Nikon Z9vs Sony FX30
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.
Video Creators & Filmmakers — Sony FX30 (2022): The Cinema Line entry point — S-Cinetone colour science, 4K/120p, and XLR audio in a compact, affordable body that punches far above its 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
Sony FX30 (2022)
- Filmmakers and video creators who want a dedicated cinema-style APS-C body
- Content creators who need S-Cinetone and S-Log3 in a compact form factor
- A6700 owners who want cinema-style ergonomics and a full-size HDMI port
- Video professionals who want Sony's colour science without full-frame pricing
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the sony fx30 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | Sony FX30 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 26.1MP APS-C BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 26.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/120p, 4K/60p S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Real-time tracking AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis Active IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 20fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 579g body only |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 129.7 × 77.8 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | None (EVF optional via XLR handle) |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | Sony FX30 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Documentary | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| 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