 20mm-equiv f/2.0 lens Nikon Z-mount Nikon Z-mount
Memory Cards Single microSD Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD
Connectivity USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN
⚡ Compare specs side by side DJI Osmo Pocket 3 prices → Nikon Z8 prices → Nikon Z9 prices →

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