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Z9

Nikon

Z9

Flagship stacked mirrorless with 45MP, 8K video, and no mechanical shutter.

$5,499

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

vs
GR IV

Ricoh

GR IV

Latest GR with 25.74MP APS-C sensor, 28mm equivalent lens, 5-axis SR, 53GB internal memory, and pocket street-camera handling.

$1,499

Launch price

Released Jan 2026

GR IV is 4.2 years newer.

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Wins

8categories

Z9

Sports & ActionVideo & Hybrid

Wins

3categories

GR IV

PortraitVlogging

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

Z9 wins 2 categories·GR IV wins 3 categories
  • BGR IV has higher Burst (mechanical) (4 fps vs 0 fps)
  • AZ9 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 4 fps)
  • AZ9 has higher AF points / zones (493 vs 49)
  • BGR IV has higher ISO max (native) (204,800 vs 25,600)
  • BGR IV has lower Weight (262 g vs 1160 g)

Key specs at a glance

Z9GR IV
Resolution45.7 MP25.74 MP
SensorFull FrameAPS-C
ISO max25,600204,800
Burst120 fps4 fps
4K120 fps60 fps
IBIS6-stopYes
Weight1160 g262 g
Battery740 shots250 shots

Size and weight, to scale

Z9 front view

Z9

149 × 150 × 91 mm

1160 g (2.56 lb / 40.92 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

GR IV front view

GR IV

109 × 61 × 33 mm

262 g (0.58 lb / 9.24 oz)

Z9 is 40mm wider, 88mm taller, and 58mm thicker than GR IV.

Z9 is 898 g heavier than GR IV.

Depth (front-to-back): 91mm Z9 · 33mm GR IV

Back view, to scale

Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.

Z9 back view

Z9

149 × 150 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

GR IV back view

GR IV

109 × 61 mm

Top view, to scale

Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.

Z9 top view

Z9

149 × 91 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

GR IV top view

GR IV

109 × 33 mm

Sensor size, to scale

Z9

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

GR IV

23.3 × 15.5 mm · APS-C

361 mm² area

2.4× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

Z9

✓ more lenses

Nikon Z

90+

native lenses available

40 first-party50 third-party

GR IV: mount data unavailable

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseZ9GR IV
Portrait
8.5Excellent✓ wins
6.5Good
Sports & Action
10.0Excellent✓ wins
1.5Limited
Video & Hybrid
9.5Excellent✓ wins
3.5Limited
Landscape
9.5Excellent✓ wins
2.5Limited
Travel
5.5Fair
5.5Fair
Wildlife
5.5Fair✓ wins
1.0Limited
Vlogging
5.5Fair
6.5Good✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

Z9

  • Subject recognition

    Adds People, Birds, Dogs…

  • Codecs

    Adds N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422 HQ…

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 149, 149.5, 90.5

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type B / XQD, CFexpress Type B / XQD

  • Burst (electronic)

    120 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better

  • AF points / zones

    493 vs 49 — higher is better

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    740 shots vs 250 shots — higher is better

  • Animal / bird AF

    Only Z9 supports it

Reasons to choose

GR IV

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Face, Eye

  • Burst (mechanical)

    4 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MOV

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 109.4, 61.1, 32.7

  • Card types

    Adds microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC UHS-I

  • ISO max (native)

    204,800 vs 25,600 — higher is better

  • Weight

    262 g vs 1160 g — lower is better

Both cameras share

  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • In-body stabilization (IBIS)Both support in-body stabilization (ibis)
  • TouchscreenBoth support touchscreen
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi
  • BluetoothBoth support bluetooth

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

Z9

Pros

  • 45MP stacked
  • 8K 60p internal
  • 120fps stills
  • Pro build

Cons

  • Heavy body
  • Expensive
  • Large files

GR IV

Pros

  • 25.74MP APS-C sensor
  • 5-axis sensor-shift SR
  • 53GB internal memory
  • Pocketable 28mm GR lens

Cons

  • Fixed lens
  • No built-in EVF
  • Full HD video only

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the Z9 and GR IV at major authorized retailers.

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Full specifications

= category winner

Z9
GR IV
Resolution
45.7 MP+78%
25.74 MP
Sensor type
Full Frame Stacked BSI CMOS
APS-C CMOS
Sensor size
35.9 × 23.9 mm
23.3 x 15.5 mm
AA filter
No
No
Z9
GR IV
Aperture
F2.8-F16
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
28 mm
Z9
GR IV
Processor
EXPEED 7
GR ENGINE 7
Z9
GR IV
ISO min (native)
64−36 less
100
ISO max (native)
25,600
204,800+3 stops
ISO max (expanded)
102,400
204,800
Z9
GR IV
Shutter type
Electronic only
Leaf shutter
Max mechanical speed
N/A
1/4000 sec
Max electronic speed
1/32000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for sports, Z9 or GR IV?

Z9 scores 10.0/10 versus 1.5/10 for GR IV — 120fps burst — pro-level action capture.

What's the resolution difference between the Z9 and GR IV?

Z9 is 45.7 MP and GR IV is 25.74 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the Z9 and GR IV have in-body image stabilization?

Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while GR IV has in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the Z9 or the GR IV?

Z9 reaches 120 fps electronic. GR IV reaches 4 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the Z9 and GR IV?

Z9 weighs 1160 g and GR IV weighs 262 g, so the GR IV is 898 g lighter.

Do the Z9 and GR IV record 4K video?

Z9: 8K UHD (max), 4K up to 120p. GR IV: 4K up to 60p.

Are the Z9 and GR IV weather sealed?

Z9: Yes. GR IV: No.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 740 shots (CIPA) for the Z9 and 250 shots for the GR IV, giving the Z9 the edge.

How much does each cost?

Z9 launched at $5,499 and GR IV at $1,499. The GR IV is $4,000 less.

Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.

Add any camera to get a three-way Z9 vs GR IV vs X comparison.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed July 2026.

Product images courtesy of Nikon and Ricoh press materials.