Nikon Z8 vs. Sony A1ii

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Robert.Panick

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I'm currently shooting with Olympus/OMDS gear. I like the gear, no issue there. My main concern is that they aren't going to be able to keep up. Also, I have damn near every piece of glass I could possibly want which is keeping me from experiencing the joy of GAS.

That said I've been looking at trading it in for a Nikon Z8 with the assumption that Nikon will be able to keep up with Sony and Canon. Then Sony announced the A1ii, and I got to thinking. Would I be better off going with the Sony. Here are some thoughts I've had around that:

  1. I could buy two Z8's for the cost of a Sony A1ii. Eventually, I would likely get a second A1ii as a second body when the price drops.
  2. Sony and Nikon glass are similar in pricing, but with Sony I have the option of using third party glass like Sigma. Sony's openness to other vendors is appealing.
  3. I could care less about the difference in MP.
  4. It seems like most of the specs for the Sony are just a tad bit better than the Nikon, but not the twice as good to justify the price.
  5. I don't expect an upgrade of the Z8 for another couple of years, the A1ii is new so probably no upgrades for 4 years or so. Which means I won't be tempted to spend more money on a new body anytime soon.
  6. The Z8 is discounted, the A1ii isn't.
  7. I considered the A1 as well, but it's still quite a bit more than the Z8 and likely not to get to many more updates.
I'll probably end up with the Nikon eventually but I'm curious about other thoughts on this.
 
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Robert.Panick said:
I'm currently shooting with Olympus/OMDS gear. I like the gear, no issue there. My main concern is that they aren't going to be able to keep up. Also, I have damn near every piece of glass I could possibly want which is keeping me from experiencing the joy of GAS.

That said I've been looking at trading it in for a Nikon Z8 with the assumption that Nikon will be able to keep up with Sony and Canon. Then Sony announced the A1ii, and I got to thinking. Would I be better off going with the Sony. Here are some thoughts I've had around that:

  1. I could buy two Z8's for the cost of a Sony A1ii. Eventually, I would likely get a second A1ii as a second body when the price drops.
  2. Sony and Nikon glass are similar in pricing, but with Sony I have the option of using third party glass like Sigma. Sony's openness to other vendors is appealing.
  3. I could care less about the difference in MP.
  4. It seems like most of the specs for the Sony are just a tad bit better than the Nikon, but not the twice as good to justify the price.
  5. I don't expect an upgrade of the Z8 for another couple of years, the A1ii is new so probably no upgrades for 4 years or so. Which means I won't be tempted to spend more money on a new body anytime soon.
  6. The Z8 is discounted, the A1ii isn't.
  7. I considered the A1 as well, but it's still quite a bit more than the Z8 and likely not to get to many more updates.
I'll probably end up with the Nikon eventually but I'm curious about other thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
Pick your lenses first, each manufacturer has its strengths, then the body will follow.
 
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It all depends on what you want to do. You may be surprised that there are many third party lenses available in the Z mount with autofocus. Sigma has not chosen to do so but others have.

I have no experience with Sony so I can’t speak to what that platform can do. I can say that you can get the image with any of the platforms. My suggestion is to rent and try out the cameras. What matters more, in my opinion, is the ergonomics and which system has the lenses to accomplish the goals.
 
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Former owner of a Sony A1 here, now shooting with Z8 & 600/800pf lenses. Zero complaints.. the Z8 AF is close enough to the A1 (in some cases one bests the other and vica versa) but overall the Z8 is a ridiculously amazing camera for under $4k... The A1 and A1ii while great don't interest me, because I can get any shot I need with my Z8 that I could previously with my A1. I moved to Nikon for their PF lenses , and I'm glad I did. For a while I had pondered on the idea of the 300GM with teleconverters, but the idea of running such a nice lens with a TC attached for 600mm reach , 90% or more of the time turned me away. In the end I tried the 600pf & 800pf lenses through a friend and I knew right then thats what I needed. That said comparing a new not yet released body to cameras that are over 1 yr old isn't exactly fair. And don't think Nikon won't answer with a Z9ii and eventually Z8ii in the near future. We know they will... Hence why I prefer to marry the glass and date the body! The body's come and go, Glass is for the long haul 😁
 
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Robert.Panick said:
I'm currently shooting with Olympus/OMDS gear. I like the gear, no issue there. My main concern is that they aren't going to be able to keep up. Also, I have damn near every piece of glass I could possibly want which is keeping me from experiencing the joy of GAS.

That said I've been looking at trading it in for a Nikon Z8 with the assumption that Nikon will be able to keep up with Sony and Canon. Then Sony announced the A1ii, and I got to thinking. Would I be better off going with the Sony. Here are some thoughts I've had around that:

  1. I could buy two Z8's for the cost of a Sony A1ii. Eventually, I would likely get a second A1ii as a second body when the price drops.
  2. Sony and Nikon glass are similar in pricing, but with Sony I have the option of using third party glass like Sigma. Sony's openness to other vendors is appealing.
  3. I could care less about the difference in MP.
  4. It seems like most of the specs for the Sony are just a tad bit better than the Nikon, but not the twice as good to justify the price.
  5. I don't expect an upgrade of the Z8 for another couple of years, the A1ii is new so probably no upgrades for 4 years or so. Which means I won't be tempted to spend more money on a new body anytime soon.
  6. The Z8 is discounted, the A1ii isn't.
  7. I considered the A1 as well, but it's still quite a bit more than the Z8 and likely not to get to many more updates.
I'll probably end up with the Nikon eventually but I'm curious about other thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
IMO…the differences will be minor. In some situations the Z8 AF will win and in some the Sony. I don’t like the So y menu system…but then I’m a Nikon guy and Sony people will say the opposite Either will make fine photos…so the ergonomics, menus, and glass you want to useare what to think about…every vendor’s high end bodies will do a good job…so consider either factors.

The 600PF is the best lens I’ve ever had and it in combination with the 100-400 make for me the perfect carry all factors considered…so I would say go Z8 here…but every one has different needs, wants, and requirements. You really can’t go wrong either way.
 
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It depends on what you want. I own the Z8 and Zf and wouldn't switch to Sony because they don't offer that combo. The Zf is the most satisfying camera I shoot for my needs, I like tactile top dials that I can see the settings on without looking at a screen, I like flipping the rear LCD around out of the way. I've just liked dials more than modern PASM cameras since forever so Nikon offers that and Sony does not. Sony also doesn't have top LCD's which drives me crazy (I hated the Nikon Z5 because of that) so for me it's more than just the lens options it's the shooting experience with the body's too. I know not everyone likes the "retro" type controls but I really do and Sony/Canon don't offer that.

Nikon's AF has been totally fine for my needs and I can't really think of anything I've tried to shoot and failed because of an autofocus issue. I use multiple AF modes and there's one for about every situation if you do your part.

If your after the absolute bleeding edge for only wildlife I'd try the Z9/8 the R5ii and the A1ii and see which one you get along with the best and which lenses you like the most. ALL of them are going to get the image your after and I really think a bigger difference than the camera will be working on your skills at being closer to wildlife in the first place and in the right place at the right time to capture the subject you want.

If you don't want to swap out your wildlife kit and just want to satisfy some GAS cravings buy a Zf and start a vintage adapted glass collection, that'll keep you busy and shelves full for a long while.

Investing in game cameras to learn where birds perch and when may also net better end results than new lenses and cameras.
 
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Agree, and I've owned both Sony A1 (sold a few months ago) and now Z8. Your comments are spot on...

Anjin San said:
IMO…the differences will be minor. In some situations the Z8 AF will win and in some the Sony. I don’t like the So y menu system…but then I’m a Nikon guy and Sony people will say the opposite Either will make fine photos…so the ergonomics, menus, and glass you want to useare what to think about…every vendor’s high end bodies will do a good job…so consider either factors.
Click to expand...
 
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This ^^. Always choose a body based on glass lineup... I shot an A1 for over 3 years with the Sony 200-600.
Was never happy with that combo... almost went the 300GM with 2xTC route, but changed my mind after testing a 600pf lens, and decided to go with that option . Personally ,I would chose a body based on lense lineup.


Nimi said:
Pick your lenses first, each manufacturer has its strengths, then the body will follow.
Click to expand...
 
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Robert.Panick said:
Also, I have damn near every piece of glass I could possibly want which is keeping me from experiencing the joy of GAS.
Click to expand...

now this is a phrase I've never heard someone say before LOL

  • If cost is a main factor for you, especially if you want two of your main body - Sony doesn't make a ton of sense.
  • Every lens that you can use on a Sony body, you can also use on a Nikon body, even FE mounts
  • Agree, 5MP is negligible
  • Agree, slightly ahead but not twice as good
  • Disagree, I think we'll see a successor to the Z8 release next year or 2026 at latest
  • Agree
  • Agree
I'm currently a Nikon user, most likely going to Sony with the A1 II.

IMO and what I've seen, the biggest (only?) draw to Nikon is the lens lineup. If you can't or don't want to shell out money on the 300GM, the 400 4.5 and 600PF are good alternatives. If you don't want to spend money on a 600GM + 1.4x, the 800PF is a good alternative. If you do want to spend money on the big lenses, the TC lenses are incredible.

My main reasons for going to Sony are: Better AF, precapture raw, 30 fps, and size and weight. I'll be reducing my kit weight by about 20% across the board. For me, at this time it seems like a good move at least until the next Z8/Z9 come out. Then I hope to come back some day :)

My ideal would be an R3 body with Sony internals, Canon AF, a 300TC, 600TC, and 100-500.
 
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Robert.Panick said:
I'm currently shooting with Olympus/OMDS gear. I like the gear, no issue there. My main concern is that they aren't going to be able to keep up. Also, I have damn near every piece of glass I could possibly want which is keeping me from experiencing the joy of GAS.

That said I've been looking at trading it in for a Nikon Z8 with the assumption that Nikon will be able to keep up with Sony and Canon. Then Sony announced the A1ii, and I got to thinking. Would I be better off going with the Sony. Here are some thoughts I've had around that:

  1. I could buy two Z8's for the cost of a Sony A1ii. Eventually, I would likely get a second A1ii as a second body when the price drops.
  2. Sony and Nikon glass are similar in pricing, but with Sony I have the option of using third party glass like Sigma. Sony's openness to other vendors is appealing.
  3. I could care less about the difference in MP.
  4. It seems like most of the specs for the Sony are just a tad bit better than the Nikon, but not the twice as good to justify the price.
  5. I don't expect an upgrade of the Z8 for another couple of years, the A1ii is new so probably no upgrades for 4 years or so. Which means I won't be tempted to spend more money on a new body anytime soon.
  6. The Z8 is discounted, the A1ii isn't.
  7. I considered the A1 as well, but it's still quite a bit more than the Z8 and likely not to get to many more updates.
I'll probably end up with the Nikon eventually but I'm curious about other thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
Interesting decision here. With full frame your lenses will be bigger and your magnification is less. Not knowing what focal length you use for wildlife it’s hard to say what you will be happy with but if it’s 600mm Nikon with its PF lenses will be the closest in size you are used to.
Sony bodies will be more similar in size to you and already offer some of the features OM has, one can assume Nikon will but who knows when and at what price point.
I think until you aren’t getting what you need out of your system I’d sit on the sidelines.
 
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Calson said:
The available zoom and PF lenses is why I went with Nikon. Nothing comparable from Canon or Sony for wildlife photography. When I first received the 500mm PF that was the size and weight of a 70-200mm zoom lens it was a real eye opener.
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On the PF front this is true, on the zoom side of things they are basically the same but there are Tamron and Sigma options available for Sony.

For those being ok with the slower F stop PF lenses it’s a great choice, but if you want f2.8 or f4 the PF line isn’t even a consideration.
 
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DavidT said:
On the PF front this is true, on the zoom side of things they are basically the same but there are Tamron and Sigma options available for Sony.

For those being ok with the slower F stop PF lenses it’s a great choice, but if you want f2.8 or f4 the PF line isn’t even a consideration.
Click to expand...
That Sony 300GM 2.8 is fantastic and Sony just has a plethora of options for regular lenses outside of telephoto which is really nice. They're the best for options outside of telephoto.

An A1ii and 300GM with the teleconverters would be almost all the kit you'd ever need for so many subjects. That lens to me is like having a 300 400/600PF in one lens.
 
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Robert.Panick said:
I'm currently shooting with Olympus/OMDS gear. I like the gear, no issue there.
Click to expand...

Robert.Panick said:
My main concern is that they aren't going to be able to keep up.
Click to expand...
this isn’t a good reason to change now. options will always be better in the future, the longer you wait, the better your options will be at that point.

that said, “i want to” is a fine reason if it works with your budget
 
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Robert.Panick said:
That said I've been looking at trading it in for a Nikon Z8 with the assumption that Nikon will be able to keep up with Sony and Canon. Then Sony announced the A1ii, and I got to thinking. Would I be better off going with the Sony.
Click to expand...
just remember they are on a cycle. z8 was released years ago, a1ii now. but next year(ish) the z9ii will be out and the a1 will be the “old tech”. nothing will “keep up”, it’s an endless cycle. just pick what you want.
 
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maxxus46 said:
Former owner of a Sony A1 here, now shooting with Z8 & 600/800pf lenses. Zero complaints.. the Z8 AF is close enough to the A1 (in some cases one bests the other and vica versa) but overall the Z8 is a ridiculously amazing camera for under $4k... The A1 and A1ii while great don't interest me, because I can get any shot I need with my Z8 that I could previously with my A1. I moved to Nikon for their PF lenses , and I'm glad I did. For a while I had pondered on the idea of the 300GM with teleconverters, but the idea of running such a nice lens with a TC attached for 600mm reach , 90% or more of the time turned me away. In the end I tried the 600pf & 800pf lenses through a friend and I knew right then thats what I needed. That said comparing a new not yet released body to cameras that are over 1 yr old isn't exactly fair. And don't think Nikon won't answer with a Z9ii and eventually Z8ii in the near future. We know they will... Hence why I prefer to marry the glass and date the body! The body's come and go, Glass is for the long haul 😁
Click to expand...
I agree on marry the glass comment. The lenses I was looking at are pretty equivalent on the two platforms.
 
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Lee R said:
It depends on what you want. I own the Z8 and Zf and wouldn't switch to Sony because they don't offer that combo. The Zf is the most satisfying camera I shoot for my needs, I like tactile top dials that I can see the settings on without looking at a screen, I like flipping the rear LCD around out of the way. I've just liked dials more than modern PASM cameras since forever so Nikon offers that and Sony does not. Sony also doesn't have top LCD's which drives me crazy (I hated the Nikon Z5 because of that) so for me it's more than just the lens options it's the shooting experience with the body's too. I know not everyone likes the "retro" type controls but I really do and Sony/Canon don't offer that.

Nikon's AF has been totally fine for my needs and I can't really think of anything I've tried to shoot and failed because of an autofocus issue. I use multiple AF modes and there's one for about every situation if you do your part.

If your after the absolute bleeding edge for only wildlife I'd try the Z9/8 the R5ii and the A1ii and see which one you get along with the best and which lenses you like the most. ALL of them are going to get the image your after and I really think a bigger difference than the camera will be working on your skills at being closer to wildlife in the first place and in the right place at the right time to capture the subject you want.

If you don't want to swap out your wildlife kit and just want to satisfy some GAS cravings buy a Zf and start a vintage adapted glass collection, that'll keep you busy and shelves full for a long while.

Investing in game cameras to learn where birds perch and when may also net better end results than new lenses and cameras.
Click to expand...
Thanks, never got into the knobs cameras like the Zf.

I realize that investing time has a better payoff than gear. My main thought on switch is that the value of my OM system is going to continue to fall, and the price of any system I decide to switch to is going to continue to go up.
 
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nmerc_photos said:
now this is a phrase I've never heard someone say before LOL

  • If cost is a main factor for you, especially if you want two of your main body - Sony doesn't make a ton of sense.
  • Every lens that you can use on a Sony body, you can also use on a Nikon body, even FE mounts
  • Agree, 5MP is negligible
  • Agree, slightly ahead but not twice as good
  • Disagree, I think we'll see a successor to the Z8 release next year or 2026 at latest
  • Agree
  • Agree
I'm currently a Nikon user, most likely going to Sony with the A1 II.

IMO and what I've seen, the biggest (only?) draw to Nikon is the lens lineup. If you can't or don't want to shell out money on the 300GM, the 400 4.5 and 600PF are good alternatives. If you don't want to spend money on a 600GM + 1.4x, the 800PF is a good alternative. If you do want to spend money on the big lenses, the TC lenses are incredible.

My main reasons for going to Sony are: Better AF, precapture raw, 30 fps, and size and weight. I'll be reducing my kit weight by about 20% across the board. For me, at this time it seems like a good move at least until the next Z8/Z9 come out. Then I hope to come back some day :)

My ideal would be an R3 body with Sony internals, Canon AF, a 300TC, 600TC, and 100-500.
Click to expand...

Good observations, but I suspect we won't see the Z8 and Z9 refreshes for a bit yet. Things have slowed down, it costs more and takes longer to make minor improvements.
 
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DavidT said:
Interesting decision here. With full frame your lenses will be bigger and your magnification is less. Not knowing what focal length you use for wildlife it’s hard to say what you will be happy with but if it’s 600mm Nikon with its PF lenses will be the closest in size you are used to.
Sony bodies will be more similar in size to you and already offer some of the features OM has, one can assume Nikon will but who knows when and at what price point.
I think until you aren’t getting what you need out of your system I’d sit on the sidelines.
Click to expand...
I've been shooting MFT since the E-M1, I really don't have a problem with the smaller sensor. Most of my existing OM glass is f/2.8, when I go to full frame I will likely go with f/4 lenses for some of it. The exceptions being a 70-200 f/2.8 and whatever I end up with for telephoto. The size/weight/cost are in line with my MFT glass for the most part. My major concern is will MFT be able to innovate. Sensors are a big issue, there isn't the volume to justify a lot of iteration. Same goes for the processor. I'm also not too sure about OM ability to push the edges like they did in the past.
 
Lee R said:
An A1ii and 300GM with the teleconverters would be almost all the kit you'd ever need for so many subjects. That lens to me is like having a 300 400/600PF in one lens.
Click to expand...
agreed. also consider the 300 GM MFD is only 2 meters, which does not change when adding a TC. This makes "oh $h!t, too close!" extremely rare. Fabulous for small birds at close range.
 
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