Z30vs Nikon Z9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Everyday Video — Z30 (2022): Nikon's lightest Z-mount body — no fuss, excellent subject tracking, and a flip screen for creators.
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
Z30 (2022)
- Vloggers and content creators who don't need an EVF
- Beginners entering the Nikon Z system at the lowest price point
- Streamers who want a compact interchangeable-lens camera for desk use
- Travel and lifestyle shooters who want a compact APS-C Z body
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 z30 is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z30 (2022) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £479 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 4K/60p (with crop), 1080p/120p | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 209 points, subject tracking (human/animal/vehicle) | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | ~300 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 405g body only | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 127.5 × 73.5 × 59.5mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input, micro HDMI | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z30 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history