The verdict
The Nikon Z8 is the enthusiast-pro flagship of the year — Z9 internals in a smaller body at a lower price. PhotographyBlog rates it 4.5/5 and DPReview gave it their Gold Award. The stacked sensor, no-mechanical-shutter design, and 8.3K ProRes RAW make it the most video-capable option at this tier without stepping up to the $6,500 A1 II. Weight and battery life are the main tradeoffs versus smaller rivals.
Strengths
- +45.7 MP stacked BSI CMOS sensor inherited from the flagship Z9 at 25% less weight and ~60% lower price
- +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
- +3D Tracking AF with 9 subject-detect modes (people, animals, birds, vehicles, aircraft, motorcycles, trains, planes, bicycles)
Watch-outs
- −Larger and heavier than the Sony A7R V at 910g (vs 723g) — not as comfortable for travel/street
- −Battery life (330 shots CIPA) trails the Sony A1 II (530 shots) — two batteries recommended for shoots
- −XQD/CFexpress card slot adds media cost compared to the Sony A7R V's dual SD
Rating sources
Our 4.5 score is the average of these published ratings. More about methodology.
