Z8 vs Z9 in view of new firmware

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ray rozema

ray rozema

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I would like to know other's opinions on this. To me it seems the only significant difference/advantage of the Z9 over the Z8 is the battery grip and larger battery
Thanks very much for your input
 
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There are several additional differences. Here are some things that have that the z8 does not:

-dual cf express b card slots
-ethernet port
-More physical controls
-more robust weatherproofing
-continuous video recording
-built in gps
-Deeper grip
-better cooling

Of course that is in addition to the larger battery.

To me the dual cf express card is significant as are the additional controls and weatherproofing. I also like the deep grip on the Z9 it is very easy to carry the camera and a long lens that way. I don't do much video so that does not mean much to me, I have begun using the gps it is an interesting feature.

Of course we have not yet seen the upcoming z9 upgrade I suspect Nikin will continue to provide different features to the z9.
 
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Firmware wise its interesting that they keep leap frogging each camera feature wise. Always seem to add a little more to each than they did the other model. I honestly thought they would have been same from a software feature perspective by now. Gives owners of the other camera something to look forward to in future release.
 
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ray rozema said:
I would like to know other's opinions on this. To me it seems the only significant difference/advantage of the Z9 over the Z8 is the battery grip and larger battery
Thanks very much for your input
Click to expand...
The Z9 has some features the Z8 lacks…but if those aren’t important to a user then the lighter and smaller and cheaper Z8 is likely a better option. If one needs those features, the Z9 wins. Example…the 2nd slot being CFe…for a wedding shooter writing to both cards is a good strategy…but as Steve has said before he’s never been sued by a deer. If using the 2nd slot as overflow…just get a bigger card for slot 1 and overflow becomes a non issue. Same with the extra controls and longer battery life…a Z8 and 2 spare batteries are still lighter than a Z9 and I’ve not noticed any difference in balancing the body/lens combo either way. Simple really…but one needs to take all the factors into account and a feature you don’t care about at the cost of an extra pound or whatever it is might tip the la lance to the Z8.
 
Man it sure would be my choice if I were a Nikonite, to me the z9 would be too heavy for my desire for a compact hiking kit, but z8 would be right there with this firmware. The competition might be whatever z7iii turns out to be for how many dollars less. I'm happy about it as a Canonite on the theory that a rising tide raises all ships and the brands leapfrog each other at each price point, so very hopeful about the jump R5ii will have to make.
 
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I've been waiting for Z8 to get the updated Z9 4.10 AF. Z8 for me....I don't shoot backup so don't really need the 2nd CFExpress card slot. When I owned the Z9 (twice) it always felt like an overly heavy camera for MILC. Compared to an R3 it is night and day.

The Z8 is big enough I don't need the battery grip (which if I did, I'd buy the Z9 instead). I've tried out a friend's Z8 and my pinky fits and hand is comfortable. Unlike my Sony bodies where my hand can only stretch out and relax if I use a grip.

So when I buy back into Nikon it will be Z8 for me this time over a 3rd attempt at a Z9.

As I see Nikon currently a buy in for me would be an addition to Sony for now...it would be a compact setup for walk around and would be a Z8/600PF. Because that is my goal with a Nikon system the Z9 doesn't make sense anymore.
 
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arbitrage said:
I've been waiting for Z8 to get the updated Z9 4.10 AF. Z8 for me....I don't shoot backup so don't really need the 2nd CFExpress card slot. When I owned the Z9 (twice) it always felt like an overly heavy camera for MILC. Compared to an R3 it is night and day.

The Z8 is big enough I don't need the battery grip (which if I did, I'd buy the Z9 instead). I've tried out a friend's Z8 and my pinky fits and hand is comfortable. Unlike my Sony bodies where my hand can only stretch out and relax if I use a grip.

So when I buy back into Nikon it will be Z8 for me this time over a 3rd attempt at a Z9.

As I see Nikon currently a buy in for me would be an addition to Sony for now...it would be a compact setup for walk around and would be a Z8/600PF. Because that is my goal with a Nikon system the Z9 doesn't make sense anymore.
Click to expand...
FWIW, I think the Z8 and 600PF is the best walk-around kit I've ever had.
 
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I have been geotagging my images taken with Nikon digital cameras for the past 20 years. I use a bluetooth adapter that attaches to the 10-pin port and makes use of the software already incorporated in the cameras. The bluetooth adapter connects the camera to a GPS receiver like the Holux that I leave on and can be shared by multiple cameras. The only downside was the loss of the use of the 10-pin port for other devices.

Having all my images with the GPS location in the EXIF file helps me with sorting and one can display the images on a Google Map to find the ones for a particular location.
 
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MMoretti said:
After the 2.0 firmware update for my Z8, the only features that I would personally value in owning a Z9 would be the built-in GPS and having people respectfully step aside when they see me coming.
Click to expand...
I would still swap my Z9 for a second Z8 straight up today…don’t care about the grip one iota and the weight saving is meaningful for me. The less battery life is not an issue at all for me.
 
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Steve said:
FWIW, I think the Z8 and 600PF is the best walk-around kit I've ever had.
Click to expand...
Yep…if I was only taking one body I would choose my Z8…and the 600PF, 100-400, and 24-120 provide the lightest all in one kit I can think of…and I would easily be able to choose 2 of those 3 lenses based on what I was doing and where I was going. A 1 body 2 lens commando kit rips really handy.
 
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Agree particularly on the EN EL18 batteries, gps, grip et al... And reliability 'out there'....

NASA evaluates its investments carefully: for the long haul when they upgrade their ILC systems they send into space

unless Nikon spring a Spring surprise (Paris 2024) the Z9 is the current flagship, and only entering its 3rd year of what will probably be a 4 year life cycle.
There's a decent likelihood of at least one more Firmware Z9 update, which could be a full Integer ie 5.0, PreCapture RAW perhaps.

wotan1 said:
There are several additional differences. Here are some things that have that the z8 does not:

-dual cf express b card slots
-ethernet port
-More physical controls
-more robust weatherproofing
-continuous video recording
-built in gps
-Deeper grip
-better cooling

Of course that is in addition to the larger battery.

To me the dual cf express card is significant as are the additional controls and weatherproofing. I also like the deep grip on the Z9 it is very easy to carry the camera and a long lens that way. I don't do much video so that does not mean much to me, I have begun using the gps it is an interesting feature.

Of course we have not yet seen the upcoming z9 upgrade I suspect Nikon will continue to provide different features to the z9.
Click to expand...
 
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fcotterill said:
…unless Nikon spring a Spring surprise (Paris 2024) the Z9 is the current flagship, and only entering its 3rd year of what will probably be a 4 year life cycle.
There's a decent likelihood of at least one more Firmware Z9 update, which could be a full Integer ie 5.0, PreCapture RAW perhaps.
Click to expand...
I have no doubt that the Z9 will get continued functional enhancement and bug fixes.
 
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I'm just finishing my Japan wildlife trip now... Spent over 10 days in single digits (F) shooting all day. Sea eagles in brutal cold and wet conditions, snow monkeys, red-crowned cranes in falling snow, and whooper swans in frigid cold. 20,000 images later, my Z9 did not blink. I could shoot all day on one battery and half of the following day on the same battery. The Z9 was the perfect body for the 400 f2.8 and 180-600.... My back-up was the Zf,... now thinking of getting a 2nd Z9.
 
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I have both a Z 9 and Z 8 and have considered selling my Z 9 for a second Z 8 after the firmware 2.0 release.

For me the advantage of the Z 9 is that it is has a lot more buttons, I am always wanting to change what Fn1 and Fn2 do on my Z 8. I use a separate GPS device anyway so that is not a reason to keep my Z 9. The disadvantage of the Z 9 for me is weight, two Z 8s would be better for traveliing. The only reason I am keeping my Z 9 is what will the next firmware for the Z 9 bring? I assume that the Z 9 will get pixel shifting so expecting at least one more update before the Z 9II. I have doubts the processor board on the Z 9 and Z 8 has enough memory to do pre-capture raw else it would be available by now, but maybe the techie guys at Nikon can bring pre-capture raw to the Z 9 which is the only feature I am very keen for Nikon to have (OMD / Olympus have had this for a long time).
 
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I have a Z9 and my wife uses a Z8. Our next really big trip is towards the end of 2025 and I'll probably add in a Z8 before then as the backup camera and so that I have a lighter body for landscape and walk-around stuff in future. I'm not really too bothered by the firmware updates leapfrogging each other. It'll be nice to have some of the missing stuff onto the Z9 but I mainly prefer it for the extra size, buttons, durability etc. I really like having the built-in grip but I'd be totally up for them shaving 300-400g off the weight.
 
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