With Canon’s announcement of the EOS R5 Mark II, they certainly took aim at Nikon’s Z8. Both cameras are high-speed, high-resolution options that are made to be versatile enough for any type of photography. How do they compare head to head? Here’s what you need to know.
Nikon Z8 vs Canon EOS R5 II Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon Z8 | Canon EOS R5 II |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | May 2023 | July 2024 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | EXPEED 7 | DIGIC X + Accelerator |
| Resolution | 45.7 MP | 45.0 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 8256×5504 | 8192×5464 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 36.0 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.35µ | 4.39µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | Yes |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 64 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 25,600 | ISO 51,200 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 32-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | Yes | No |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | Yes (JPEG only) | Yes |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/32000 | 1/32,000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 900 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | No mechanical shutter | 12 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 20 FPS | 30 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | 20 FPS figure is for .NEF files (full-res JPEG at 30 FPS; DX JPEG at 60 FPS; 11 megapixel JPEG at 120 FPS) | None |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | Over 1000 frames (20 FPS) | 93 frames (30 FPS), 230 frames (12 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 493 | 1053 |
| Photographer’s-Eye-Sensing AF | N/A | Yes |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -7.5 EV | -6 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/250 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | Yes | Yes |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 12 bits | 12 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 12 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | Yes | Yes |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 60 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 90 min | No limit |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | CFExpress Type B | CFExpress Type B |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.2 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.1 million dots | 2.1 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Dual Axis | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8x | 0.76x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3.69 million dots | 5.76 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Two Type C 3.2 Gen 2 ports | Type C 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15c | LP-E6P |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 910 g (2.01 lbs.) | 746 g (1.64 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 144 x 119 x 88 mm (5.7 x 4.7 x 3.5″)1 | 139 x 101 x 94 mm (5.5 x 4.0 x 3.7″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $4000 (Check Current Price) | $4300 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Nikon Z8 Used Prices | Canon EOS R5 II Used Prices |
| 1The Nikon Z8’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match the typical standards today, 5mm were added to the Z8’s depth measurement in this table. | ||
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Summary and Recommendations
As you can see, even though there are a lot of individual differences, the two cameras are on a very similar level overall. To me, some of the biggest strengths of the Nikon Z8 are its critical image quality. With base ISO 64 and the ability to use a high-resolution sensor shift mode (plus the lack of an anti-aliasing filter), I would tend to prefer the Nikon Z8 for something like architectural or landscape photography. It can also focus in lower light than the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, and it can natively use shutter speeds up to 900 seconds long, which also make it a stronger choice for these types of photography, too.
However, the Canon EOS R5 Mark II has a very nice benefit over the Nikon Z8 for sports and wildlife photography, and that is the addition of a pre-capture burst mode that can record raw images. The Nikon Z8 also has a pre-capture mode, but it’s JPEG only. This makes the EOS R5 Mark II a great choice for subjects that are faster than the human reaction time – with this camera, you can save raw images at 30 FPS up to half a second before you fully press the shutter button.
The two cameras also have substantially different sizes and weights, with the Nikon Z8 being larger of the two.
What about the other differences between them? There’s one that could be very significant, but which camera you prefer will depend upon what your priority is. Namely, the Canon EOS R5 Mark II can shoot at 30 FPS rather than 20 FPS of the Nikon Z8, which is nice for the fastest and most erratic subjects. However, it has a much smaller buffer, only recording 93 frames at 30 FPS before the buffer fills, compared to over 1000 frames at 20 FPS for the Nikon Z8.
The rest of the differences are pretty small on balance, but they tend to favor the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Things like a flash sync speed of 1/250 rather than 1/200 second, along with the ability to shoot 1080p video at 240 FPS – not game-changers for most photographers, but potentially useful depending on your situation.
All in all, I see the two cameras as being similar in overall performance to one another. The Nikon Z8 seems a little more tailored to landscape photography and other tripod-based work (except for the camera’s larger size). Meanwhile, the EOS R5 Mark II has the very useful ability to do pre-capture buffering in raw, not just JPEG, which can be great for wildlife photography. It also shoots at a higher FPS, but its buffer capacity is smaller.
Given all that, which camera should you choose between the Nikon Z8 and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II? Frankly, if you’re already a Nikon or Canon user, I don’t think it’s worth jumping ship from one company to the other. Stick with the brand you know. And if both companies are new to you, rather than agonizing over these two highly capable cameras, take a look at the Nikon and Canon lens lineups instead. Each one has some unique lenses that the other company lacks, and most of the time, those will make a bigger difference to your photography than the camera. Especially given that both the Nikon Z8 and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II are extremely capable cameras.