Nikon Z5 II vs Z9

The Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z9 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2025 and October 2021. Both the Z5 II and the Z9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Z5 II has a resolution of 24.4 megapixels, whereas the Z9 provides 45.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z5 II		Nikon Z9
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor		45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 2089k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
14 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge		740 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 72 mm, 700 g		149 x 150 x 91 mm, 1340 g

Check Z5 II price at
amazon.com
Check Z9 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z9? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z9 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z9 is considerably larger (65 percent) than the Nikon Z5 II. Moreover, the Z9 is substantially heavier (91 percent) than the Z5 II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the Z5 II gets 330 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15c battery, while the Z9 can take 740 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL18d power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the Z9 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the Z5 II, Nikon provides the MB-N14 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z5 II	134 mm	101 mm	72 mm	700 g	330	Y	Apr 2025	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z9	149 mm	150 mm	91 mm	1340 g	740	Y	Oct 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 6 989	ebay.com
4.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 1 549	ebay.com
5.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
6.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 III	139 mm	102 mm	74 mm	670 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	EUR 2 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	EUR 3 399	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
15.		Pentax K-3 III	135 mm	104 mm	74 mm	820 g	800	Y	Mar 2021	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The Z5 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 69 percent) than the Z9, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Z9 offers a higher resolution of 45.4 megapixels, compared with 24.4 MP of the Z5 II. This megapixels advantage translates into a 37 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the Z9 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 5.93μm for the Z5 II). Moreover, it should be noted, that the Z5 II is much more recent (by 3 years and 5 months) than the Z9, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Z9 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon Z9 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Z9 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41.3 x 27.5 inches or 104.9 x 69.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 33 x 22 inches or 83.9 x 55.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.5 x 18.3 inches or 69.9 x 46.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon Z5 II are 30.2 x 20.2 inches or 76.8 x 51.2 cm for good quality, 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 41 cm for very good quality, and 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Z5 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z9 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the Z5 II is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the Z9 uses a Stacked BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z5 II	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	4K/60p	25.4	14.8	3398	97
2.		Nikon Z9	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.4	2451	98
3.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
4.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2929	95
5.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
6.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
7.		Nikon Z6 III	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3318	97
8.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
9.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
10.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
11.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
12.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
14.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
15.		Pentax K-3 III	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2083	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Z9 provides a better video resolution than the Z5 II. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Z5 II is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Z5 II and the Z9 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 3690k dots. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z5 II, the Nikon Z9, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon Z5 II	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
2.		Nikon Z9	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
4.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5/s	n	Y
5.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 III	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
15.		Pentax K-3 III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the Z9, but is missing on the Z5 II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z9 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The Z5 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Z9 uses CFexpress (type B) or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z5 II and Nikon Z9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon Z5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Pentax K-3 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon Z9 (unlike the Z5 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the Z9 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Z5 II and the Z9 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Z5 II replaced the earlier Nikon Z5, while the Z9 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon Z5 II better than the Nikon Z9 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z5 II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (134x101mm vs 149x150mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 640g or 48 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (69 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 5 months of technical progress since the Z9 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z9:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (45.4 vs 24.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 36%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/32000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 14 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (740 versus 330) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2021).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Z9 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z5 II and the Nikon Z9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Z5 II or the Z9 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z5 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2025	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z9	5/5	..	4.5/5	94/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 6 989	ebay.com
4.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	EUR 1 549	ebay.com
5.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
6.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	EUR 2 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 3 399	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
15.		Pentax K-3 III	4/5	..	3/5	..	4.5/5	..	Mar 2021	EUR 1 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Z5 II price at
amazon.com
Check Z9 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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