Nikon
Z9
Flagship stacked mirrorless with 45MP, 8K video, and no mechanical shutter.
$5,499
Launch priceReleased Oct 2021
Sigma
sd Quattro
Foveon APS-C body delivering exceptional per-pixel detail for stills purists.
$999
Launch priceReleased Feb 2016
Z9 is 5.7 years newer.
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Wins
Z9
Wins
sd Quattro
1 categories tied
Which would you choose?
TL;DR — Key differences
- Bsd Quattro has higher Burst (mechanical) (6 fps vs 0 fps)
- AZ9 has higher AF points / zones (493 vs 9)
- AZ9 has higher RAW buffer depth (1000 frames vs 60 frames)
- AZ9 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 15 fps)
- AZ9 has higher ISO max (native) (25,600 vs 6,400)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
📸 Snap this size diff to share
Z9
149 × 150 × 91 mm
1160 g (2.56 lb / 40.92 oz)
Credit card
85.6 × 54 mm
for scale
sd Quattro
147 × 95 × 91 mm
625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)
Z9 is 2mm wider and 54mm taller than sd Quattro.
Z9 is 535 g heavier than sd Quattro.
Depth (front-to-back): 91mm Z9 · 91mm sd Quattro
Back view, to scale
Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.
Z9
149 × 150 mm
Credit card
85.6 × 54 mm
sd Quattro
147 × 95 mm
Top view, to scale
Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.
Z9
149 × 91 mm
Credit card
85.6 × 54 mm
sd Quattro
147 × 91 mm
Sensor size, to scale
Z9
35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame
858 mm² area
sd Quattro
23.5 × 15.5 mm · APS-C
364 mm² area
2.4× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
Z9
✓ more lensesNikon Z
90+
native lenses available
sd Quattro: 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
Why pick one over the other
Reasons to choose
Z9
AF low-light limit
-8.5 EV vs -1 EV — lower is better
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
AF points / zones
493 vs 9 — higher is better
RAW buffer depth
1000 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better
Reasons to choose
sd Quattro
Subject recognition
Adds Human, Animal, Bird…
Burst (mechanical)
6 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better
Codecs
Adds H.265, H.264
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 147, 95.1, 90.8
Card types
Adds SD, SDHC, SDXC
Weight
625 g vs 1160 g — lower is better
EVF magnification
1.09 × vs 0.8 × — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓Eye AF — Both support eye af
- ✓Animal / bird AF — Both support animal / bird af
- ✓Pre-Capture / Pre-Release — Both support pre-capture / pre-release
- ✓In-body stabilization (IBIS) — Both support in-body stabilization (ibis)
- ✓IBIS effectiveness — Both 6 stops
- ✓Weather sealing — Both support weather sealing
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
sd Quattro
Pros
- ✓Unique Foveon color
- ✓High acutance
- ✓Distinct rendering
Cons
- –Slow
- –Poor high ISO
- –SA mount limited
Decided which one is right for you?
Compare live prices for the Z9 and sd Quattro at major authorized retailers.
Sigma sd Quattro
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Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for landscape, Z9 or sd Quattro?
Z9 scores 9.5/10 versus 4.0/10 for sd Quattro — 45.7MP — excellent for prints up to 24×36".
What's the resolution difference between the Z9 and sd Quattro?
Z9 is 45.7 MP and sd Quattro is 29 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the Z9 and sd Quattro have in-body image stabilization?
Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while sd Quattro has 6-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the Z9 or the sd Quattro?
Z9 reaches 120 fps electronic. sd Quattro reaches 15 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the Z9 and sd Quattro?
Z9 weighs 1160 g and sd Quattro weighs 625 g, so the sd Quattro is 535 g lighter.
Do the Z9 and sd Quattro record 4K video?
Z9: 8K UHD (max), 4K up to 120p. sd Quattro: 4K up to 60p.
Are the Z9 and sd Quattro weather sealed?
Z9: Yes. sd Quattro: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 740 shots (CIPA) for the Z9 and 640 shots for the sd Quattro, giving the Z9 the edge.
How much does each cost?
Z9 launched at $5,499 and sd Quattro at $999. The sd Quattro is $4,500 less.
Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.
Add any camera to get a three-way Z9 vs sd Quattro vs X comparison.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed July 2026.
Product images courtesy of Nikon and Sigma press materials.