Upgrade Guide
Nikon Z30→Nikon Nikon Z9
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Z30. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the Nikon Z9
-
Resolution46MP vs 21MP (+25MP)
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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Burst rate20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG vs 11fps
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Battery life740 shots (CIPA) vs ~300 shots (CIPA)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z30 | Nikon Z9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | -2.0 | ||
| Travel | -5.0 | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports & Action | +5.0 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Photojournalism | — | ||
| Landscape | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Z30 | Nikon Z9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £479 | £5,499 | |
| Released | 2022 | 2021 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | |
| Resolution | 21MP | 46MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p, 4K/60p (with crop), 1080p/120p | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 209 points, subject tracking (human/animal/vehicle) | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 6-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~300 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 405g body only | 1340g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | None | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Nikon Z-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
Compare side-by-side
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