The Nikon Z8 is a professional mirrorless camera featuring a 45.7 MP stacked CMOS sensor for minimal rolling shutter distortion and exquisite image processing with the Expeed 7 processor. This camera boasts groundbreaking subject detection and AF performance, a blackout-free EVF for real-time viewing, and rich tones captured in HEIF for both stills and time-lapse videos. Record high-definition 4K UHD video oversampled from 8K, with professional-level 12-bit or 10-bit options. The Nikon Z8 also offers crystal clear 24-bit/48 kHz linear PCM audio recording and dual card slots for CFExpress Type B / XQD or SD (UHS-II) storage.
The Nikon Z8 is a professional mirrorless camera featuring a 45.7 MP stacked CMOS sensor for minimal rolling shutter distortion and exquisite image processing with the Expeed 7 processor. This camera boasts groundbreaking subject detection and AF performance, a blackout-free EVF for real-time viewing, and rich tones captured in HEIF for both stills and time-lapse videos. Record high-definition 4K UHD video oversampled from 8K, with professional-level 12-bit or 10-bit options. The Nikon Z8 also offers crystal clear 24-bit/48 kHz linear PCM audio recording and dual card slots for CFExpress Type B / XQD or SD (UHS-II) storage.
The Nikon Z8 is a professional mirrorless camera featuring a 45.7 MP stacked CMOS sensor for minimal rolling shutter distortion and exquisite image processing with the Expeed 7 processor. This camera boasts groundbreaking subject detection and AF performance, a blackout-free EVF for real-time viewing, and rich tones captured in HEIF for both stills and time-lapse videos. Record high-definition 4K UHD video oversampled from 8K, with professional-level 12-bit or 10-bit options. The Nikon Z8 also offers crystal clear 24-bit/48 kHz linear PCM audio recording and dual card slots for CFExpress Type B / XQD or SD (UHS-II) storage.
The Nikon Z8 is a professional mirrorless camera featuring a 45.7 MP stacked CMOS sensor for minimal rolling shutter distortion and exquisite image processing with the Expeed 7 processor. This camera boasts groundbreaking subject detection and AF performance, a blackout-free EVF for real-time viewing, and rich tones captured in HEIF for both stills and time-lapse videos. Record high-definition 4K UHD video oversampled from 8K, with professional-level 12-bit or 10-bit options. The Nikon Z8 also offers crystal clear 24-bit/48 kHz linear PCM audio recording and dual card slots for CFExpress Type B / XQD or SD (UHS-II) storage.
Last updated at 06/11/2026 10:23:51
Nikon Z8 Body Only | 45.7MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS | 8K RAW Video | 120fps High-Speed Burst | Fast & Accurate Subject Detection with 493 Points AF |
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Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Camera Body (Camera lens kit box)
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Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Camera
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originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
OK, I received my Z8 almost immediately; I ordered it at the end of the first hour and had it in my hands by 2:00pm the day after the first day of shipments began. Great job B & H.The Z8 fit is Momma Bear just right, I have average to large hands and it fits well and feels much the same as my D850, my D500 is a bit cramped. There are a number of relocated controls that I am still getting used to but then, I need to spend more time with the Z8. I could probably get used to the vertical grip though I did not order one. More about this later.My photography subjects are landscape, wild life, car, and air shows. I have had it out twice, for landscape shooting. The setting and sensor capabilities fit in well capturing sunsets from the Skyline Drive. I find that I do ... MoreOK, I received my Z8 almost immediately; I ordered it at the end of the first hour and had it in my hands by 2:00pm the day after the first day of shipments began. Great job B & H.The Z8 fit is Momma Bear just right, I have average to large hands and it fits well and feels much the same as my D850, my D500 is a bit cramped. There are a number of relocated controls that I am still getting used to but then, I need to spend more time with the Z8. I could probably get used to the vertical grip though I did not order one. More about this later.My photography subjects are landscape, wild life, car, and air shows. I have had it out twice, for landscape shooting. The setting and sensor capabilities fit in well capturing sunsets from the Skyline Drive. I find that I do not need to shoot as many HDR sequences as I did with the 850. As for exposure range, it even held well capturing sunspots through a 70-200 at 200mm. My second outing was on a day road trip into West Virginia. Shooting one-handed over my shoulder was no sweat. Exposure came out very good, with little editing to be required.My only concern is battery life. While I have a spare and several from my other cameras, I wonder if I will need to get the vertical grip to support air show events. Only more shooting will answer this question.This is my first mirrorless body, I am shooting with F-mount lenses and an FTZ-II. There are a lot of features and customization to go through. I am not planning on anything other than opportunistic video clips like the one I shot in WV of mountain top Eagle Slicer wind turbines.Thumbs up, great camera. I am looking forward working more with this camera.
originally posted on bestbuy.com
The Z8 is a truly impressive camera. It is far ahead of the Z7II on every front other than size and weight. You also will not get all of its advances in a smaller body anyway. Quite frankly, it mostly is a smaller Z9.Auto focus, pro controls, refined white balance and exposure options, and extremely responsive EVF (among other things) all make for an exceptional experience. I do landscapes and architecture, not wildlife, but as a test, took some shots out of the box of some hummingbirds, and it nailed auto focus and exposure almost every time. There is nothing about using the camera that has left me unimpressed.Here, however, is the problem. As of 6/23/2023, it is also part of a voluntary recall due to a problem with the camera mount. Looking at the advisory ... MoreThe Z8 is a truly impressive camera. It is far ahead of the Z7II on every front other than size and weight. You also will not get all of its advances in a smaller body anyway. Quite frankly, it mostly is a smaller Z9.Auto focus, pro controls, refined white balance and exposure options, and extremely responsive EVF (among other things) all make for an exceptional experience. I do landscapes and architecture, not wildlife, but as a test, took some shots out of the box of some hummingbirds, and it nailed auto focus and exposure almost every time. There is nothing about using the camera that has left me unimpressed.Here, however, is the problem. As of 6/23/2023, it is also part of a voluntary recall due to a problem with the camera mount. Looking at the advisory page, it is also easy enough to figure out the problem potentially affects at least the first 10,000 serial numbers. Unless you want to buy a camera and then immediately send it in for repair, I would suggest waiting at least a month until they cycle in new stock. Mine has already been returned and will be re-purchased at a later date. Again, it is an amazing camera, I just expect something better on the QC front for $4000.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I'm another person who's just made the conversion from a D850 to the Z 8. Had it for about a week now and quite happy--five stars and won't return it. Here are some of my original concerns and thoughts from using it for a week.Before buying the Z 8 I was concerned about how it would feel in my hands, especially my right hand where I have some arthritis in a few fingers. The space between the grip and lens is fine--unlike on some Sony A7 models where it's too tight.Also concerned about switching from an optical viewfinder (I'm old school) to a digital one. Once I realized I never focus through the viewfinder anymore the digital one made sense. I just compose in the viewfinder (other than on a tripod in the studio.) Took a bit to get used to it, like being briefly ... MoreI'm another person who's just made the conversion from a D850 to the Z 8. Had it for about a week now and quite happy--five stars and won't return it. Here are some of my original concerns and thoughts from using it for a week.Before buying the Z 8 I was concerned about how it would feel in my hands, especially my right hand where I have some arthritis in a few fingers. The space between the grip and lens is fine--unlike on some Sony A7 models where it's too tight.Also concerned about switching from an optical viewfinder (I'm old school) to a digital one. Once I realized I never focus through the viewfinder anymore the digital one made sense. I just compose in the viewfinder (other than on a tripod in the studio.) Took a bit to get used to it, like being briefly surprised to see stills in the viewfinder and having the image get a bit washed out in *extremely* bright backlight situations. Not a problem, though. And a minor thing. If you bring the camera to your eye the back panel turns off and the viewfinder turns on. Turns out this will also happen if you're looking at the back panel and a finger gets too close to the viewfinder. Not an issue, just something to get used to (not doing.)I did need some time to convert from D850 controls to Z 8 controls, such as changing exposure (that is, from full frame to center weighted, etc.) and fully exploiting exposure lock (different button.) Ditto with changing to RAW. Not sure what I did but in my first real use I somehow changed from RAW to JPEG for a bit. Must have fumble-fingered something. Otherwise, the overall workflow/look-and-feel of the menu options is fully familiar for a current Nikon user.I continue to use the same SD card I used in the D850. No issues for photo but it couldn't handle higher-quality videos. Ended up getting a CFExpress card. Did learn that some cards run far hotter than others. I ended up with a ProGrade Gold CFExpress card.On to video--I'm *really* impressed! I use BlackMagic video cameras which still have more bit depth but the Z 8 offers a lot and will become a companion to my BM cameras. RAW capture with NLog is great. I can easily color grade with a Color Checker chart. Even ProRes looks good. And I now have a camera that can do autofocus while videoing. And although I generally power video cameras from larger Lithium bricks (like ones used on the backs of larger video cameras) the internal battery lasted quite long during a recent session where the camera was filming for close to an hour. And in 4K RAW. Not a fully accurate test but suggests good utility.The default settings are a bit slim. I did spend a bunch of time turning on features I'm used to in the D850. For example, all the various screens I use when reviewing a photo such as histogram.Finally, I bought the FTZ adapter so I could use my existing F-mount lenses. It works fine with the one Sigma zoom I used with it. But I've learned a lot about the Z 8's fly-by-wire design. As I said above, I hardly ever do manual focus with the lens' focus ring. I did replace my F-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 with the new Z-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 S lens. I can now redefine the lens' focus ring to do other things! I want to see if I can use it to do exposure compensation.Hope this helps. Glad to try to answer questions any other converter has. :)
| Effective Pixels | 46 megapixels |
| Sensor Size | Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) |
| Max resolution | 8256 x 5504 |
| Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
Nikon Z8 Body Only | 45.7MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS | 8K RAW Video | 120fps High-Speed Burst | Fast & Accurate Subject Detection with 493 Points AF |
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Camera Body (Camera lens kit box)
Delivery $17.50
Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only)
Free delivery between 17–24 June
Nikon Z8 - Full-Frame - Black (Body Only)
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Nikon Z8 FX-format Mirrorless Camera (Body Only)
Delivery $42.90
OK, I received my Z8 almost immediately; I ordered it at the end of the first hour and had it in my hands by 2:00pm the day after the first day of shipments began. Great job B & H.The Z8 fit is Momma Bear just right, I have average to large hands and it fits well and feels much the same as my D850, my D500 is a bit cramped. There are a number of relocated controls that I am still getting used to but then, I need to spend more time with the Z8. I could probably get used to the vertical grip though I did not order one. More about this later.My photography subjects are landscape, wild life, car, and air shows. I have had it out twice, for landscape shooting. The setting and sensor capabilities fit in well capturing sunsets from the Skyline Drive. I find that I do ... MoreOK, I received my Z8 almost immediately; I ordered it at the end of the first hour and had it in my hands by 2:00pm the day after the first day of shipments began. Great job B & H.The Z8 fit is Momma Bear just right, I have average to large hands and it fits well and feels much the same as my D850, my D500 is a bit cramped. There are a number of relocated controls that I am still getting used to but then, I need to spend more time with the Z8. I could probably get used to the vertical grip though I did not order one. More about this later.My photography subjects are landscape, wild life, car, and air shows. I have had it out twice, for landscape shooting. The setting and sensor capabilities fit in well capturing sunsets from the Skyline Drive. I find that I do not need to shoot as many HDR sequences as I did with the 850. As for exposure range, it even held well capturing sunspots through a 70-200 at 200mm. My second outing was on a day road trip into West Virginia. Shooting one-handed over my shoulder was no sweat. Exposure came out very good, with little editing to be required.My only concern is battery life. While I have a spare and several from my other cameras, I wonder if I will need to get the vertical grip to support air show events. Only more shooting will answer this question.This is my first mirrorless body, I am shooting with F-mount lenses and an FTZ-II. There are a lot of features and customization to go through. I am not planning on anything other than opportunistic video clips like the one I shot in WV of mountain top Eagle Slicer wind turbines.Thumbs up, great camera. I am looking forward working more with this camera.
The Z8 is a truly impressive camera. It is far ahead of the Z7II on every front other than size and weight. You also will not get all of its advances in a smaller body anyway. Quite frankly, it mostly is a smaller Z9.Auto focus, pro controls, refined white balance and exposure options, and extremely responsive EVF (among other things) all make for an exceptional experience. I do landscapes and architecture, not wildlife, but as a test, took some shots out of the box of some hummingbirds, and it nailed auto focus and exposure almost every time. There is nothing about using the camera that has left me unimpressed.Here, however, is the problem. As of 6/23/2023, it is also part of a voluntary recall due to a problem with the camera mount. Looking at the advisory ... MoreThe Z8 is a truly impressive camera. It is far ahead of the Z7II on every front other than size and weight. You also will not get all of its advances in a smaller body anyway. Quite frankly, it mostly is a smaller Z9.Auto focus, pro controls, refined white balance and exposure options, and extremely responsive EVF (among other things) all make for an exceptional experience. I do landscapes and architecture, not wildlife, but as a test, took some shots out of the box of some hummingbirds, and it nailed auto focus and exposure almost every time. There is nothing about using the camera that has left me unimpressed.Here, however, is the problem. As of 6/23/2023, it is also part of a voluntary recall due to a problem with the camera mount. Looking at the advisory page, it is also easy enough to figure out the problem potentially affects at least the first 10,000 serial numbers. Unless you want to buy a camera and then immediately send it in for repair, I would suggest waiting at least a month until they cycle in new stock. Mine has already been returned and will be re-purchased at a later date. Again, it is an amazing camera, I just expect something better on the QC front for $4000.
I'm another person who's just made the conversion from a D850 to the Z 8. Had it for about a week now and quite happy--five stars and won't return it. Here are some of my original concerns and thoughts from using it for a week.Before buying the Z 8 I was concerned about how it would feel in my hands, especially my right hand where I have some arthritis in a few fingers. The space between the grip and lens is fine--unlike on some Sony A7 models where it's too tight.Also concerned about switching from an optical viewfinder (I'm old school) to a digital one. Once I realized I never focus through the viewfinder anymore the digital one made sense. I just compose in the viewfinder (other than on a tripod in the studio.) Took a bit to get used to it, like being briefly ... MoreI'm another person who's just made the conversion from a D850 to the Z 8. Had it for about a week now and quite happy--five stars and won't return it. Here are some of my original concerns and thoughts from using it for a week.Before buying the Z 8 I was concerned about how it would feel in my hands, especially my right hand where I have some arthritis in a few fingers. The space between the grip and lens is fine--unlike on some Sony A7 models where it's too tight.Also concerned about switching from an optical viewfinder (I'm old school) to a digital one. Once I realized I never focus through the viewfinder anymore the digital one made sense. I just compose in the viewfinder (other than on a tripod in the studio.) Took a bit to get used to it, like being briefly surprised to see stills in the viewfinder and having the image get a bit washed out in *extremely* bright backlight situations. Not a problem, though. And a minor thing. If you bring the camera to your eye the back panel turns off and the viewfinder turns on. Turns out this will also happen if you're looking at the back panel and a finger gets too close to the viewfinder. Not an issue, just something to get used to (not doing.)I did need some time to convert from D850 controls to Z 8 controls, such as changing exposure (that is, from full frame to center weighted, etc.) and fully exploiting exposure lock (different button.) Ditto with changing to RAW. Not sure what I did but in my first real use I somehow changed from RAW to JPEG for a bit. Must have fumble-fingered something. Otherwise, the overall workflow/look-and-feel of the menu options is fully familiar for a current Nikon user.I continue to use the same SD card I used in the D850. No issues for photo but it couldn't handle higher-quality videos. Ended up getting a CFExpress card. Did learn that some cards run far hotter than others. I ended up with a ProGrade Gold CFExpress card.On to video--I'm *really* impressed! I use BlackMagic video cameras which still have more bit depth but the Z 8 offers a lot and will become a companion to my BM cameras. RAW capture with NLog is great. I can easily color grade with a Color Checker chart. Even ProRes looks good. And I now have a camera that can do autofocus while videoing. And although I generally power video cameras from larger Lithium bricks (like ones used on the backs of larger video cameras) the internal battery lasted quite long during a recent session where the camera was filming for close to an hour. And in 4K RAW. Not a fully accurate test but suggests good utility.The default settings are a bit slim. I did spend a bunch of time turning on features I'm used to in the D850. For example, all the various screens I use when reviewing a photo such as histogram.Finally, I bought the FTZ adapter so I could use my existing F-mount lenses. It works fine with the one Sigma zoom I used with it. But I've learned a lot about the Z 8's fly-by-wire design. As I said above, I hardly ever do manual focus with the lens' focus ring. I did replace my F-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 with the new Z-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 S lens. I can now redefine the lens' focus ring to do other things! I want to see if I can use it to do exposure compensation.Hope this helps. Glad to try to answer questions any other converter has. :)
I'm very pleased with the Z8. I have a D850, which I like very much and, after considerable reading, I became interested in the Z9. When the Z8 became available my motivation turned to the Z8 because the cost was significantly less and the missing features were not important to me. A big plus is the ability to use several expensive FX lens, 24-70, 70-200 and prime 500. Those lens work exactly as they did on my D-850 and ditto for the VR feature. I don't notice any delay with the view finder and the controlling "buttons" are arranged similar to the D-850. A plus for me is the ability to take a much higher rate of frames per second. The only negative I've noticed is a slightly lower battery life compared with other Nikon cameras I've owned. Weight-wise, it is similar ... MoreI'm very pleased with the Z8. I have a D850, which I like very much and, after considerable reading, I became interested in the Z9. When the Z8 became available my motivation turned to the Z8 because the cost was significantly less and the missing features were not important to me. A big plus is the ability to use several expensive FX lens, 24-70, 70-200 and prime 500. Those lens work exactly as they did on my D-850 and ditto for the VR feature. I don't notice any delay with the view finder and the controlling "buttons" are arranged similar to the D-850. A plus for me is the ability to take a much higher rate of frames per second. The only negative I've noticed is a slightly lower battery life compared with other Nikon cameras I've owned. Weight-wise, it is similar to the D-850; I'm an old guy so weight is important to me now. The Z9 would have been noticeably heavier, especially combined with a big lense, i.e., the 500mm. The sensor cover/protector lessens the concern when changing lens when conditions are not ideal! One surprise was that the CFEXPRESS card can't be read by a XQD card reader; the CFEXPRESS card doesn't have a release button but that's not a big deal. You will be pleased with the Z8 camera.
I've owned several Nikon cameras including a D3300, D7100, D750, D850, Z6ii, Z7ii, Z9 and now the Z8 as a companion to the Z9. I shoot a lot of conformation dog shows and a couple weeks ago I took both cameras out for three days of shooting, with over 10,600 frames shot between them. The first real day of shooting the Z8 was over 3400 frames using not quite 50% of the battery. Of course, that was a lot of burst shooting with the camera set at 15 fps (I could shoot at 20fps, but don't feel that I need to.). While I loved the D850, for me the Z8 is an ideal replacement for that camera. The D850 could shoot 9 fps with the Nikon battery grip in place, but it was noisy enough, especially shooting bursts, to bother the occasional sensitive dog which is the last thing a ... MoreI've owned several Nikon cameras including a D3300, D7100, D750, D850, Z6ii, Z7ii, Z9 and now the Z8 as a companion to the Z9. I shoot a lot of conformation dog shows and a couple weeks ago I took both cameras out for three days of shooting, with over 10,600 frames shot between them. The first real day of shooting the Z8 was over 3400 frames using not quite 50% of the battery. Of course, that was a lot of burst shooting with the camera set at 15 fps (I could shoot at 20fps, but don't feel that I need to.). While I loved the D850, for me the Z8 is an ideal replacement for that camera. The D850 could shoot 9 fps with the Nikon battery grip in place, but it was noisy enough, especially shooting bursts, to bother the occasional sensitive dog which is the last thing a ringside photographer wants to do. The jump up to 15 fps almost always garners that perfect movement moment when the handler and dog are midair at the same time, while doing so very quietly. Handling-wise, it's almost identical to the Z9, albeit with less heft. I did buy the Nikon battery grip for the Z8 for those days when I might shoot 8000 frames and don't want to bother with changing batteries. (I often shoot with two camera bodies set up with different lenses covering wide angle and longer reach compositions.I went on a hike this past weekend in a local state park with the Z8 and the Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 lens. When I bought the Z8 I had planned to keep my Z7ii for hiking, travel and landscapes. But when I got the Z8 in my hands, I decided I could part with the Z7ii because while the Z8 in definitely closer to the D850 in size, it only weighs a 1/2 lb. more and is so much more camera. The difference in size and weight didn't really bother my mid-seventies body during the hike. The Z8 will definitely use more battery when using live view and puttering around shooting landscapes. I took about 150 shots using live view and no burst shooting in the garden and on my hike, and I probably would have needed a backup battery at about 450 frames. When the rumors were rampant about the Z8, I personally was hoping for a camera that was sized between the Z9 and Z7ii, with all of the wonderful autofocus and burst shooting capabilities of the Z9. I feel like I got my wish. If I were a heavy video shooter, the Z9 might be the better choice, but occasional videos, especially dialed down to 4k should be fine with the Z8. I'm keeping them both!
I have been using digital cameras for over 20 years, started with Canon point and shoot, but moved to Nikon full time in 2004. My path with Nikon has been D70, D200, D500, Z7ii and now Z8. The Z8 is the most incredible and competent camera I have ever had the pleasure to use. There is nothing it can not do as good as or better than any camera I have ever used, including the film cameras I used for over 20 years before I jumped to digital. The focus system is amazing, a clear level above the Z7ii and D500, and it is really good with exposure too. The low light ability has given me images I never would have got before. Since I got the Z8, I have only used it with the Z400 4.5 and the 500 PF shooting mostly birds and other wildlife. The Z400 4.5 seems a perfect match ... MoreI have been using digital cameras for over 20 years, started with Canon point and shoot, but moved to Nikon full time in 2004. My path with Nikon has been D70, D200, D500, Z7ii and now Z8. The Z8 is the most incredible and competent camera I have ever had the pleasure to use. There is nothing it can not do as good as or better than any camera I have ever used, including the film cameras I used for over 20 years before I jumped to digital. The focus system is amazing, a clear level above the Z7ii and D500, and it is really good with exposure too. The low light ability has given me images I never would have got before. Since I got the Z8, I have only used it with the Z400 4.5 and the 500 PF shooting mostly birds and other wildlife. The Z400 4.5 seems a perfect match for the Z8 for wildlife, they balance very nicely and it is very lightweight and handholdable. The 500 PF is awesome too. I love the no mechanical shutter bit, the 1st image I took was so quiet that I had to view the image to make sure that I took the photo. The sensor guard is great, no more sweating changing lens in the field. I have never had as much fun with photgraphy as I have had with the Z8. I have 4 other Z lens besides the Z400, the 2.8 trinity and the 100 macro and I can not wait to try them all. No regrets on this purchase, highly recommended. The photo of the bear was taken at f7.1 and 1/100 at 7:15 in the evening.
This is an amazing camera in that it does pretty much everything that the Nikon Z9 does in a smaller and lighter body. Even so, it does not necessarily replace my Z9, it compliments it. I like the Z9 with the big primes on a tripod and the Z8 with everything else for handheld action. The handling and feel of the Z8 is some of the best I have ever seen in a professional camera body.This camera along with Nikon's excellent new super telephotos with built in TCs and the lightweight PF lens options make for a pretty much unbeatable combination for wildlife action photography. Prior to going to mirrorless cameras, I considered both Canon and Sony. However, in my personal view, neither of them offers the combination of value, performance, ruggedness, and lens offerings ... MoreThis is an amazing camera in that it does pretty much everything that the Nikon Z9 does in a smaller and lighter body. Even so, it does not necessarily replace my Z9, it compliments it. I like the Z9 with the big primes on a tripod and the Z8 with everything else for handheld action. The handling and feel of the Z8 is some of the best I have ever seen in a professional camera body.This camera along with Nikon's excellent new super telephotos with built in TCs and the lightweight PF lens options make for a pretty much unbeatable combination for wildlife action photography. Prior to going to mirrorless cameras, I considered both Canon and Sony. However, in my personal view, neither of them offers the combination of value, performance, ruggedness, and lens offerings that Nikon currently does. The Z8 only adds to that. The bottom line is that for fast action wildlife photography in tough environments, the Z9, and now the Z8, are definitely my personal first choices.
I've had the Nikon Z8 for one week now and am very happy with the purchase. I also own a Nikon D850 and a Nikon Z7 II ---- I'm keeping those cameras as well, so now I have a trio of Nikon digital cameras. The D850 is the biggest and heaviest of the three and the Z7 II is the smallest and lightest of the three. I always felt the Z7 II was borderline too small. Anything smaller than that would have been too small for me. However, I love that camera and will continue to use it when I want to travel a light as possible.The Z8 is the perfect size for me. I had no problem with the size of the D850, but it felt a bit heavy -- especially when going on long hikes. The Z8 is the perfect size and weight for me. The Z8 falls in the "Goldilocks" zone for me; it's not too small ... MoreI've had the Nikon Z8 for one week now and am very happy with the purchase. I also own a Nikon D850 and a Nikon Z7 II ---- I'm keeping those cameras as well, so now I have a trio of Nikon digital cameras. The D850 is the biggest and heaviest of the three and the Z7 II is the smallest and lightest of the three. I always felt the Z7 II was borderline too small. Anything smaller than that would have been too small for me. However, I love that camera and will continue to use it when I want to travel a light as possible.The Z8 is the perfect size for me. I had no problem with the size of the D850, but it felt a bit heavy -- especially when going on long hikes. The Z8 is the perfect size and weight for me. The Z8 falls in the "Goldilocks" zone for me; it's not too small and not too big -- it's just right. I never bought the Z9 because I really don't need a vertical grip and it's too heavy as well. However, if you love and need a battery grip, then the Z9 is a better choice for you. In that case, don't get the Z8. The two cameras are ALMOST identical in every other way.For use with the Z8 camera I bought a CFexpress card made by Delkin; it's the 150GB Delkin Black. I love that card. It's fast and doesn't get hot. Since I'm doing 95% still images and very little video, the 150GB size fits my needs perfectly. If you plan to do a lot of video, get a 256GB or bigger card. I'm not using anything in the SD slot on the camera at the moment, but intend to get a 128GB SD card. I'll either get another Delkin or a ProGrade card; it all depends on the price at the time I make the purchase.I've used the Z8 with my four "Z" mount lenses (14-30mm zoom, 24-120mm zoom, 100-400mm zoom, and 85mm prime). It works great with all those lenses. I also used it with several "F" mount lenses (Nikkor 10.5mm DX, Nikkor 16-35mm zoom, Nikkor 20mm prime, Nikkor 80-400mm zoom, Tamron 24-70mm zoom, and Tamron 70-200mm zoom). Those work fine too via the FTZ adapter.I mostly photograph landscapes and animals. The autofocus system work even better than that of the Z7 II camera. When photographing birds in flight, I love the lack of blackout and lag in the viewfinder when trying to track the birds and shooting at 20 frames per second. On the Z8 I'm amazed at how well it locks on the bird as I'm shooting. The camera locks onto the eyes of all the animals I've photographed so far as it does when photographing people.The only negative I have is that the battery doesn't last longer on a single charge. Maybe Nikon will come out with a more powerful EN-EL15c battery (a EN-EL15d would be nice). I'm not saying the number of shots is awful. It's roughly the same as what I would get out of the EN-EL15c in my Nikon Z7 II camera. But it would have been nice to get more shots on a single charge. It's not a big issue for me, but it's the only negative I can think of. Just bring along an extra battery and you'll be fine.I wear eyeglasses and I like the ability to reduce the size of the image in the viewfinder. Without that ability I find myself struggling to see all the edges of the frame at once. By going into the menu settings you can reduce the image size in the viewfinder enough to see all the frame more easily. Yes, I suppose I could remove my glasses and adjust the viewfinder diopter for my vision, but that isn't ideal for me. I'd rather just be able to put the camera up to my eye and see the whole image when looking through the viewfinder. So if you wear eyeglasses when using a camera, this feature may appeal to you -- try it.I'm glad there is a sensor shield incorporated into this Nikon. While it won't totally eliminate the chance of getting junk on the sensor, it does seem to lessen that possibility. So far my sensor is clean. The first thing I did after charging the battery and inserting it into the camera is to go to the menu setting that turns on the sensor shield so it covers the sensor as soon as you turn the camera off and before you change lenses. For some strange reason Nikon decided to have that default setting to NOT activate the sensor shield when you turn the camera off. So my advice is to turn that setting on as soon as you get the camera and before you put a lens on the camera.I've attached one of my scenic shots to this review. It was taken with the Z8 through a Nikkor 14-30mm zoom. In summary, I love this camera and highly recommend it. A longer battery life would be nice, but if you're careful with how you use the camera (turn it off whenever you can and don't spend a lot of time admiring your images on the LCD screen), depending on how you shoot and what you're shooting, you'll be able to get about 900 RAW pictures on a single charge.
I have always wanted the features found in Nikon's flagship models such as the D5, D6 Z9. But the size and weight of those cameras, let alone the cost, was not to my liking. I tried other Nikon models such as the D850 and D500, but they could not compete when it came to action shots.Finally, Nikon gave us the Z8, a camera with virtually the same specifications of their flagship camera, the Z9.For those of you who have not experienced mirrorless cameras, it may well be time to get your feet wet and get the Z8. I have owned the Z7 for almost five years, and despite some of its flaws, I was convinced that the mirrorless technology was the future of photography.The Z8 shows just how good this new technology is. From the viewfinder that allows me to see what my ... MoreI have always wanted the features found in Nikon's flagship models such as the D5, D6 Z9. But the size and weight of those cameras, let alone the cost, was not to my liking. I tried other Nikon models such as the D850 and D500, but they could not compete when it came to action shots.Finally, Nikon gave us the Z8, a camera with virtually the same specifications of their flagship camera, the Z9.For those of you who have not experienced mirrorless cameras, it may well be time to get your feet wet and get the Z8. I have owned the Z7 for almost five years, and despite some of its flaws, I was convinced that the mirrorless technology was the future of photography.The Z8 shows just how good this new technology is. From the viewfinder that allows me to see what my image looks like before I grab the image (letting me get the proper exposure), and letting me see a bright viewfinder image even when there is marginal lighting, to a remarkable, intelligent focus system that tracks most any subject you choose. For the first time, I can concentrate on framing the image rather than just trying to keep things in focus. Just set the Z8 to 3D tracking and auto on subject detection and be amazed. No DSLR can come close to this kind of tracking and accuracy.Technology is now doing to cameras what it did to computers and cell phones. Today's cameras, such as the Z8, are smart and that trend is only going to continue. The mechanical limitations of the DSLR are history. The Z8 has no moving parts except the protection shutter that only operates when the camera is turned off. Now there is an on board computer that can quickly analyze what the sensor sees. It knows what a person, bird, animal, plane, car etc. looks like and instantly focuses on whatever I pick. If the Z8 finds an eye it focuses on it immediately. If the eye disappears, the Z8 still focuses on the subject till the eye re-appears. It is like magic.There so many other advantages. No more mirror slap, or shutter bounce to mar those long telephoto images. Insane shutter speeds to 1/32,000 second. As in cell phones there is the ability to take images up to 1 second before pushing the shutter. No blanking of the display when taking rapid shots of most any duration and at speeds up to 120 frames per second. Real communication to S lenses for faster focus, better VR, not to mention excellent sharpness. And there will be future software updates that will enhance the camera's ability and function. What's not to like?The DSLR is a bit like a Steam Locomotive. There is a lot of nostalgia and fondness for those mechanical monsters, but there are so many reasons for them not being the choice in today's world.Today, the Z8 is the camera we all have been waiting for. One day, as well, it will be obsolete , that being the nature of the fast advances in computer technology. But today, I am going out and have fun with the Z8 and not look back.
Long time Nikon user, I've used entry level to almost top of the line. My last 2 bodies were D810 and D850. The Z9 was just slightly more $ than I could easily justify for my business, so as soon as the Z8 was released I jumped on it and ordered it. Knowing the features would match almost all to the Z9 I knew it would be a worthwhile investment. I've never had shutter issues, so mirrorless wasn't the appeal, the image quality and focus capabilities were most important to me. Shooting weddings and kids all the time, I've grown used to missing shots of people moving directly towards or away from me, so the focus tracking had a big appeal and would justify the investment in itself. After having it for a few weeks, I'm impressed in most aspects, but a few quirks. Focus ... MoreLong time Nikon user, I've used entry level to almost top of the line. My last 2 bodies were D810 and D850. The Z9 was just slightly more $ than I could easily justify for my business, so as soon as the Z8 was released I jumped on it and ordered it. Knowing the features would match almost all to the Z9 I knew it would be a worthwhile investment. I've never had shutter issues, so mirrorless wasn't the appeal, the image quality and focus capabilities were most important to me. Shooting weddings and kids all the time, I've grown used to missing shots of people moving directly towards or away from me, so the focus tracking had a big appeal and would justify the investment in itself. After having it for a few weeks, I'm impressed in most aspects, but a few quirks. Focus tracking, although not perfect, does help capture moving shots a little better than my own focusing efforts. The low light capability is pretty impressive, see firework pic, raw image vs mildly edited, and that gives you an idea how much detail can be pulled from a low light shot. Live view is nice for quicker manual adjustments, you can see the true shot vs DSLR just showing optical sight, so it can quicken your ability to adjust vs looking at the small light meter.Negatives- battery life is bad enough you need to plan and adjust. I have found it goes through a battery per hour of shooting constantly. Vs 850 could go a full 8 hour session with 2 batteries. Viewfinder takes a second to turn on, doesn't seem like much but if you're used to flicking the power on and shooting, it won't be ready instantly. If you're used to the D line, the changes to buttons will throw you off. ISO button recessed a little and harder to find by feel. Camera back buttons different but not bad. Burst settings now a digital change, not a physical knob you can change by feel. Overall it's been great so far, other than batteries.takes getting used to for long time D model users that can operate by feel in the dark.
| Effective Pixels | 46 megapixels |
| Sensor Size | Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) |
| Max resolution | 8256 x 5504 |
| Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
