Nikon Z9vs RX100 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.
Travel & Vlogging — RX100 VI (2018): The RX100 VI trades fast apertures for a remarkable 24-200mm zoom range — giving it more versatility than any previous model. 4K/30p, 24fps burst, a pop-up EVF, and an articulating screen round out an exceptional compact package. Variable aperture limits low-light performance at the long end, but for travel and events where reach matters, there is no practical alternative at this size.
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
RX100 VI (2018)
- Travel photographers who need versatile reach in a pocketable body
- Vloggers and content creators who need 4K and an articulating screen
- Event photographers who want discreet, capable wide-to-tele coverage
- Wildlife and sports enthusiasts who want a compact travel option
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the rx100 vi is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | RX100 VI (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £700 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch BSI Stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p, 960fps HFR |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Fast Hybrid AF, 315 phase-detect points, Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 24fps |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~240 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 301g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | Pop-up EVF, 2.35M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single SD / Memory Stick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | RX100 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Portrait | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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