Z 9

While I can't speak for others, being an aged Nikon user, with a slew of DSLR's bodies (last being the D850) ,I ventured into the mirrorless world with th Z6. Did not take me long to focus on and fulfill my want of the Z9. This camera is all that I read about in pro reviews, and has lived up to and even surpassed my expextation/s. I love the ability to nail the subject with quick eye detection and instant focusing. This camera delivers all which i require in my photography. My beast is unparalleled
.

Its the best camera i ever own... solid great on everyting... i cant see what could be done to do a better camera may be a lower grain capter at h2 that is the equivalent of 250000 iso .... i have it since march 2022... i love it so much with the 70-200 f 2.8s

Outstanding camera limited by Nikon's failure to upgrade the Z9's firmware to the same level or higher than the Z8.

I’ve been a long time Nikon user and six months ago finally switched over to mirrorless and the Z9. A friend handed me his Z9 with a Z400 /2.8 TC which was SO much lighter than my much older 600 /4.0 . As soon as I started to see how quickly and accurately the focus engaged, I was convinced that the time was now upon me. It was no small thing to move from my considerable collection of D bodies and lenses to the Z system, but what a total game changer it has been. Recently I did back to back three week trips to Svalbard and then Tanzania and Kenya where I was photographing people, wildlife and landscapes. My two Z9’s and Z8 performed flawlessly in a variety of conditions. The focusing system in this camera is the best and most complete that I have ever used in a Nikon body. Over the course of these two trips I made more keeper shots than I’ve ever had. With the ability to seek out the eye of any animal or bird along with the 3D tracking for fast moving targets makes the Z9 an absolute game changer. Shooting at much higher ISO than I ever have, has allowed for much faster shutter speeds to be used for stopping hummingbirds wings while in flight at sunset, to a cheetah racing across the Masai Mara. All are tack sharp! While this review is about the Z9, I need to also include the S lenses that go along with it. All but one lens in my collection (180-600) are S lenses. Over the years Nikon has consistently offered great glass, but these lenses are a step up from even my favorite D lenses. While in Africa I decided to order the Z 600 /4 TC which was waiting for me when I returned. Compared to my much older 600 / 4 which is still a beautiful lens, this S lens stands out. I could never hand hold the older lens and always used a gimbal head. The new lens is one that I don’t hesitate to hand hold whenever I want to. 

One thing that I would like to point out to anyone thinking of changing over to mirrorless, while I’m very Nikon savvy, I found that learning all the capabilities, possibilities and understanding the different menus took some time to learn and memorize. I wish that I had been able to take more time before my trip to become much more familiar with everything that this camera has to offer. By the time my upcoming trip to find snow leopards and tigers, using the Z9 will be like traveling with an old friend. Lastly, I have no idea why I waited so long to change over to mirrorless. I wish I had done it when the Z9 first came out. Bravo and thank you Nikon.

I was looking to upgrade from my Nikon D850 & D500 and wanted to find a camera that combined the qualities of these two amazing cameras in one body. I'd briefly considered and rented the Z8, which was amazing, but wanted something a bit more robust for what I shoot in sports & wildlife environments. So I made the jump and got the Z9. It took me about a week to fully understand the focusing system and how to best use features like 'pre-release capture', but once I did I started to put the Z9 through some very rigorous usage. The performance with fast moving sports action and capturing birds in flight etc. have been amazing and the image quality? Incredible! On a nature walk with my wife, I spotted a monarch butterfly and snapped the attached image with a Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens attached. Beautiful. Am very satisfied with Nikon Z9 and whole heartedly recommend.

An outstanding camera that continues to improve with each firmware update and with the more time I spend mastering its full potential for both still and video potential.

I find my Z9 really shines with longer lenses because of the the balance. I really like with my Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S.

Nikon’s Z 9 Mirrorless camera has garnered much acclaim for its innovative features.Having used cameras for nearly six decades, with two and a half of those decades utilizing digital SLRs, I have preferred Nikon equipment. Colleagues advised me of the learning curve associated with transitioning to a mirrorless system, even from the advance D800.The Nikon Z 9 is sleek, well-constructed, and provides a sense of reliability and power. Despite its considerable weight, due in part to the larger battery compared to previous "D" level Nikons, the camera's layout remains familiar to users.Photographs taken with this device (using NEF format) exhibit exceptional clarity and detail. Even when cropped, images maintain their professional quality with nearly 46 megapixels ensuring sharpness, vivid colors, and discernable textures and minutiae.Manual mode (the only one I use) settings require adjustment from traditional outdoor daylight shooting at ISO100, reflecting the camera's refined tuning capabilities. The fast shutter speed minimizes motion blur effectively, though initial reliance on the viewfinder for aperture and speed adjustments may be necessary.The sophisticated internal mechanisms, which border on artificial intelligence, can experience connectivity issues in areas with weak cellphone reception. This is crucial as the Nikon Z 9 relies on Bluetooth linkage with mobile devices.Upon review, the results are nothing short of remarkable—professional, beautiful, and justifying the investment.Nikon continues to uphold its reputation for quality, and the Z 9 exemplifies this tradition.

Upgrading from a D2Xs and a D800 - has been painless a lot of the options are the same. Mind you, I read through the manuals first. I quickly realized most of what online influencers were saying were limitations of the Z9 was simply nonsense. Z9 is highly customizable. Spend the time learning the options and set it up for the way you shoot. I've shot macro, street, sports, and video with old D-type and newer VR lenses, everything has been simply lovely.I'm glad I didn't opt for the Z8, this camera is compact enough and I love the integrated grip which pairs perfectly with my 70-200. With a DX-35mm and the FTZ-II it is still compact enough for street photography, but I'd like to get a native Z-28mm. I also have an DJI Action 5 and mic-mini attached to the hot shoe for video and audio, and I like this pairing. Now I have to go buy some more hard drives!