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Archive 2021 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

vdo1
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p.16 #1 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

JadedWriter wrote:
don't come at me trying to insult me over my camera design choices.

C'mon, you're missing the whole point of the forum. From "rendering" to the placement of the battery cover latch, that's what we do here. There need to be places for self appointed connoisseurs to express themselves

Nov 12, 2021 at 12:03 PM

zhangyue
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p.16 #2 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

It just looks like Nikon�s idea of professional camera is different than others.

Nov 12, 2021 at 12:15 PM

ChrisMak
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p.16 #3 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

zhangyue wrote:
It just looks like Nikon�s idea of professional camera is different than others.

The toughness or the sense of toughness has higher priority. Maybe this is the target market for Nikon. I have to say I can imagine Id like a camera like that if the camera bring food on my table. It also bring a peace of mind for me if I am in field. We never know how much back end QA they did before they determined to design a body with this size and weight to meet their pro �standard�.

It is not for me though....Show more →

You sum it up very well.
To me, the Z9 comes across as a rugged professionals tool, with specs that are completely out of my use cases. It's a camera for a day's of fieldwork in journalism or reportage work, and you can go on the whole day without worrying about the battery, and you can switch between stills and super high end video. If you bump it, drop it, cover it with mud, no matter, the tool is made to endure.
A benchmark camera and a camera to admire, but at the same time a camera as far away from a camera that I would enjoy using as possible, either for travel, landscape, wildlife or birding.
And I hate to have to come to the conclusion, but the Sony A1 is exactly the camera that I would enjoy to use for �ll these types of shooting: portable (travel) high resolution (landscapes) great dynamic range and iso performance (wildlife) and fast (birding).

It used to be clear: the Canon 1DX and the Nikon D4//5/6 are military grade tools, built for heavy (professional) use, and I think v�ry few on e.g. a forum like this would ever have considered buying one.
The Z9 appears to be about to change that, and that would be a great success for Nikon, but what will it actually mean for their body line-up? Will they feel confident enough to believe that the Z9 �s in fact a body for all serious users?

With Sony, the price is the only thing you will have to swallow when going for an A1, with Nikon you will also have to swallow large size and heavy weight. Is the Nikon birder/wildlife/sports shooter of the future Z years condemned to the form factor of the Z9? I have no idea, but I don't take for granted that the old D500/D850/D5 models will be ported over to mirrorless. The price point of the Nikon Z9 is conspicuously low, is it part of their plan to bring the Z9 to an audience as large and broad as possible?

Only time will tell I guess.

Nov 12, 2021 at 02:17 PM

zhangyue
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p.16 #4 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

I think a Z8 like camera is a given. We all know that is what Nikon need to bring to tackle advanced amateur market which is the money maker for any manufactures.

It seems make more sense to address pro market first. They did this before with D3/D700 sequence. For specialty sensor like this. The cost, yield and production take time to stabilize. I personally would prefer other way around that introducing Z8 first, but they barely meet the demand for a �niche� Z9 now, how can they deliver Z8? If production limited by sensor production, supply chain or labor, they better sell more higher priced Z9 to maximize profit.

A1 is a camera you can hardly fault on anything if the features are what you want. I am happy with SL2S for my need but won�t deny a camera like Z8 given I still have many F Mount glasses I love.

Nov 12, 2021 at 03:25 PM

Pixel Perfect
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p.16 #5 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

My only gripe with the Sony bodies is the woeful lack of space between mount and grip. I don't have large fingers, but I get indentations on a few of my fingers when using the 100-400 or 200-600. Looking at the R5 and Z7II they have a several more mm gap meaning there's no issue at all. All the A1 needed was to be about 7-10mm wider and it would have been perfect.

I don't care about gripped or ungripped, because I'm not a one camera person. I've always had a large pro body and a regular body, so I can choose as I see fit. So for me having an A1 and Z9 will be perfect. A1 would me my preferred choice when I want to keep it small and lighter, but it would always be gripped when shooting sports/wildlife/birds with the bigger lenses.

Any way by the looks of it I won't realistically be able to get a Z9 within 12 months unless I pre-order at top dollar rip-off pricing, which I won't. I may just sit pat with the A9 and A7RIII and try and get the A1 which is being discounted frequently and down to Z9/R3 pricing or less now. Would love Sony to cut the price a bit.

Nov 12, 2021 at 07:02 PM

Arka
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p.16 #6 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

ChrisMak wrote:
You sum it up very well.
To me, the Z9 comes across as a rugged professionals tool, with specs that are completely out of my use cases. It's a camera for a day's of fieldwork in journalism or reportage work, and you can go on the whole day without worrying about the battery, and you can switch between stills and super high end video. If you bump it, drop it, cover it with mud, no matter, the tool is made to endure.
A benchmark camera and a camera to admire, but at the same time a camera as far away from a...Show more →

There are many camera users who crave huge camera bodies for reasons I never truly understood or identified with. Yet for nearly two decades, both Canon and Nikon put their best features in giant cameras. I owned several of these massive cameras, and hated their size and bulk with particular passion. But at the time there was no way to get top-end performance without the bulk and weight.

Sony was the first to buck this trend as a matter of design philosophy, which is why I am perhaps unusually grateful - grateful enough that I'll be selling all of my Nikon equipment this January and committing to Sony 100%. The Z9's large footprint seals the deal for me.

Edited on Nov 16, 2021 at 05:06 PM · View previous versions

Nov 13, 2021 at 12:42 AM

Bob_S
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p.16 #7 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

It's not right nor wrong, small isn't better, it's just more desirable for some shooters.

I prefer a small body most of the time but that doesn't mean my ergonomic tastes are right.

There are benefits to a big body.
There are benefits to small.

Nov 13, 2021 at 03:11 AM

ChrisMak
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p.16 #8 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Arka wrote:
There are many camera users who crave huge camera bodies for reasons I never truly understood or identified with. Yet for nearly two decades, both Canon and Nikon put their best features in giant camera. I owned several of these massive cameras, and hated their size and bulk with particular passion. But at the time there was no way to get top-ed performance without the bulk and weight.

Sony was the first to buck this trend as a matter of design philosophy, which is why I am perhaps unusually grateful - grateful enough that I'll be selling all of my...Show more →

I am aware of that legacy of high performance big and heavy camera bodies, and I stayed away from full frame (shooting aps-c) up until Sony came with the A7R. After the A7R I got the A7RII and that has been my camera for general shooting since. I have followed Sony in its stride to bring full frame to the masses, and Canon Nikon trying to catch up.
For me the Z9 launch has also sealed the deal, because even when I learned about the integrated grip of the Z9 almost a year ago, I still thought that Nikon would stay close to Sony and Canon, and keep the size and especially the weight down.
Even though I have not used a D5 like body, and have not handled a Z9, I know I would share your passion in a positive dislike of its sheer size and weight.

It seals the deal for me, because it has made clear that mirrorless doesn't inherently change Nikon's approach and philosophy on high performance cameras, but mainly because the fate of DX is completely unsure. If there is no DX high performing camera on the radar, and I am forced to adopt full frame for wildlife and birding, than I definitely want a body like the A1 and not the Z9.
I waited because of the portability of the 500PF, but as that takes a big weight and size hit also with the Z9 and ftz adapter, there is no reason for me to remain with Nikon.

Of course Sony has been getting it right lately with the A1 and the GM lenses, so that also adds up...

Nov 13, 2021 at 03:43 AM

saaketham
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p.16 #9 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Finally got to shoot (briefly) with a Nikon z9 last night at Roberts in Indianapolis. I liked the size, grip and the design a lot, but did not care much for the extra weight.

I would not want to carry it on a hike or use it often with smaller focal length lenses. I would definitely prefer it for birding and wildlife, when using long telephoto lenses. It was an interesting 2 hours .. with the usual marketing hype from a Nikon rep and Joe McNally, a well known photographer. There were at least 60 people attending the event. Roberts rep said their "pre order numbers are crazy high". Not sure of exact numbers.

I found it funny that I (who often argue for Nikon on FM), kept wanting to ask "But Sony has been doing this for months, so why all the hype?" in their Q&A session, when they had finished hyping up the new Eye AF. And for a second, I understood Sony a9/a1 users' annoyance at us Nikon users, when we talk about the incredible AF on the z9. You guys have been using it for many years (a9) to almost a year (a1). 😁

Nov 13, 2021 at 04:01 AM

ChrisMak
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p.16 #10 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

saaketham wrote:
Finally got to shoot (briefly) with a Nikon z9 last night at Roberts in Indianapolis. I liked the size, grip and the design a lot, but did not care much for the extra weight.

I would not want to carry it on a hike or use it often with smaller focal length lenses. I would definitely prefer it for birding and wildlife, when using long telephoto lenses. It was an interesting 2 hours .. with the usual marketing hype from a Nikon rep and Joe McNally, a well known photographer. There were at least 60 people attending the event. Roberts...Show more →

What lens would you use on the Z9?
B.t.w. of course there is a lot of difference in how we use our gear. Ik always hike and shoot handheld. It is a different matter alltogether if you for instance drive and shoot from a car window, or drive to a location and set up the camera with large lens on a tripod and remain fairly stationary. For me, the act of taking wildlife/bird images is part of hiking and being out in nature.
That will explain my strong preference for the Sony aporoach.

b.t.w. Are you not a Sony A1 user at present? I remember reading that you were to get an A1? How did the Z9 compare to the experience with the A1?

Nov 13, 2021 at 05:02 AM

Tony Ross
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p.16 #11 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

1bwana1 wrote:
True, the claimed difference in sensor scan speed even if real is not big enough to provide any increases in performance or capability. It is not what enabled Nikon to delete the mechanical imaging shutter. That capability has been around in similar camera form factors (ICL) since the Sony released the a9 4 years ago.

I've multiple posts from you referring to ICL - do you mean ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera)?

Nov 13, 2021 at 06:04 AM

Tony Ross
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p.16 #12 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Now that we are all agreed that the A1 and Z9 are both excellent cameras is it time to point a finger at the R3 and laugh at how far away it is?

(pretty sure the fanbois can agree on that at least

)

Nov 13, 2021 at 06:42 AM

1bwana1
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p.16 #13 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Tony Ross wrote:
I've multiple posts from you referring to ICL - do you mean ILC (Interchangeable Lens Camera)?

Yes, ICL is interchangeable lens camera.

Nov 13, 2021 at 06:50 AM

1bwana1
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p.16 #14 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Tony Ross wrote:
Now that we are all agreed that the A1 and Z9 are both excellent cameras is it time to point a finger at the R3 and laugh at how far away it is?

(pretty sure the fanbois can agree on that at least

)

No. For some the only major shortcoming in the R3 is resolution. For others this is an advantage. But at least it does shoot RAW at 30 fps.

Sony has had the capabilities that everyone is raving about now for 4 years. Now that Nikon and Canon are going to build cameras using the stacked sensor technology that Sony pioneered in ICL, the differences will be around the edges of implementation.

Welcome to the modern World of cameras Nikon and Canon.

Nov 13, 2021 at 06:56 AM

saaketham
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p.16 #15 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Are you not a Sony A1 user at present? I remember reading that you were to get an A1?
How did the Z9 compare to the experience with the A1?

Yes, I shoot with an a1 and 2 Sony lenses as well, although I've only had it for a month or so. The a1 AF is incredible, and tracks critters so well. It inspires total confidence. Shooting BIF with Nikon z6ii and z7ii was a gamble (except larger birds like gulls). Having that kind of confidence, that the camera will find and track the subject well makes you more relaxed and enjoy shooting subjects you would not try in the past.

The a1 and z7ii feel too small in my hands and I dislike add on grips because to me, they look and feel hacked on and clumsy. I've had grips for 3 of my DSLRs and ended up not using them, but missed the vertical grip/buttons quite often.

So the z9 body seemed very good to handle, except the weight. The grip felt really comfy and nice to hold. I only shot with it for 4 or 5 mins total. The EVF did not have any WOW factor (like when you first look through an a1 EVF) but felt quite natural and clear.

So, if you like shooting smaller, lighter rigs, the a1 is definitely the way to go. It is the most powerful camera in the world currently. If you like rugged, Dx style bodies with deep, spacious grip, the z9 or R3.

As for lenses, I would use 70-200 f/2.8, 500 PF or any other supertele like the Sigma 500, Nikon 600 z or g, the upcoming z 800mm etc. On a gimbal, it will be really nice to use it with a supertele.

Edited on Nov 13, 2021 at 07:51 AM · View previous versions

Nov 13, 2021 at 07:17 AM

Daran
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p.16 #16 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

1bwana1 wrote:
Yes, ICL is interchangeable lens camera.
So I take it you are deliberately confusing everyone?

Nov 13, 2021 at 07:28 AM

1bwana1
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p.16 #17 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

Daran wrote:
So I take it you are deliberately confusing everyone?

No just typo. I suck typing on my phone.

Nov 13, 2021 at 07:52 AM

arbitrage
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p.16 #18 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

1bwana1 wrote:
No just typo. I suck typing on my phone.

Nov 13, 2021 at 07:54 AM

arbitrage
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p.16 #19 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

saaketham wrote:
Yes, I shoot with an a1 and 2 Sony lenses as well, although I've only had it for a month or so. The a1 AF is incredible, and tracks critters so well. It inspires total confidence. Shooting BIF with Nikon z6ii and z7ii was a gamble (except larger birds like gulls). Having that kind of confidence, that the camera will find and track the subject well makes you more relaxed and enjoy shooting subjects you would not try in the past.

The a1 and z7ii feel too small in my hands and I dislike add on grips because to me, they...Show more →

I'm most interested in your EVF impressions. I may have deluded myself by reading/watching too much of the Nikon hype on the EVF. For some odd reason, getting to look through the EVF of the Z9 is what I'm most looking forward to when I get mine.
Now I'm disappointed that the EVF didn't have any WOW factor for you. Of course we may all perceive these things differently. The A1 EVF doesn't have any WOW factor for me other than the 0.9x mag. That is one thing I'm worried about with the Z9 as it is "only" 0.8x (better than any DSLR on the market though) but when I switch my A1 to the highest quality mode and get that 0.75x? view it looks really disappointing.
As I understand it though, you were only indoors and didn't get to do any panning/action shooting with the EVF so I guess there will be more to be discovered.
Did you immediately notice the decreased magnification compared to the A1 (assuming you shoot your A1 in 0.9x most of the time)?

Nov 13, 2021 at 08:00 AM

arbitrage
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p.16 #20 · "Nikon Z9 vs Sony A1 � The 10 main differences"

saaketham wrote:
I found it funny that I (who often argue for Nikon on FM), kept wanting to ask "But Sony has been doing this for months, so why all the hype?" in their Q&A session, when they had finished hyping up the new Eye AF. And for a second, I understood Sony a9/a1 users' annoyance at us Nikon users, when we talk about the incredible AF on the z9. You guys have been using it for many years (a9) to almost a year (a1). 😁

Exactly how I feel wading through the Canon and Nikon forums on a daily basis. Reading months/years of negative comments towards Sony saying no one needs these features and then as soon as their brand of choice adds them they become amazing and "better" than Sony even though no one has even touched the damn camera.

Nov 13, 2021 at 08:03 AM

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