Decision tools · Compare
Z9 vs A7 V
Quick take: The Z9 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the A7 V is the most affordable.
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.
A7 V — Portrait, Wedding, Travel, Video: The definitive full-frame mirrorless. Hard to argue for anything else at this 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
A7 V (2025)
is the right camera for you if…
- A7 III or A7 IV owners ready for a meaningful upgrade
- Photographers who want one camera to cover everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Z9Nikon · 2021 | A7 VSony · 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,999 | £2,399Best |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | Full-frame BSI-CMOS 35mm, partially stacked |
| Resolution | 45.7MPBest | 33.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K 60fps 10-bit |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition (human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEGBest | 10fps mechanical, 20fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | 760 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 1340g (body only) | 514g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 70.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF 0.90× 9.44M-dot |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.44M-dot |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-Mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Slot 1 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II, slot 2 SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 |
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
A7 V
Portrait
8.2/10
8.9/10
Street
5.0/10
6.9/10
Travel
4.9/10
6.7/10
Wedding & Events
8.4/10
9.0/10
Filmmaking
7.9/10
8.1/10
Documentary
7.6/10
8.5/10
Sports & Action
9.2/10
9.2/10
Landscape
6.7/10
7.1/10
Wildlife
8.9/10
9.1/10
Casual
4.0/10
5.6/10
Food
6.9/10
8.2/10
Macro
6.6/10
7.9/10
Architecture
6.8/10
7.2/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
7.8/10
Vlogging & Video
—
6.6/10
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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