Decision tools · Compare
Z9 vs A6100
Quick take: The Z9 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the A6100 is the most affordable; only the Z9 is weather sealed.
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
Z9 — Professional Sports & Wildlife: The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
A6100 — Beginner, Family, Travel: Best autofocus in its class for the price.
Who should buy what
Z9 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A6100 (2019)
is the right camera for you if…
- First-time mirrorless buyers who want solid AF
- Families stepping up from a smartphone
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Z9Nikon · 2021 | A6100Sony · 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,999 | £649Best |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MPBest | 24.2MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K 30fps |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | 425-point phase-detect, real-time tracking |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEGBest | 11fps |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA)Best | 420 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g (body only) | 396g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 119.9 × 66.9 × 59.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | YesBest | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF 0.39" 1.44M-dot |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k-dot |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-Mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | SD UHS-I / Memory Stick |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, Micro USB, Micro HDMI |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Z9
A6100
Portrait
8.2/10
6.7/10
Street
5.0/10
7.3/10
Travel
4.9/10
6.2/10
Wedding & Events
8.4/10
5.1/10
Filmmaking
7.9/10
4.9/10
Documentary
7.6/10
5.2/10
Sports & Action
9.2/10
6.5/10
Landscape
6.7/10
4.9/10
Wildlife
8.9/10
6.9/10
Casual
4.0/10
6.4/10
Food
6.9/10
6.2/10
Macro
6.6/10
5.2/10
Architecture
6.8/10
5.5/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
6.0/10
Vlogging & Video
—
5.9/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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