Nikon Z9 real world battery life

[Mark Garfinkel]

Just received my Z9 today from Allen's Camera. I quickly found out that my 3 - EN-EL18 batteries that I use for my D850 will not work with my Z9. Before I order extra batteries I have the following questions;
1. About how long does it take to recharge a Nikon battery that has discharges down to about 25% using Nikon's charger?

2. How many shutter activations do you generally get with they style of photography you do? (I mainly shoot photos, very little video. )

3. Any experience with after market batteries with the Z9, including recharge rates?

 

[Tree2tree]

Hi Mark,
I just returned from an African photo trip, shooting with the Z9. D850 was my second body.
1. I don't have an answer for your question 1.
2. As Steve has pointed out, with mirrorless it's not so much shutter count, but screen on-time. Having said that, I could get through a morning or afternoon outing using just one battery. Never needed to go to the 2nd battery. Anywhere from 1000 to 2500 shots per session.
3. I bought a Power2000 for Nikon as a 2nd battery. Seems to work about as well as the original Nikon pack.
I was pleasantly surprised at the battery life. Hope that helps.

 

[DsD]

Hey Mark, ditto Tree's remarks for #2 & #3.

I forgot to time my latest charge but was prompted to do so as it was my first time seeing the Z9 indicate low battery. So probably below 25% and took roughly 3 hours.

 

[Calson]

My battery recharge times for the EN-EL18d have been 3-4 hours. The EN-EL18c seem to have half the charge for the camera as the new 18d ones which was not what I expected.

It is possible to recharge the battery while inside the camera and also to connect the charger with a power USB-C cable to a power bank. A good power bank costs around $65 and is a lot cheaper than an additional battery. That said I do have a spare EN-EL18d battery that I bought before the Z9 arrived. I have two EN-EL18c batteries that I avoid using.

 

[Warren D]

The ENEL-18D is about 3-4 hours on it's charger. I would not use a third party battery, I pay alot for my cameras and the cost of batties just isn't an issue. I've gotten 5000 shots and still had 40% left. It depends on how you have your Z9 set up. The EVF uses power, more at the higher refresh rate. I have mine set to go off when my eye is away. I also have my rear lcd off and I don't chimp much. If VR is on, it'll use more. The end is that battery life is highly variable depending how your camera is set up and how you use it. Live view will eat battery life, as will wifi. I have airplane mode on and all communication stuff off. I tend to shoot in bursts. If you are using an F mount lens on an adapter, and VR is on, camera IBIS is also on and neither will shut off until the camera goes to sleep. It takes longer than I like to wake up so I tend to leave it on which keeps vr active and lowers battery life. As a result, I have found it works better for me to turn the camera off. Turning it back on seems to take less time than waking it up. YMMV.

 

[Maljo]

Its takes about 2-3 hours to charge the battery when its low. I made 7500 photographs in Florida of birds and had 25% battery left. It depends on your chipping; I don't chimp much. I have 2 batteries and have never needed the second one.

 

[OurWarHeroes.org]

I've upgraded/sidetraded from my D850 to the Z9. I seem to get half the battery life I was getting in my D850. I haven't figured out why it's draining so fast. Of course I can't use a standard C charging cable. (Just found out). Now I'm hanging on to the two extra batteries until tonight's light shoot.
Took about 400 pics before batter was down to 1 notch. I do use the blu-tooth feature, but that shouldn't cause that much of a drain. Didn't on my D850.

 

[joe43]

Z9 shooter here. Ditto the time it takes to charge a fully depleted battery--2-3 hours. I have two batteries and the time is the same for both. I added a third party PD USB-C charger, 65 W as I recall. .

My last shoot was about 2400 NEF files, all shot in AF-C in low burst settings. Camera "shut down" screens in between different shooting situations. Camera was turned off from time to time. I estimate 20% battery left. Total shoot time--two and a half hours.

 

[ssheipel]

Buy another battery. And turn off a couple of things (can't remember what now LOL but Steve mentions it in his book -- GPS syncing I think amongst other things) and you'll notice a good difference. I don't recall ever worrying about battery life in the D6 (or D3 for that matter) and always thought it a waste of money that I bought second batteries for both. Having gone camping (no power) with the Z9 I took a battery power pack which was almost entirely used to charge my camera batteries (and once a portable battery lantern).

 

[Charles Loy]

I find that any NIKON brand EN-EL 18 will work the Z8 or Z9. Other brands will not.
Also, the supplied charger will only charge the EN-EL 18D. Often I charge the battery (any Nikon) within the camera using my laptop computer charger, or external battery supply via USB- C.

 

[Nimi]

I've upgraded/sidetraded from my D850 to the Z9. I seem to get half the battery life I was getting in my D850. I haven't figured out why it's draining so fast. Of course I can't use a standard C charging cable. (Just found out). Now I'm hanging on to the two extra batteries until tonight's light shoot.
Took about 400 pics before batter was down to 1 notch. I do use the blu-tooth feature, but that shouldn't cause that much of a drain. Didn't on my D850.

Not normal. I have GPS on, regularly getting 4,000+ uncompressed RAWs, including long timelapses.