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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
Muse

Xtra

Muse

Pocket gimbal camera with 1-inch CMOS sensor, 4K/120fps slow-motion, 3-axis mechanical gimbal, 10-bit X-Log, and 2-inch OLED touchscreen.

$499

Launch price

Released Sep 2025

Muse is 3.8 years newer.

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Wins

4categories

Z9

Sports & ActionVideo & Hybrid

Wins

3categories

Muse

Sports & Action

1 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

Z9 wins 3 categories·Muse wins 2 categories
  • BMuse has lower Weight (180 g vs 1160 g)
  • AZ9 has higher Resolution (45.7 MP vs 9.4 MP)
  • AZ9 has higher ISO max (native) (25,600 vs 6,400)
  • AZ9 has higher 4K max frame rate (120 fps vs 60 fps)
  • BMuse has higher 1080p max frame rate (240 fps vs 120 fps)

Key specs at a glance

Z9Muse
Resolution45.7 MP9.4 MP
SensorFull Frame1 inch
ISO max25,6006,400
Burst120 fps
4K120 fps60 fps
IBIS6-stopNo
Weight1160 g180 g
Battery740 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

Muse front view

Muse

34 × 140 × 42 mm

180 g (0.40 lb / 6.35 oz)

Z9 is 115mm wider, 10mm taller, and 48mm thicker than Muse.

Z9 is 980 g heavier than Muse.

Depth (front-to-back): 91mm Z9 · 42mm Muse

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

Muse back view

Muse

34 × 140 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

Muse top view

Muse

34 × 42 mm

Sensor size, to scale

Z9

35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame

858 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

Z9

✓ more lenses

Nikon Z

90+

native lenses available

40 first-party50 third-party

Muse: 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 caseZ9Muse
Portrait
8.5Excellent✓ wins
1.0Limited
Sports & Action
10.0Excellent✓ wins
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
9.5Excellent✓ wins
4.0Fair
Landscape
9.5Excellent✓ wins
1.0Limited
Travel
5.5Fair✓ wins
3.5Limited
Wildlife
5.5Fair✓ wins
0.0Limited
Vlogging
5.5Fair✓ wins
4.0Fair

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

  • Resolution

    45.7 MP vs 9.4 MP — higher is better

  • ISO max (native)

    25,600 vs 6,400 — higher is better

  • Eye AF

    Only Z9 supports it

  • Animal / bird AF

    Only Z9 supports it

Reasons to choose

Muse

  • Codecs

    Adds H.264, H.265

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 34, 140, 42.2

  • Card types

    Adds microSD

  • Weight

    180 g vs 1160 g — lower is better

  • 1080p max frame rate

    240 fps vs 120 fps — higher is better

  • ISO min (native)

    50 vs 64 — lower is better

Both cameras share

  • IBIS effectivenessBoth 6 stops
  • 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

Muse

Pros

  • 1-inch CMOS at $379
  • 3-axis mechanical gimbal
  • 4K/120fps slow-motion
  • 10-bit X-Log color

Cons

  • No waterproofing
  • Fixed lens
  • No built-in storage

Decided which one is right for you?

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

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Full specifications

= category winner

Z9
Muse
Resolution
45.7 MP4.9× more
9.4 MP
Sensor type
Full Frame Stacked BSI CMOS
1-inch CMOS
Sensor size
35.9 × 23.9 mm
1 inch
AA filter
No
No
Z9
Muse
Aperture
f/2.0
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
20 mm
Z9
Muse
Processor
EXPEED 7
Xtra AI processor
Z9
Muse
ISO min (native)
64
50−14 less
ISO max (native)
25,600+2 stops
6,400
ISO max (expanded)
102,400
16,000
Z9
Muse
Shutter type
Electronic only
Electronic shutter
Max mechanical speed
N/A
1/8000 sec
Max electronic speed
1/32000 sec
1/8000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for landscape, Z9 or Muse?

Z9 scores 9.5/10 versus 1.0/10 for Muse — 45.7MP — excellent for prints up to 24×36".

What's the resolution difference between the Z9 and Muse?

Z9 is 45.7 MP and Muse is 9.4 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the Z9 and Muse have in-body image stabilization?

Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while Muse uses a 3-axis mechanical gimbal.

What's the weight difference between the Z9 and Muse?

Z9 weighs 1160 g and Muse weighs 180 g, so the Muse is 980 g lighter.

Do the Z9 and Muse record 4K video?

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

Are the Z9 and Muse weather sealed?

Z9: Yes. Muse: No.

How much does each cost?

Z9 launched at $5,499 and Muse at $499. The Muse is $5,000 less.

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

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

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

Product images courtesy of Nikon and Xtra press materials.