Nikon Z8: A Deep Dive into the Near-Flagship Mirrorless Marvel
The Nikon Z8 arrived with a hefty dose of anticipation, and for good reason. Positioned strategically below the flagship Z9 but packing nearly all of its cutting-edge technology into a smaller, lighter body, the Z8 aims to be the sweet spot for serious photographers and videographers who demand top-tier performance without the Z9's pro-level bulk and price. After spending considerable time with the Z8, putting it through its paces in various shooting scenarios, I'm ready to deliver a thorough review that explores its strengths, weaknesses, and ultimately, whether it lives up to the hype.
Key Specifications & Features:
Before diving deep, let's quickly outline the core specifications that make the Nikon Z8 so compelling:
Sensor: 45.7MP Stacked CMOS Sensor (Same as Z9)
Processor: EXPEED 7 Image Processor (Same as Z9)
Autofocus: Advanced Hybrid AF system with deep-learning subject detection (Same as Z9)
Continuous Shooting: Up to 20fps in RAW, 30fps JPEG, and 120fps JPEG (All electronic shutter)
Video: 8K 60p internal video recording (RAW & ProRes RAW), 4K 120p
Viewfinder: 3.69 Million-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)
Rear Screen: 3.2-inch 2.1 Million-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
Body: Magnesium Alloy Chassis, Weather-Sealed
Storage: Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD card slots
Battery: EN-EL15c battery (Same as Z7 II, Z6 II)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, HDMI Type A, Ethernet (via optional adapter)
Size & Weight: Significantly smaller and lighter than Z9 and D850.
Build Quality and Handling: Robustness in a More Manageable Package
One of the Z8's immediate triumphs is its build quality and ergonomics. While not as monolithic as the Z9, the Z8 feels incredibly solid and confidence-inspiring in hand. The magnesium alloy chassis and extensive weather sealing inspire trust in demanding conditions. It’s noticeably smaller and lighter than the Z9, making it a far more appealing camera for extended shoots and travel.
Ergonomics: Nikon has largely nailed the ergonomics here. The grip is deep and comfortable, providing a secure hold even with larger lenses. Button placement is intuitive and largely mirrors the Z9 layout, making it easy for existing Nikon users to adapt. The dials are tactile and responsive, offering excellent control over settings.
Button Customization: The Z8 boasts a wealth of customizable buttons, allowing you to tailor the camera to your specific workflow. From assigning AF modes to custom menus and video functions, the level of personalization is impressive.
Vari-Angle Screen: The vari-angle touchscreen is a welcome addition, providing flexibility for shooting from high and low angles, as well as for self-recording. The touch functionality is responsive and well-integrated into the menus.
Viewfinder (EVF): The 3.69 million-dot OLED EVF is bright, clear, and offers a smooth refresh rate. While not quite as high resolution as some competitors, it's more than adequate for comfortable composition and critical focus assessment. It’s also blackout-free during continuous shooting, a crucial feature for tracking fast-moving subjects.
Image Quality: Z9-Level Excellence in Stills and Video
The heart of the Z8 is its shared sensor and processor with the flagship Z9. This translates directly into phenomenal image quality, both for stills and video.
Still Image Performance:
Resolution and Detail: The 45.7MP sensor captures stunning detail, with excellent dynamic range and color rendition. Images are crisp and sharp, even at high ISOs.
Dynamic Range: The Z8 boasts incredible dynamic range, allowing you to recover significant detail in highlights and shadows. This is crucial for challenging lighting situations and post-processing flexibility.
Low Light Performance: The stacked CMOS sensor and EXPEED 7 processor deliver exceptional low-light performance. Images remain clean and usable at high ISOs, making the Z8 a capable camera for shooting in dimly lit environments. ISO performance is remarkably similar to the Z9, which is class-leading.
Color Reproduction: Nikon’s color science is renowned, and the Z8 continues this tradition. Colors are natural, vibrant, and accurate. The Auto White Balance system is reliable and consistent across various lighting conditions.
JPEG Engine: The in-camera JPEG engine produces excellent results, with pleasing colors and good detail rendition. For quick sharing or situations where RAW is not essential, the JPEGs are more than capable.
Video Performance:
8K and 4K Capabilities: The Z8 is a video powerhouse. It can internally record 8K 60p and 4K 120p video, both in a variety of codecs, including ProRes RAW HQ and N-RAW (depending on firmware). This level of video capability is simply outstanding for a camera in this class.
Video Quality: Video quality is superb across all resolutions and frame rates. 8K footage is incredibly detailed and provides immense cropping flexibility. 4K video, particularly oversampled from 8K, is exceptionally sharp and clean.
Internal Recording Options: The ability to record ProRes RAW HQ and N-RAW internally is a game-changer for professional video workflows. These codecs offer maximum flexibility in post-production, allowing for extensive color grading and manipulation.
Audio Capabilities: The Z8 offers professional-level audio features, including XLR input via an adapter, headphone jack, and clean audio preamps.
Rolling Shutter: While not completely eliminated (no global shutter), the rolling shutter performance is significantly improved compared to previous Nikon models thanks to the stacked sensor. For most typical video shooting scenarios, it’s well-controlled.
Autofocus Performance: Blazing Speed and Unmatched Subject Detection
The Z8 inherits the Z9's groundbreaking autofocus system, which is arguably the best autofocus system available in any camera today.
Speed and Accuracy: The autofocus is incredibly fast, accurate, and tenacious. It locks onto subjects quickly and maintains focus with impressive stickiness, even in challenging conditions.
Subject Detection: The deep-learning AI powered subject detection is phenomenal. It reliably detects and tracks a wide range of subjects, including humans (eyes, faces, bodies), animals (dogs, cats, birds), and vehicles (cars, airplanes, trains). The accuracy and stickiness of subject tracking are truly remarkable.
Customization and Control: The autofocus system is highly customizable, allowing you to fine-tune settings to match your shooting style and subject matter. AF area modes are plentiful and effective.
Low Light AF: Autofocus performance remains excellent even in very low light. The Z8 can focus in incredibly dim environments, extending its usability in challenging shooting situations.
Video Autofocus: The autofocus performance in video is equally impressive. Subject tracking is smooth and reliable, making it easy to capture professional-looking video with moving subjects.
Performance and Speed: Lightning Fast and Responsive
The Z8 is a speed demon, thanks to the powerful EXPEED 7 processor and stacked CMOS sensor.
Continuous Shooting: The Z8 offers blazing-fast continuous shooting speeds. You can shoot up to 20fps in full resolution RAW, 30fps in JPEG, and an astonishing 120fps in 11MP JPEG (using the High-Speed Frame Capture+ C120 option). These speeds are more than sufficient for capturing fast action and sports.
Buffer Performance: The buffer is generous, allowing for extended bursts of continuous shooting, even in RAW format. Clearance times are also quick, ensuring you're ready to shoot again quickly.
Electronic Shutter Only: The Z8, like the Z9, is an electronic shutter-only camera. While some traditionalists might miss a mechanical shutter, the electronic shutter performance is exceptional, offering silent shooting, high frame rates, and no risk of shutter shock or wear.
Responsiveness: The Z8 is incredibly responsive in operation. Menu navigation is snappy, startup time is almost instantaneous, and overall operation feels fluid and immediate.
Connectivity and Battery Life: Modern Features and Decent Stamina
The Z8 is well-equipped with modern connectivity features and offers respectable battery life.
Connectivity Options: It includes built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, HDMI Type A, and a full-size Ethernet port (via an optional adapter). This offers a wide range of options for file transfer, remote control, and video output.
Dual Card Slots: Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD card slots provide fast and reliable storage, essential for high-resolution stills and demanding video recording.
Battery Life: The EN-EL15c battery is the same as used in the Z7 II and Z6 II series. Battery life is decent, but not exceptional, especially when shooting video or using continuous shooting modes. Expect to get around 300-400 shots per charge, depending on usage. Power delivery via USB-C is supported, allowing you to power the camera directly from a power bank or USB-C power adapter for extended shooting sessions.
Potential Downsides and Nitpicks:
While the Z8 is an exceptional camera, there are a few areas where it's not perfect, or where some users might find minor compromises:
EVF Resolution: While the EVF is excellent, its resolution is not the highest in class. Some competitors offer higher resolution EVFs that might provide a slightly more detailed view.
Battery Life: Battery life is acceptable but could be better, particularly compared to the Z9. Having spare batteries is highly recommended, especially for demanding shooting scenarios.
No Built-in GPS: The Z8 lacks built-in GPS, which might be a drawback for photographers who rely on geotagging their images in-camera. You can still geotag via smartphone connection, but it's not as seamless as having it built-in.
Price: While significantly cheaper than the Z9, the Z8 is still a premium-priced camera. It's an investment, and while justified by its performance, it might be out of reach for some budgets.
Who is the Nikon Z8 For?
The Nikon Z8 is a remarkably versatile camera that caters to a wide range of photographers and videographers. It excels in:
Professional Photographers: Wedding, portrait, commercial, and editorial photographers who demand top-tier image quality, autofocus performance, and robust build quality will find the Z8 an ideal tool.
Wildlife and Sports Photographers: The blazing-fast continuous shooting speeds, exceptional autofocus, and subject detection make the Z8 a powerhouse for capturing action and wildlife.
Serious Videographers: The 8K 60p, 4K 120p, and internal RAW recording capabilities make the Z8 a highly capable video camera for professional filmmaking and content creation.
Hybrid Shooters: The Z8 seamlessly blends exceptional still and video capabilities, making it perfect for photographers and videographers who need a versatile tool for both mediums.
Users Upgrading from DSLRs: The Z8 offers a compelling upgrade path for Nikon DSLR users looking to transition to mirrorless without sacrificing performance or familiar ergonomics.
Verdict: A Near-Perfect Performer That Redefines Expectations
The Nikon Z8 is an absolute triumph. It manages to pack nearly all the groundbreaking technology and performance of the flagship Z9 into a smaller, lighter, and more affordable body. It delivers exceptional image quality in both stills and video, boasts a class-leading autofocus system, offers blistering performance, and is built to withstand demanding professional use.
While not entirely without minor nitpicks, the Nikon Z8 is a truly exceptional camera that pushes the boundaries of what's possible in a mirrorless system. It's a near-perfect blend of power, performance, and portability, making it one of the most compelling and versatile cameras available today. If you're a serious photographer or videographer looking for a camera that can handle anything you throw at it, the Nikon Z8 should be at the very top of your list. Highly Recommended.
Pros:
Exceptional image quality (stills and video)
Class-leading autofocus system with deep-learning subject detection
Blazing-fast continuous shooting speeds
Robust and weather-sealed build quality
8K 60p and 4K 120p internal video recording (RAW options)
Comfortable ergonomics and intuitive controls
Vari-angle touchscreen LCD
Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD card slots
Cons:
Battery life could be better
No built-in GPS
EVF resolution not the highest in class
Premium price (though justified by performance)
