Z6vs Nikon Z9
VS
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel, Portrait, Video — Z6 (2018): Nikon's proof of concept — and a genuinely excellent camera.
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
Z6 (2018)
- Nikon DSLR users making their first move to mirrorless
- Photographers who want full-frame Nikon glass on a budget
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 z6 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z6 (2018) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £749 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.5MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 4K 30fps (full-width), 1080p 120fps | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | 273-point phase-detect hybrid AF | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 12fps | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | 310 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 585g (body only) | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 67.5mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.80× 3.69M-dot | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M-dot | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-Mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single XQD / CFexpress Type B | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z6 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | — |
More comparisons with Z6
Camera family history