Nikon
Z9
Flagship stacked mirrorless with 45MP, 8K video, and no mechanical shutter.
$5,899
Released Oct 2021
Sigma
sd Quattro H
Foveon sensor APS-H body with unique color rendering for stills purists.
$1,299
Released Mar 2016
Z9 is 5.7 years newer.
Wins
Z9
Wins
sd Quattro H
3 categories tied
TL;DR — Key differences
- Bsd Quattro H has higher Burst (mechanical) (6 fps vs 0 fps)
- AZ9 has higher RAW buffer depth (1000 frames vs 60 frames)
- AZ9 has higher AF points / zones (493 vs 49)
- AZ9 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 15 fps)
- Bsd Quattro H has lower Weight (520 g vs 1340 g)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
Z9
149 × 150 × 91 mm
1340 g (2.95 lb / 47.27 oz)
sd Quattro H
138 × 98 × 88 mm
520 g (1.15 lb / 18.34 oz)
Z9 is 11mm wider, 52mm taller, and 3mm thicker than sd Quattro H.
Z9 is 820 g heavier than sd Quattro H.
Depth (front-to-back): 91mm Z9 · 88mm sd Quattro H
Back view, to scale
Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.
Z9
149 × 150 mm
sd Quattro H
138 × 98 mm
Top view, to scale
Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.
Z9
149 × 91 mm
sd Quattro H
138 × 88 mm
Sensor size, to scale
Z9
35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame
858 mm² area
sd Quattro H
23.5 × 15.6 mm · APS-C
367 mm² area
2.3× 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 H: 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 -5 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
RAW buffer depth
1000 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better
AF points / zones
493 vs 49 — higher is better
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better
Reasons to choose
sd Quattro H
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 138, 98, 88
Card types
Adds SD UHS-II
Weight
520 g vs 1340 g — lower is better
Both cameras share
- ✓ISO max (native) — Both 25,600
- ✓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 — Both support in-body stabilization
- ✓IBIS effectiveness — Both 6 stops
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 H
Pros
- ✓Unique Foveon color
- ✓High detail per pixel
- ✓Distinct look
Cons
- –Slow operation
- –Poor low light
- –Limited lens range
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for video, Z9 or sd Quattro H?
Z9 scores 9.5/10 versus 6.0/10 for sd Quattro H — 8K recording for future-proof footage.
What's the resolution difference between the Z9 and sd Quattro H?
Z9 is 45.7 MP and sd Quattro H is 44.8 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the Z9 and sd Quattro H have in-body image stabilization?
Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while sd Quattro H has 6-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the Z9 or the sd Quattro H?
Z9 reaches 120 fps electronic. sd Quattro H reaches 15 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the Z9 and sd Quattro H?
Z9 weighs 1340 g and sd Quattro H weighs 520 g, so the sd Quattro H is 820 g lighter.
Do the Z9 and sd Quattro H record 4K video?
Z9: 8K UHD (max), 4K up to 120p. sd Quattro H: 4K up to 60p.
Are the Z9 and sd Quattro H weather sealed?
Z9: Yes. sd Quattro H: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 740 shots (CIPA) for the Z9 and 640 shots for the sd Quattro H, giving the Z9 the edge.
How much does each cost?
Z9 launched at $5,899 and sd Quattro H at $1,299. The sd Quattro H is $4,600 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.
Product images courtesy of Nikon and Sigma press materials.