Nikon Z9vs FX3
VS
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the fx3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Nikon Z9
Camera family history