Nikon Z9vs OM-5
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.
Outdoor & Adventure — OM-5 (2022): The toughest camera at this price — IP53 weather sealing and 7.5-stop IBIS built for adventure photographers.
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-5 (2022)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need a compact, weather-sealed body
- Travellers who want MFT's compact size with pro-level weather protection
- E-M5 III owners upgrading to OM System's improved subject detection
- Photographers who want strong IBIS and rugged build without OM-1 pricing
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the om-5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | OM-5 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £899 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/60p, 4K/120p Cinema4K |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Phase-detect, 121 all-cross points, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 7.5 stops (Dual IS with compatible lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 30fps electronic, 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 414g body only |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 122.3 × 87.6 × 49.7mm |
| 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 | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | OM-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Outdoor & Adventure | — | |
| 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