While Sony has been in the full-frame mirrorless game for three generations of camera bodies, giants like Nikon, Canon, and Panasonic are now following suit. The $4,500 Sony A9 represents the pinnacle of Sony’s mirrorless technology, and is the first mirrorless camera that professional sports photographers could really take seriously. But how does it stack up to the $3,400 Nikon Z 7, a high-resolution heavy hitter that still touts a decent amount of speed?
To be clear, these are not directly competing models. The A9 is all about performance, delivering a top burst rate of 20 fps with no viewfinder blackout. The Z 7, on the other hand, strikes a balance between high resolution and performance, offering nearly twice as many pixels but only half the continuous shooting speed — it also costs $1,100 less. Picking a winner isn’t so much about finding the better camera, it’s about figuring out what you want to shoot. The Nikon Z 7 hasn’t dethroned the mirrorless sports king, but its high-resolution sensor may make it the better option for other genres, like portraits and landscapes.
Nikon Z 7
Sony a9
| Sensor | 24.2-megapixel full frame sensor | 45.7-megapixel full-frame sensor |
| Burst Speed | Up to 20 fps (12 fps uncompressed RAW) | up to 9 fps (5.5 fps with viewfinder) |
| Shutter Speed | 1/8000 to 30 sec. | 1/8000 to 30 sec. |
| ISO | 100-51,200 (expanded 50-102,400) | 100-25,600 (32-102,400 expanded) |
| 693-point hybrid phase detection contrast detection with AF assist beam; detection range EV-3 to EV +20 | 493-point hybrid phase-detection contrast AF with AF assist beam; detection range -1 to +19 (-4 to +19 EV with low light AF mode) | |
| Image Stabilization | 5-axis sensor-shift stabilization rated at 5 stops (can vary be lens specifications) | 5-axis sensor-shift stabilization rated at five stops (3-axis for non-VR lenses) |
| Video | 4K at 30 fps, 8-bit XAVC S | 4K at 30 fps, external 10-bit N-Log |
| Viewfinder | 0.5-inch, 3686k-dot OLED with eye sensor | 0.5-inch 3690k-dot OLED with eye sensor |
| LCD | 2.95-inch 1.4 million dot tilting touchscreen | 3.2-inch 2.1 million dot tilting touchscreen |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth |
| Battery | Li-ion rated at 480 shots | Li-ion rated at 330 shots |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 5 x 3.875 x2.5 inch | 5.3 x 4 x 2.7 inch |
| Weight | 20.7 oz. | 20.7 oz. |
| Kit Lens | Available body only, with 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 lens, or with 24-70mm lens | Available body only, or with a 24-70mm f/4 |
| Price | $4,498 body-only | $3,400 body-only |