Nikon Z8vs Nikon Z9
Nikon
Nikon Z8 (2023)
Starting from £3999 new
Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals
View Nikon Z8
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals — Nikon Z8 (2023): Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.
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
Nikon Z8 (2023)
- Professional photographers who want Z9 capability in a smaller body
- Wildlife and sports shooters who want 8K RAW and 120fps burst
- Z6 III or Z7 II owners upgrading to pro-grade performance
- Hybrid professionals who need the best Nikon video and stills in one 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 z8 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z8 (2023) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,999 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | 330 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 910g body only | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z8 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | ||
| 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