Nikon Z 9 vs Z 8

Two Nikon flagships with the same 45.7MP stacked FX sensor, EXPEED 7 processor, 493-point AF, electronic-only shutter to 1/32000 s, 3,690k-dot finder, 3.2-inch screen and C15–C120 burst modes. The 2021 Z 9 builds in a vertical grip with the EN-EL18d battery, an RJ-45 Ethernet port, built-in GNSS and two CFexpress slots. The 2023 Z 8 drops the grip for a smaller body that weighs about 910 g ready to shoot and pairs a CFexpress slot with an SD slot.

A black Nikon Z 9 body with its built-in vertical grip, seen from the front — **Nikon Z 9**45.7MP stacked, built-in grip · launched at $5,499.95 in 2021Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

A black Nikon Z 8 with a zoom lens, shown at an angle on a dark reflective surface — **Nikon Z 8**45.7MP stacked, 8K · launched at $3,999.95 in 2023Photo: Henry Söderlund via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (resized)

Side-by-side specs

	Nikon Z 9	Nikon Z 8
Sensor	45.7MP FX, stacked	45.7MP FX, stacked
Processor	EXPEED 7	EXPEED 7
ISO (stills)	64–25600; Lo to ISO 32, Hi to ISO 102400 equivalent	64–25600; Lo to ISO 32, Hi to ISO 102400 equivalent
ISO (movies, mode M)	64–25600; Hi to ISO 102400 equivalent	64–25600; Hi to ISO 102400 equivalent
Autofocus	493 points; −7 to +19 EV (−9 EV with starlight view)	493 points; −7 to +19 EV (−9 EV with starlight view)
Shutter	Electronic only; 1/32000–30 s	Electronic only; 1/32000–30 s
Bursts	Continuous high 10–20 fps; C15/C30/C60/C120	Continuous high 10–20 fps; C15/C30/C60/C120
Viewfinder	0.5-in OLED, about 3,690k dots, 0.8x	0.5-in OLED, about 3,690k dots, 0.8x
Screen	3.2-in, about 2,100k dots, tilts vertically and horizontally	3.2-in, about 2,100k dots, tilts vertically and horizontally
Video	8K UHD to 30p; 4K to 120p; RAW video to 8.3K 60p (N-RAW)	8K UHD to 30p; 4K to 120p; N-RAW 8K to 60p
Card slots	2 × CFexpress Type B/XQD	CFexpress Type B/XQD + SD UHS-II
Body	Integrated vertical grip; RJ-45 Ethernet; built-in GNSS	No integrated grip
Battery (CIPA, energy saving on)	EN-EL18d; about 740 (viewfinder only) / 770 (monitor only)	EN-EL15c; about 340 (viewfinder only) / 370 (monitor only)
Weight (with battery and card)	About 1,340 g (1,160 g body only)	About 910 g (820 g body only)
Size	149 × 149.5 × 90.5 mm	144 × 118.5 × 83 mm
Launch price	Oct 28, 2021; $5,499.95 body-only SRP (US)	May 10, 2023; $3,999.95 body-only SRP (US)

Z 9 specs from Nikon's Z 9 online manual (Specifications, Battery Endurance); Z 8 specs from Nikon's Z 8 online manual (Specifications, Battery Endurance). US launch prices from Nikon Inc., as cited in our Z 9 and Z 8 reviews. ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.

Sample photos

Four photos taken with the Nikon Z9 and four with the Nikon Z8, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.

Sample photo 1 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z9 — Taken with the Nikon Z9. Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (resized)

Sample photo 2 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z9 — Taken with the Nikon Z9. Photo: G. Edward Johnson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 3 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z9 — Taken with the Nikon Z9. Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (resized)

Sample photo 4 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z9 — Taken with the Nikon Z9. Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (resized)

Sample photo 5 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Sardaka via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (resized)

Sample photo 6 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Enoch Leung via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)

Sample photo 7 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Tuxyso via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 8 of 8 taken with the Nikon Z8 — Taken with the Nikon Z8. Photo: Julian Herzog (Website) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)

Who should buy which

Buy the Z 9 if…

You shoot sports or press all day and want about twice the shots per charge.
You want the built-in vertical grip, Ethernet and GNSS in the body.
You want two CFexpress slots.

Buy the Z 8 if…

You want the same 45.7MP images and 20 fps in a body about 430 g lighter.
You want an SD card in the second slot.
You add a grip only when you need one.

Same sensor, processor, AF, shutter, finder, screen and burst modes, so the choice is the body: the Z 9's integrated grip, larger battery, Ethernet, GNSS and dual CFexpress against the Z 8's smaller, lighter body and SD slot. Battery figures are Nikon's CIPA numbers with energy saving on for both cameras (Nikon's manuals also list lower figures with it off). See our full Z 9 and Z 8 reviews, or all comparisons.

Where to buy

Nikon Z 9

Z 9 · body (new or Renewed)

Nikon Z 9: Launched at $5,499.95 in 2021 (Nikon Inc. SRP, body only, October 28, 2021).

Check price (new) Check price (Renewed)
Read the full Nikon Z 9 review

Nikon Z 8

Z 8 · body (new or Renewed)

Nikon Z 8: Launched at $3,999.95 in 2023 (Nikon Inc. SRP, body only, May 10, 2023).

Check price (new) Check price (Renewed)
Read the full Nikon Z 8 review

APERTURE NOTES is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page.