Nikon
Z9
Flagship stacked mirrorless with 45MP, 8K video, and no mechanical shutter.
$5,899
Released Oct 2021
Sony
Alpha 7S II
12MP low-light video pioneer before the A7S III revolution.
$2,999
Released Sep 2015
Z9 is 6.1 years newer.
Wins
Z9
Wins
Alpha 7S II
TL;DR — Key differences
- BAlpha 7S II has higher Burst (mechanical) (5 fps vs 0 fps)
- AZ9 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 5 fps)
- AZ9 has higher RAW buffer depth (1000 frames vs 120 frames)
- BAlpha 7S II has higher ISO max (native) (102,400 vs 25,600)
- AZ9 has higher 4K max frame rate (120 fps vs 30 fps)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
Z9
149 × 150 × 91 mm
1340 g (2.95 lb / 47.27 oz)
Alpha 7S II
127 × 96 × 60 mm
627 g (1.38 lb / 22.12 oz)
Z9 is 22mm wider, 54mm taller, and 30mm thicker than Alpha 7S II.
Z9 is 713 g heavier than Alpha 7S II.
Depth (front-to-back): 91mm Z9 · 60mm Alpha 7S II
Back view, to scale
Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.
Z9
149 × 150 mm
Alpha 7S II
127 × 96 mm
Top view, to scale
Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.
Z9
149 × 91 mm
Alpha 7S II
127 × 60 mm
Sensor size, to scale
Z9
35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame
858 mm² area
Alpha 7S II
35.6 × 23.8 mm · Full Frame
847 mm² area
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
Z9
Nikon Z
90+
native lenses available
Alpha 7S II
✓ more lensesSony E
350+
native lenses available
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 -4 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
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 5 fps — higher is better
RAW buffer depth
1000 frames vs 120 frames — higher is better
4K max frame rate
120 fps vs 30 fps — higher is better
Reasons to choose
Alpha 7S II
Subject recognition
Adds Human
Burst (mechanical)
5 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better
Codecs
Adds XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4…
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 126.9, 95.7, 60.3
Card types
Adds SD UHS-I
ISO max (native)
102,400 vs 25,600 — higher is better
Weight
627 g vs 1340 g — lower is better
AA filter
Only Alpha 7S II supports it
Both cameras share
- ✓Eye AF — Both support eye af
- ✓In-body stabilization — Both support in-body stabilization
- ✓Weather sealing — Both support weather sealing
- ✓Touchscreen — Both support touchscreen
- ✓Wi-Fi — Both support wi-fi
- ✓Bluetooth — Both 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
Alpha 7S II
Pros
- ✓Legendary low light
- ✓4K internal
- ✓Compact files
Cons
- –12MP stills limit
- –Old AF
- –8-bit 4K
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for sports, Z9 or Alpha 7S II?
Z9 scores 9.0/10 versus 1.5/10 for Alpha 7S II — 120fps burst — pro-level action capture.
What's the resolution difference between the Z9 and Alpha 7S II?
Z9 is 45.7 MP and Alpha 7S II is 12.2 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the Z9 and Alpha 7S II have in-body image stabilization?
Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while alpha 7S II has 4.5-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the Z9 or the Alpha 7S II?
Z9 reaches 120 fps electronic. Alpha 7S II reaches 5 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the Z9 and Alpha 7S II?
Z9 weighs 1340 g and Alpha 7S II weighs 627 g, so the Alpha 7S II is 713 g lighter.
Do the Z9 and Alpha 7S II record 4K video?
Z9: 8K UHD (max), 4K up to 120p. Alpha 7S II: 4K up to 30p.
Are the Z9 and Alpha 7S II weather sealed?
Z9: Yes. Alpha 7S II: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 740 shots (CIPA) for the Z9 and 310 shots for the Alpha 7S II, giving the Z9 the edge.
How much does each cost?
Z9 launched at $5,899 and Alpha 7S II at $2,999. The Alpha 7S II is $2,900 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.
Product images courtesy of Nikon and Sony press materials.