Nikon Z8vs FX3

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon Nikon Z8 Nikon Nikon Z8 (2023) From £3999 Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals View Nikon Z8
VS
Sony FX3 Sony FX3 (2021) From £3799 Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking View FX3

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 Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.

↓ Full specifications below

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

FX3 (2021)

  • Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
  • Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
  • Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
  • Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera

Quick take: The nikon z8 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the fx3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Nikon Z8 (2023)FX3 (2021)
Price £3,999 £3,799
Sensor 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III)
Resolution 45.7MP 12.1MP
Video 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone
Autofocus Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal)
Stabilisation 6-stop IBIS 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops
Burst Rate 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic
Battery Life 330 shots (CIPA) ~640 shots (CIPA)
Weight 910g body only 715g body only (with XLR handle)
Dimensions 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps None — monitor/external EVF use only
Screen 3.2" tilting touchscreen 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating
Mount Nikon Z-mount Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Genre Nikon Z8FX3
Sports & Action
9.0
Wildlife
9.0
Vlogging & Video
9.0
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Portrait
9.0
7.0
Travel
4.0
4.0
Low Light
9.0
Street
4.0
Wedding
7.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Nikon Z8 prices → FX3 prices →

More comparisons with Nikon Z8

Camera family history