Lumix S9vs Nikon Z9
Lumix
Lumix S9 (2024)
Starting from £1299 new
Best for Travel photographers, content creators & L-mount entry buyers
View Lumix S9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel Photographers, Content Creators & L-Mount Entry Buyers — Lumix S9 (2024): The most compact full-frame camera available — a perfect travel and content creation companion with brilliant colour science.
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
Lumix S9 (2024)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact package
- Content creators attracted to Real-time LUT and 10-bit video
- Photographers already in the L-mount ecosystem wanting a lightweight second body
- Lumix S5 II users who want something smaller for travel and casual shooting
Nikon Z9 (2021)
- Professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism photographers
- Nikon D6 or D850 users making the final switch to mirrorless
- Those who need the fastest, most reliable AF Nikon has ever made
- Professionals who need a flagship body with no mechanical shutter
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the lumix s9 is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix S9 (2024) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with subject recognition | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 413g (with battery) | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 124.6 × 73.9 × 52.8mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear screen only | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen (touch drag AF) | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix S9 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — |
More comparisons with Lumix S9
Camera family history