Nikon Zfvs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street & Travel Photography — Nikon Zf (2023): Full-frame performance in a stunning retro body — the Zf's 8-stop IBIS and gorgeous design make it uniquely compelling.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
Who should buy what
Nikon Zf (2023)
- Photographers who want full-frame Z quality in a retro-styled body
- Street and travel photographers attracted to the classic dial aesthetic
- Zfc owners who want to step up to full-frame without losing the retro design
- Anyone who wants the best-looking full-frame mirrorless available
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The nikon zf has the highest resolution at 24mp; the nikon zf is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Nikon Zf (2023) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.5MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p oversampled, FHD/120p, N-Log, 10-bit | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~380 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 710g with battery | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 144.0 × 103.0 × 49.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Nikon Zf | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Nikon Zf
Camera family history