Nikon Z9vs A7S
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.
Astrophotography & Low-Light — A7S (2014): The original A7S pioneered the concept of a camera optimised entirely for low light. Its 12.2MP sensor has enormous photosites — extraordinary high-ISO performance that still holds up. Lacking IBIS and limited to 1080p internally (4K requires external recorder), it is a specialist tool. For astrophotography, event videography, or any scenario where light is genuinely scarce, it remains outstanding.
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 (2014)
- Astrophotographers
- Low-light event videographers
- Filmmakers needing clean high-ISO footage
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7s is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | A7S (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £600 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 12.2MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.2MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 1080p/60p internal, 4K via HDMI (external recorder) |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Phase-detect / contrast-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | None |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 5fps |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 474g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Multi/Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | A7S |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Street | — | |
| 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