Nikon Z9vs OM-3
VS
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
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, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the om-3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | OM-3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £999 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 414g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | OM-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — |
More comparisons with Nikon Z9
Camera family history