Nikon Z9vs A7S II
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S II
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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7s ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Nikon Z9
Camera family history