Nikon Z9vs A7R VI
Sony
A7R VI (2025)
Starting from £4399 new
Best for Studio, landscape and commercial photographers needing maximum resolution
View A7R VI
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.
Studio, Landscape And Commercial Photographers Needing Maximum Resolution — A7R VI (2025): The A7R VI cements its place as the resolution flagship of the Sony full-frame range — 61MP, AI-driven autofocus, and 8K video make it as capable for video and action work as it is for studio and landscape photography. The price reflects its position at the top of the lineup, but the capability is hard to match.
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
A7R VI (2025)
- Studio and commercial photographers who need maximum resolution for large prints and heavy cropping
- Landscape photographers who want best-in-class dynamic range and detail
- Hybrid shooters who need 8K video alongside a 61MP stills sensor
- Professionals upgrading from the A7R V who want faster AI-driven autofocus
Quick take: The a7r vi has the highest resolution at 61mp; the a7r vi is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | A7R VI (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £4,399 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 61MP full-frame stacked back-illuminated CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 61.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 8K 30fps, 4K 120fps oversampled |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | AI processing unit — subject recognition for people, animals, birds and vehicles across the frame |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | In-body 5-axis IS, up to 8.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 8fps mechanical / 7fps electronic with full AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA, NP-FZ100) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 723g (body with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 131.3 × 96.9 × 82.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 9.44M-dot, up to 120fps |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.2-inch 4-axis multi-angle touchscreen, 3.69M-dot |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual slots — CFexpress Type A / SD (UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.5GbE |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | A7R VI |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Nikon Z9
Camera family history