Nikon Z9vs ZV-E1
VS
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, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
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
ZV-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the zv-e1 is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Z9 (2021) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,499 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 10fps |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA) | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 1340g body only | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | None — screen only |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Z9 | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — |
More comparisons with Nikon Z9
Camera family history