The Sony a1 is one of the best cameras ever made, regardless of genre – it does everything from wildlife to landscape photography well. But so does the Nikon Z8! Despite the price differences, these two cameras have a lot of similarities, and the “better” one isn’t immediately clear. So how do the Nikon Z8 and Sony a1 compare? Read on to find out.
Nikon Z8 vs Sony a1 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon Z8 | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | May 2023 | January 2021 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | EXPEED 7 | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 45.7 MP | 50.1 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 8256×5504 | 8640×5760 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.35µ | 4.16µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 64 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 25,600 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 32-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | No |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | Yes (JPEG only) | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/32000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 900 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | No mechanical shutter | 10 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) | Compressed raw at 30 FPS (uncompressed and lossless compressed raw at 20 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | Over 1000 frames (20 FPS) | 155 frames (30 FPS), 238 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 493 | 759 |
| Low-Light AF Sensitivity (f/2 Lens, ISO 100) | -7.5 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/400 |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 12 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 12 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | Yes | Yes, externally |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 30 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 | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | CFExpress Type B | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.1 million dots | 1.44 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Dual Axis | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.80x | 0.90x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3.69 million dots | 9.44 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.2 Gen 2 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15c | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 330 frames | 430 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 340 frames | 530 frames |
| Battery Life (Eco Mode) | 370 frames | N/A |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 910 g (2.01 lbs.) | 737 g (1.62 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 144 x 119 x 88 mm (5.7 x 4.7 x 3.5″)1 | 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.3″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $4000 (Check Current Price) | $6500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Nikon Z8 Used Prices (eBay Partner Program affiliate link) | Sony a1 Used Prices (eBay Partner Program affiliate link) |
| 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 measurements in this table. | ||
Summary and Recommendations
Both the Nikon Z8 and the Sony a1 are stacked sensor mirrorless cameras designed for fast action. The specs above go back and forth, but one thing you might notice is that the Sony a1 costs a whopping $2500 more. What do you get over the Nikon Z8 for that extra cash?
The Sony a1 is faster when shooting raw photos, at 30 FPS compared to 20 FPS. It has a slightly higher resolution sensor, but the difference is only about 5MP so you won’t get too much more detail over the Nikon Z8. The Sony also has a slightly higher magnification viewfinder as well (0.9x over 0.8x), and an unusually high flash sync speed of 1/400 second. Then there’s the addition of pixel-shift shooting for high-resolution photography, up to 199 megapixels (although it works best from a tripod of nonmoving subjects).
On the other hand, the Nikon Z8 has a lower base ISO, a pre-release burst mode, internal raw video recording, and a dual-axis tilting LCD. Broadly speaking, it competes at the same level as the Sony a1 despite the lower price – it just depends which features matter to you more. If you’re completely on the fence, the $2500 lower price of the Nikon Z8 makes it a really compelling choice.
But frankly, you can’t go wrong either way. Both of these cameras are amazing machines for almost any genre of photography, so pick one and don’t look back!