Second to None

Nikon’s flagship mirrorless camera – the Z9 – was announced worldwide in end October 2021 and reviewed by Smart Photography in March 2022. The Z9 almost immediately became the favourite of Nikon users and several prospective buyers had to wait for over a year to own one.

- Rohinton Mehta

In less than 19 months from that date, Nikon has surprised us again with another high-end mirrorless camera – the Z8. The Z8 embodies several features from the Z9, but at a lower cost and a smaller form factor. The question fervently asked these days is “Is the Z8 as good as the Z9?” Read all about it here…

Design & Build Quality

The Z8 is very well designed, having a robust body and great ergonomics. The exterior is made from an environmentally-friendly material that is tough and can withstand a temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius. The body weighs approximately 910 g with the battery and memory card. The Z8 body is made in Thailand.

Key Features

What are the key changes between the Z9 and the new, Z8? 1. 

Weight: The Z8 body weighs approx. 910 g; the Z9 is approx. 1340 g. 2.

Size: The Z8 body is visibly smaller (144 x 118.5 x 83 mm) than the Z9 body (149 x 149.5 x 90.5 mm)

3. Memory card slots: The Z8 has two slots – one for CFexpress Type B/ XQD, the other for SD UHS II; the Z9 also has two slots, but both are for CFexpress Type B/XQD.

4. Battery: The Z8 has a smaller battery (EN-EL 15c); the Z9 uses a much larger and more expensive EN-EL 18d.

5. Battery grip: Optional (MB-N12) with the Z8; the Z9 has a built-in grip.

6. Video recording: The Z8 can record 8K 30p video for 1.5 hours and 4K 60p for about 2 hours; The Z9 does 8K 30p for 2 hours and 4K 60p endlessly. While both – the Z8 and the Z9 – allow 8K video recording at 30 fps, the Z8 allows 4k recording at 60p, while the Z9 allows 4k recording at 120p.