Upgrade Guide
Nikon Z5 II→Nikon Nikon Z9
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the Z5 II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the Nikon Z9
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Resolution46MP vs 24MP (+21MP)
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StabilisationImproved — 6-stop IBIS
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Burst rate20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG vs 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic
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Battery life740 shots (CIPA) vs ~470 shots (CIPA)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z5 II | Nikon Z9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | ||
| Landscape | -2.0 | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | ||
| Travel | -3.0 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Sports & Action | +5.0 | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Photojournalism | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Z5 II | Nikon Z9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £5,499 | |
| Released | 2024 | 2021 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 46MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | 6-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~470 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 700g body only | 1340g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) | Nikon Z-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
Compare side-by-side
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