Nikon Z6 vs Panasonic S9

The Nikon Z6 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2018 and May 2024. Both the Z6 and the S9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 24.3 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z6		Panasonic S9
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		6K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
310 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 67 mm, 675 g		126 x 74 x 47 mm, 486 g

Check Z6 offers at
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Check S9 price at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z6 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9? 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 Z6 and the Panasonic S9 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The S9 can be obtained in four different colors (black, blue, red, green), while the Z6 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S9 is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Nikon Z6. Moreover, the S9 is markedly lighter (28 percent) than the Z6. It is worth mentioning in this context that the Z6 is splash and dust resistant, while the S9 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 Z6 gets 310 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15b battery, while the S9 can take 470 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. 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 Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic S9	126 mm	74 mm	47 mm	486 g	470	n	May 2024	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-S20	128 mm	85 mm	65 mm	491 g	750	n	May 2023	EUR 1 399	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	EUR 2 149	ebay.com
6.		Nikon Z5 II	134 mm	101 mm	72 mm	700 g	330	Y	Apr 2025	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Olympus E-M1 II	134 mm	91 mm	67 mm	574 g	440	Y	Sep 2016	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH5	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	725 g	410	Y	Jan 2017	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	EUR 799	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	EUR 2 099	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	EUR 2 299	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	EUR 5 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 S9 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the Z6, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the S9 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24.3MP, the Z6 offers a slightly higher resolution than the S9 (24MP), but the Z6 nevertheless has the same individual pixel size (pixel pitch of 5.94μm) as the S9 due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the S9 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 9 months) than the Z6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S9 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Nikon Z6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
2.		Panasonic S9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3297	96
3.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
4.		Fujifilm X-S20	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.0	2315	86
5.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
6.		Nikon Z5 II	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	4K/60p	25.4	14.8	3398	97
7.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
8.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
9.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
10.		Olympus E-M1 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.7	12.8	1312	80
11.		Panasonic GH5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.9	13.0	807	77
12.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
13.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
14.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
15.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
16.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
17.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the S9 provides a better video resolution than the Z6. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Z6 has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the S9 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon Z6, the Panasonic S9, 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 Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S9	none	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
4.		Fujifilm X-S20	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon Z5 II	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	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 Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
10.		Olympus E-M1 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	18.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic GH5	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/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 Z6, but is missing on the S9 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 Z6 and the Panasonic S9 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 Z6 writes its imaging data to XQD cards, while the S9 uses SDXC cards.

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 Z6 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 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 Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-S20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon Z5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z6 II	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 Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Olympus E-M1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic GH5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the Z6 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the S9 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

The S9 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the Z6 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the Z6 was succeeded by the Nikon Z6 II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon Z6 better than the Panasonic S9 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Z6:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1840k dots).
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/30p vs 4K/30p).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (126x74mm vs 134x101mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 189g or 28 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (470 versus 310) out of a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 9 months of technical progress since the Z6 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S9 emerges as the winner of the match-up (11 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Z6 and the Panasonic S9 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Z6 or the S9. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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 Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic S9	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2024	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-S20	5/5	+ +	5/5	86/100	..	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 1 399	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 2 149	ebay.com
6.		Nikon Z5 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2025	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 2 199	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 Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Olympus E-M1 II	5/5	+ +	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic GH5	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 799	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	EUR 2 099	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 2 299	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	EUR 5 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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