GEAR
GROUP TEST
SPECIFICATIONS
Price: £4999/$5496 body only Sensor type/size: 45.7-megapixel, stacked CMOS, full-frame Shutter type: Rolling electronic Max stills frame rate: 40fps LCD: Articulating 3.2-inch touchscreen LED, 2100k dot Viewfinder: Electronic OLED, approx 3690k dot Formats: 8K Raw 12-bit at 60fps, H.265 4:2:2 10-bit UHD 8K/30p, UHD 4K to 120p; ProRes 422 HQ 4:2:2 10-bit UHD 4K/30p; H.265 4:2:0 8-bit UHD 4K/30p; H.264 4:2:0 8-bit UHD 4K/30p, Full HD 120p. UHD 8K up to 30p, UHD 4K to 120p via HDMI to external recorder Storage: 2x CFexpress Type B/ XQD card slots Dimensions (wxhxd): 149x149.5x90.5mm/ 5.9x5.9x3.6in Weight: 1340g/2.9lb body with battery and memory
NIKON Z 9
ZED’S NOT DEAD Nikon’s Z 9 might be the oldest camera here, but it puts up a stunning fight and is still one of the very best around
T he Z 9 is the camera that not only put Nikon back on the map as a serious player, but was also the first step towards the company making serious inroads into filmmaking. From its launch back in 2021, Nikon followed it up with the more filmmaker-friendly and cheaper Z 8. And now, of course, it owns Red – whose cameras can come with Nikon Z mounts – and there’s even a Nikon cinema lens.
Sony’s stacked sensor technology. It largely aped the Sony A1 but in a pro- style DSLR body. It shoots at up to 30fps in stills and 120p in 4K, with no viewfinder lag and incredible AF. The Z 9 is not only fast – but it also delivers highly detailed stills and video thanks to its 46-megapixel 8K sensor. Like the Sony A1 and A1 II, it remains a master of nearly everything. From sports and wildlife action shots to high- resolution stills and 8K video, it does it all. High frame rates and bit rates in 4K video are no issue, with 120p in 4K 4:2:2 10-bit recorded internally to CFexpress Type B or XQD cards. The electronic viewfinder is large, bright and clear, and the stacked sensor eliminates stutter when
You might think the Z 9 has stood still, but it remains the flagship and has been continually improved over the years through firmware upgrades – the majority of which enhance the video spec. You can upload Red LUTs, for example. The latest free firmware upgrade lets filmmakers set shutter angles in 15 steps between 5.6° and 360°. The colour of the zebra pattern display – as well as the size, transparency and position of brightness information displays such as the histogram and waveform monitor – may also be customised. This shows Nikon is listening to filmmakers. The Z 9 was Nikon’s first serious professional camera, joining Canon, OM System and Fujifilm in licensing
CLOUD NINE The Z 9 is not only the best Nikon camera, but it offers stunning performance and the huge Z lens mount
“The Z 9 has been continually improved over the years via firmware upgrades”
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