Nikon Z9vs A7 IV
VS
Which should you buy?
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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Who should buy what
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
A7 IV (2021)
- You want a high-resolution full-frame all-rounder for portraits, weddings, or travel
- You're stepping up from APS-C or a DSLR and want the best all-round full-frame body under £3,000
- You shoot a mix of stills and video and need a single body that handles both seriously
- You want access to the widest lens ecosystem in the mirrorless market
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7 iv is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
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