Z50 IIvs Nikon Z9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
All-Round Photography — Z50 II (2024): Nikon's updated APS-C body with 4K/60p, improved subject tracking, and a vari-angle screen — a solid all-rounder.
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
Z50 II (2024)
- Beginners stepping into the Nikon Z system wanting improved autofocus
- Content creators who want APS-C Z quality with subject detection AF
- Z50 owners who want meaningfully better AF performance for people and pets
- Travel photographers wanting a compact, capable Z body at an accessible price
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 z50 ii is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z50 II (2024) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K/60p uncropped, 1080p/120p, N-Log | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 249 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 11fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 385g body only | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 96.8 × 66.5mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | 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 | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z50 II | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — |
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