Nikon Z8vs Go Gen 2
Nikon
Nikon Z8 (2023)
Starting from £3999 new
Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals
View Nikon Z8
VS
Polaroid
Go Gen 2 (2022)
Starting from £85 new
Best for On-the-go shooting & Polaroid fans who want compact
View Go Gen 2
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.
On-The-Go Shooting & Polaroid Fans Who Want Compact — Go Gen 2 (2022): The most pocketable Polaroid ever — genuinely fits in a jacket pocket and produces beautiful prints with that classic white border.
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
Go Gen 2 (2022)
- Polaroid fans who want classic square prints in the most pocketable body
- Travellers who want an instant camera that genuinely fits in a jacket pocket
- Anyone who finds standard Polaroid cameras too large to carry daily
- A great gift for someone who loves Polaroid but wants something compact
Quick take: The go gen 2 is the most affordable; only the nikon z8 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z8 (2023) | Go Gen 2 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,999 | £85 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | Polaroid Go film (66.6 × 53.9mm / image area 46.4 × 34.7mm) |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | — |
| Video | 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | N/A — instant film camera |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Fixed focus (0.55m–∞) |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | N/A |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | N/A |
| Battery Life | 330 shots (CIPA) | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~20 double packs) |
| Weight | 910g body only | ~211g |
| Dimensions | 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm | 104.9 × 83.9 × 56.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | Real-image optical viewfinder |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | N/A |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Polaroid Go film (16 shots per double pack) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | N/A — instant film only |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth | USB-C (charging) |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z8 | Go Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Parties & Events | — | |
| Low Light | — |
More comparisons with Nikon Z8