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Head-to-head · Best Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Nikon Z8 vs Sony A1 II

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Nikon Z8 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.7 vs 4.3). Nikon Z8 is best for: enthusiast-pros wanting Z9 performance and 8K RAW in a smaller, lower-cost body. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Nikon Z8
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras
Nikon Z8
2 sources$4,197as of Oct 11

The Nikon Z8 puts Z9 internals into a smaller, cheaper body: the same 45.7-megapixel stacked BSI CMOS sensor, the same Expeed 7 processor, the same 8.3K/60p N-RAW video. PhotographyBlog rated it 4.5 out of 5 and gave it a Gold Award. Weight and battery life are the tradeoffs against smaller full-frame rivals, and the electronic-only shutter is a design decision you either want or you do not.

Strengths
  • — Mirrorless design with no mechanical shutter — silent, zero shutter blackout, rated to 1/32,000s electronic
  • — 8.3K/60p ProRes RAW internal recording — matches the Z9 for professional video workflows
  • — 20fps RAW burst (120fps at reduced 11MP JPEG) with full AF/AE tracking and 493-point phase-detect AF
Watch-outs
  • — Larger and heavier than the Sony A7R V at 910g (vs 723g) — not as comfortable for travel/street
$4,197 · Buy at ymcamera.comFull review →
Sony A1 II
Ranked #4 in Best Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras
Sony A1 II
2 sources$6,798as of Oct 11

Sports and wildlife professionals are the audience for the Sony A1 II, which Tom's Guide rated 4.5/5 and PCMag 4/5. Stacked sensor, 30 fps burst, and AI subject detection add up to the fastest autofocus-and-capture combination on the market. Price is what keeps it off the default recommendation: at $6,500 you need to be shooting professional sports or wildlife for the extra $2,200 over the Canon R5 II or Nikon Z8 to pay off.

Strengths
  • — 30 fps RAW burst with full AF/AE tracking plus pre-capture
  • — Redesigned grip with the A9 III control layout — the best handling Sony has shipped
  • — Dual CFexpress Type A + SD slots; rated to IP-grade dust/moisture sealing for field work
Watch-outs
  • — Heavy at 743g — the A7R V at 723g or the Nikon Z8's similar weight make that less of a differentiator
$6,798 · Buy at avcstore.comFull review →

How they stack up

Nikon Z8

Z9 internals (45.7MP stacked, 8.3K/60p) in a smaller body for less money — the value-per-capability leader of the flagships.

Sony A1 II

The do-everything flagship — 50MP at 30fps — but by far the most expensive here.

Specs side-by-side

SpecNikon Z8Sony A1 II
Sensor45.7MP Stacked BSI CMOS50MP Stacked BSI CMOS
ISO64–25600 (exp. 32–102400)100–32000 (exp. 50–102400)
Video8.3K/60p RAW, 4K/120p8K/30p, 4K/120p
StabilizationIBIS, up to 6 stopsIBIS, up to 8.5 stops
Weight910 g743 g
StorageCFexpress Type B + SD UHS-IIDual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II
← See the full ranking of best full-frame mirrorless cameras