The Nikon D850 and the Nikon Z9 are both formidable cameras from different eras. The D850 is arguably the best general-purpose DSLR ever made, whereas the Nikon Z9 is Nikon’s first mirrorless flagship, combining the high resolution of the D850 and the speed of a camera like the Nikon D6 (with some mirrorless magic thrown in). If you’re a current D850 owner or are deciding on your first high-end Nikon camera, there’s a good chance you might be choosing between these two amazing cameras. If so, here’s how they stack up.
Nikon D850 vs Nikon Z9 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon D850 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | July 2017 | October 2021 |
| Camera Type | DSLR | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | BSI CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | EXPEED 5 | EXPEED 7 |
| Resolution | 45.7 MP | 45.4 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 8256×5504 | 8256×5504 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.35µ | 4.35µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 64 | ISO 64 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 25,600 | ISO 25,600 |
| Extended ISOs | 32-102,400 | 32-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | Yes |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 900 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 7 FPS | No mechanical shutter |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 7 FPS | 20 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | Up to 9 FPS with MB-D18 grip | 20 FPS figure is for .NEF files (full-res JPEG at 30 FPS; DX JPEG at 60 FPS; 11 megapixel JPEG at 120 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 200 | Over 1000 |
| Autofocus System | Phase Detect | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 153 | 493 |
| Low-Light AF Sensitivity (f/2 Lens, ISO 100) | -4 EV | -7 EV |
| Voice Memo | No | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/200 |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 12 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | No | Yes |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | N/A | 60 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 125 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | CFExpress Type B | CFExpress Type B |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type B |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.2 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.36 million | 2.1 million |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Dual Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism / OVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.75x | 0.8x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | 3.69 million |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| GPS | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type A 3.0 | Type C 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15a | EN-EL18d |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 1840 frames | 700 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | N/A 1 | 740 frames |
| Battery Life (Eco Mode) | N/A | 770 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 1005 g (2.22 lbs.) | 1340 g (2.95 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 146 x 124 x 79mm (5.7 x 4.9 x 3.1″) | 149 x 150 x 106 mm (5.9 x 5.9 x 4.2″)2 |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $3000 (Check Current Price) | $5500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Nikon D850 Used Prices | Nikon Z9 Used Prices |
| 1 Not specified by Nikon | ||
| 2 The Nikon Z9’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match the standards of other manufacturers, 15mm were added to the Z9’s depth measurement in this table. | ||
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Summary and Recommendations
Both the D850 and the Z9 are certainly impressive, but it’s clear that the Z9 comes out ahead in almost every way except weight and viewfinder battery life. D850 users upgrading to a Z9 will find plenty of new features to like, even in areas where the D850 already excelled (like autofocus and buffer). In fact, going from a D850 to a Z9 is like upgrading to a high-resolution D6 with all the enhancements mirrorless has to offer. Unless you’re allergic to electronic viewfinders, you will almost certainly find the Z9 to be the better camera.
The Z9 also presents significantly upgraded video capabilities. Most previous Nikon DSLRs do not have a great video, and there is no possibility of using the viewfinder on a DSLR when recording video. The video codecs and framerates are much better on the Z9, too.
That said, in real-world performance, the Nikon D850 can still keep up in many situations. Although it doesn’t have the ridiculously deep buffer or the 20 FPS of the Z9, for all but the most difficult situations, the D850 can still nail excellent photos of difficult subjects like birds in flight and almost any other genre of photography. Having tested both cameras side-by-side, the actual image quality is extremely similar – ISO performance, dynamic range, and detail are comparable on both cameras, so pure image quality is not a smart reason to pick the Z9 over the D850.
If you’re considering buying either of these cameras for the first time rather than upgrading, the D850 is also more compact and lighter than the Z9. Considering the D850 can be bought fairly cheaply used these days, it is an excellent option for more budget-conscious shooters.
Personally, as a wildlife photographer, I would go for the Z9 these days, especially because of the electronic-only shutter, and because I enjoy taking wildlife video. But, as amazing as the Z9 is, a used D850 and some F-mount lenses will already be more than what a typical professional requires. So, you can comfortably get either camera without a problem, even though the Z9 is newer and has some more advanced features.
Thanks for the useful comparison. My analysis ended similarly. As a current D850 owner, I wanted to know whether the upgrade was worth it and in my opinion it is not. The larger buffer is only marginally better when shooting uncompressed RAW, the smart-autofocus and the improved low-light performance simply don’t justify the investment. Especially for those who already have the D850 fully kitted, complete with the MB-D18 battery grip and EN-EL18d battery, which help to improve both autofocus and FPS performance and thus further thinning the marginal line between the two cameras.
I am holding out for the next generation with further developed advanced AI autofocus and perhaps even a next generation sensor.
I agree Christian with the analysis and your conclusion. I also use a D850 alongside a D5 and, I think have most situations covered. My passion is wildlife and especially large predators, big cats and bears and consequently I am usually using several large lenses. I find the extra grip inbuilt on the D5 and added to my D850 give more stability but still need either monopod or tripod for the weight.
The improvements to autofocus are interesting however a greater shoot rate is largely irrelevant for me as the burst options I already have take up enough time in post evaluation.
I’ll stick with what I have.
I have both and the only thing big difference I notice is in the buffer, which is both good and bad. Good because I can practically keep the shutter down for as long as I want to, bad because this requires larger memory cards and hard drives to handle. When taking pictures of running events the D850 buffer is sometimes a bit limiting.