Nikon Z8 or Z9 - Which is the right camera for YOU?

[@irbis8801]

Because of I most of the time go to shoot photos in Himalayas , I also prefer Z8.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

That sounds very interesting!

[@jamesmcghie9612]

Great and honest comparison.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@joeyret.617]

Thanks for the video. I finally decided on the z8 mainly because of price since I would also have to spend on glass. I just carry 3 batteries, and 2 CF 560 cards with me and those issues have been solved. I did purchase a battery grip that I sometimes use for wild life, but not the one from Nikon and just went with a third-party battery grip from Neewer and it works perfectly. BTW the Z8 and the 24-120mm f4 s lens is one heck of a landscape kit. The extra two batteries are not Nikon batteries. They are Small Rig batteries for the Nikon z8, no issues with these batteries, love how you can recharge them on a hike with a power pack that I keep in my backpack. Excellent product! Anyways that's it, if anyone is interested in how I do it.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks for sharing

[@ath3263]

Great to see this comparison

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@duncanwallace7760]

Very good discussion. I am really enjoying my Z9, although it can be heavy to hike with.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thank you 😊

[@csayban]

Great video. Size and price are two of the factors for me. But in addition, I've been using the D850 for years and I have a stockpile of batteries that are compatible with the Z8 so I don't have to buy a bunch of new batteries. I only wish the Z8 had two CF Express slots. Maybe in the Mark II?

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

That would be nice

[@mike.woolley]

Wonderful pictures 😊 One thing you didn’t mention is how the Z8 grip is a big & ugly carbuncle which is very hard to get on & off. I can’t imagine trying to take the battery door off the Z8 out in the wild in harsh conditions!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks for sharing your experiences

[@MS-yk3yu]

Hi! I just adore your videos and has helped me become a better shooter. I required more help. I shoot with R6 2 and have 24-70, 100-400 mark2 and 200-800. I find 200-800 slow especially during dawn and dusk. I have a choice of buying used ef600 f4 2 for us$ 4770 and 500 f4-2 for 3570. Which one should I go in for if at all. Or should I stick to the gear I have. Would love your insightful opinion and suggestion Thanks and regards. Keep posting more such informative videos

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Both are very nice options if you want more light - just keep in mind the weight. I made a comparison of the EF500/4 II and 600/4 II, maybe this could help you

[@MS-yk3yu]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography Thank you very much. I have gone through your comparison video. Looking forward to more of your valuable videos

[@jeffbronson3696]

You two are the only reviewers who have mentioned the issue with Nikon’s Telephoto lens’ manual focus ring placement being too far back on the lenses; especially on the 800pf, 600mm tc and 400mm tc. With the focus rings being so far back, do you think it substantially reduces the ergonomics and enjoyment of using the big Nikon primes? I can’t imagine having to handhold the 600mm tc and simultaneously do hand acrobatics just to manual focus. Just thinking about it is giving my hand cramps 😅.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! I used the Z 600/4 TC handheld for 90% of the time. But yes, the focussing ring is annoying and it does take some hand acrobatics. It works and you kind of get used to it, but I clearly prefer the positing of my RF600/4

[@stevenlui8105]

I’ve got a Z9 and a Zf and think they compliment each other quite well. Z8 is just a Z9 without the vertical grip and powered by a smaller battery. Regardless I wouldn’t be shooting either of these cameras handheld together with my Z600mm F4 TC but always go with my tripods and fluid head.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! For me a tripod is too heavy and cumbersome in most situations

[@johnforbes4795]

Great discussion! I own both the Nikon Z8 and Z9 and agree almost entirely with the comments from both of you. The one obvious point of disagreement is regarding price. I checked on B&H Photo here in the States and the current price for the Z8 is just under $3800 (you stated $4500) and the Z9 has a current price of just under $5500 (you stated $5800). That difference of $1700 between the two cameras is greater than the $1300 difference your figures would imply, as well as being cheaper. For my part, when it's a heavy duty shooting situation I grab the Z9, but for grab and go situations I use the Z8. I often shoot them in parallel (Peak Design Slide shoulder straps on both my right and left shoulders) and it's interesting to me how I'll shoot a burst with the Z9 (with say the Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8), then immediately shoot a burst or single shots with the Z8 (with or without the Nikon battery grip and perhaps the Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 lens) and they feel remarkably similar from an ergonomic viewpoint. By far the biggest difference is battery life.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks! Maybe I made a mistake with the US prices, I‘m more used to Europe

[@johnforbes4795]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography That's easy to do. I'm usually guessing when I think of Euro's or Pound Sterling. And, while I take thousands of photos on a regular basis, I really work in the financial area. 🙂

[@derrickm9808]

Also nice to me is the Z8 is more stealthy with it's relatively compact size for when I want to do a little street shooting or other public situation. I think they are both awesome cameras though I have never tried a Z9,I can tell a lot from my Z8.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Yes, also a good point 😊

[@brianmckeever5280]

Tremendous images!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Thanks

[@naturealbums]

Hard choice. I have big hands even so I wouldn't have minded a smaller Z8. It's what it can do and portability is what I'm most interested. Z8 is my choice. I'm more likely to leave a Z9 size cam and take smaller. I use Canon still and still remember the days of my 1d series.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Have fun with it

[@gianlucaschivo5089]

I have a z9 and I tried a zeta 8 both with 180/600, shots on common owl and the z9 with bird recognition always hooked the subject's eye even sometimes when it was closed while the z8 struggled to recognize the subject and never hooked the eye. Same settings. For me from what I could try it is a big difference for an animal photographer. Then I am always struck by how the z9 nine hooks the subject just by pointing at it, the white square immediately positions itself on the subject's eye

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Did you have the latest firmware on both of them? The bird eye detection was introduced several months later on the Z8

[@SundayRacers]

Interesting you mention the big battery, faster AF theory when speaking about the D850. This is something that I've read about a lot. Some people believe that it's true, others not. I had a D850 for a while and used it with and without a battery grip, but I didn't think to check if the AF was quicker with the grip and the bigger battery and not something I really noticed in the field

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

To be honest, I never tested it. I just heard it from other people and know that in Canon cameras the bigger batteries (higher voltage) were able to drive the AF motor faster

[@SundayRacers]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography I think it’s a myth to be honest

[@Mr09260]

I would love the Z9 but my Z8 fits so nice and gets into the action faster

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Do you mean in gets in action faster because of the weight?

[@mw-wc4vw]

Hello, how about Z6III, any good for wildlife photography? Curious of your opinion.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

I did a review of the Z6 III a few weeks ago

[@bobbullethalf]

Z8!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Enjoy

[@edwardlong189]

I have a Z8 with the extra grip. Works well has a bit of ‘heft’ to it. Looking at the z9…..hmmm

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Can you try it somewhere?

[@ericaceous1652]

Much prefer the size of the Z8 - mainly wish that it had inbuilt GPS like the Z9!

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Maybe in a Z8 II?

[@ericaceous1652]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography 🤞🤞

[@jganderpnw]

Neither, mirrorless is a joke.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

Why? They are without a doubt the best cameras from Nikon

[@jganderpnw]

@@FabianFoppNaturephotography constant sensor cover malfunction, extremely overpriced, obsessive focus on video capabilities by Nikon, battery consumption, no optical viewfinder, CF express memory cards are overpriced, weight is barely less less than a DSLR, require an adapter to use F- mount glass that makes size awkward, ergonomics not friendly to large hands, generally pushed into market before quirks are resolved ( frequent recalls), my 500, D750, D850 are just as capable if not more than any mirrorless camera Nikon has offered so far….mirrorless are different, not necessarily better. The camera does not take the photograph, the photographer does.

[@FabianFoppNaturephotography]

I recall several issues with the D600 😉 maybe it’s personal preference but I clearly prefer CFexpress over anything else, I don’t want to go back to an optical viewfinder and also don’t miss the bird eye AF. But of course, you can still take nice photos with DSLRs as well.

[@Lowns_300]

​@jganderpnw who's got you in your feelings?