Nikon Z9vs OM-D E-M10 IV
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Travel & Everyday — OM-D E-M10 IV (2020): Compact Micro Four Thirds body with built-in IBIS — ideal for travellers who want stability without bulk.
Who should buy what
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
OM-D E-M10 IV (2020)
- Beginners and enthusiasts who want a compact, stylish Micro Four Thirds camera
- Travellers who want a small, light system without sacrificing image quality
- Smartphone upgraders who want a proper camera that still fits in a bag
- Anyone who wants built-in selfie capability in a traditional camera body
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the om-d e-m10 iv is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | OM-D E-M10 IV (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £469 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.3MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Phase-detect + contrast detect, 121 points |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 15fps |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~360 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 383g body only |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 121.4 × 83.6 × 49.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.46× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | OM-D E-M10 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | — |
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