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Compare · 3 of 4 products

Nikon Z9vsSony a7 IVvsNikon Z 30

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Biggest differences

  • Weight

    Nikon Z 30 leads

    3.31×

    lower is better

    • Nikon Z91,340 g
    • Sony a7 IV658 g
    • Nikon Z 30405 g

  • Max mechanical shutter speed

    Nikon Z9 leads

    8×

    higher is better

    • Nikon Z932,000 1/s
    • Sony a7 IV8,000 1/s
    • Nikon Z 304,000 1/s

  • Battery life

    Nikon Z9 leads

    2.24×

    higher is better

    • Nikon Z9740 shots
    • Sony a7 IV580 shots
    • Nikon Z 30330 shots

  • Launch price

    Sony a7 IV leads

    2.2×

    lower is better

    • Nikon Z95,500 USD
    • Sony a7 IV2,499.99 USD
    • Nikon Z 30Not published

Where each one wins

  • Nikon Z9

    • Effective pixels
    • Sensor format
    • In-body image stabilization
    • Sensor type
    • Continuous shooting (electronic)
    • Max mechanical shutter speed
    • Max video resolution
    • 4K max frame rate
    • Raw video recording
    • Viewfinder resolution
    • Viewfinder magnification
    • Screen size
    • Rear screen resolution
    • Battery life
    • Memory card slots
    • Minimum operating temperature
    • HDMI port type

  • Sony a7 IV

    • Launch price
    • Sensor format
    • Native ISO maximum
    • Viewfinder resolution
    • Screen articulation
    • Memory card slots
    • HDMI port type

  • Nikon Z 30

    • Native ISO maximum
    • Continuous shooting (mechanical)
    • Screen articulation
    • Weight
    • Width
    • Height
    • Depth

What all 3 have

  • 4K max frame rate (full width)30 fps
  • USB charging & power delivery✓

Every spec

Red marks the better value in each row.

Overview

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Overview specs

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Release date

  • 2021-12
  • 2021-10
  • Not published

Launch price

  • 5,500 USD
  • 2,499.99 USD
  • Not published

Lens mount

  • Nikon Z
  • Sony E
  • Nikon Z

High resolution pixel-shift mode

  • No
  • No
  • Not published

Sensor & Image

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Sensor & Image specs

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Effective pixels

  • 45.7 MP
  • 33 MP
  • 20.9 MP

Sensor format

  • Full-frame
  • Full-frame
  • APS-C1

Native ISO maximum

  • 25,600 ISO
  • 51,200 ISO2
  • 51,200 ISO3

In-body image stabilization

  • 6 stops4
  • 5.5 stops5
  • Not published

Sensor readout speed

  • Not published
  • Not published
  • Not published

Sensor type

  • Stacked CMOS
  • CMOS
  • CMOS

Aspect ratios

  • —
  • 3:2
  • 3:2, 1:1, 16:96

Lens & Autofocus

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Lens & Autofocus specs

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Continuous shooting (mechanical)

  • Not published
  • 10 fps7
  • 11 fps8

Continuous shooting (electronic)

  • 20 fps
  • 10 fps
  • Not published

Max mechanical shutter speed

  • 32,000 1/s
  • 8,000 1/s
  • 4,000 1/s

Pre-burst capture duration

  • 1 s9
  • Not published
  • Not published

AF subject detection

  • Human, animal, bird, car, train, airplane, motorcycle
  • Human, animal, bird
  • —

Video

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Video specs

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Max video resolution

  • 8K
  • 4K
  • 4K

4K max frame rate

  • 120 fps
  • 60 fps10
  • 30 fps

Video codecs

  • H.264, HEVC, ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes RAW, N-RAW
  • H.264, HEVC
  • H.264

4K max frame rate (full width)

  • 30 fps
  • 30 fps11
  • 30 fps

Raw video recording

  • Internal
  • None12
  • Not published

Video bit depth

  • 10 bit
  • 10 bit
  • Not published

Log profile support

  • Yes
  • Yes
  • Not published

Video dynamic range (log)

  • Not published
  • 15 stops13
  • Not published

Viewfinder & Screen

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Viewfinder & Screen specs

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Viewfinder resolution

  • 3.69 M dots
  • 3.69 M dots
  • 0 M dots14

Viewfinder magnification

  • 0.8 x
  • 0.78 x
  • Not published

Screen size

  • 3.2 in
  • 2.95 in15
  • 3 in

Screen articulation

  • Tilting
  • Fully articulated
  • Fully articulated

Rear screen resolution

  • 2.1 M dots
  • 1.04 M dots16
  • 1.04 M dots

Handling & Power

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Handling & Power specs

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Battery life

  • 740 shots
  • 580 shots17
  • 330 shots18

Memory card slots

  • 2 slots
  • 2 slots
  • 1 slots

Weather sealing

  • Dust and drip resistant
  • Dust and drip resistant19
  • Not published

Weight

  • 1,340 g
  • 658 g
  • 405 g

Width

  • 149 mm
  • 131.3 mm
  • 128 mm

Height

  • 149.5 mm
  • 96.4 mm
  • 73.5 mm

Depth

  • 90.5 mm
  • 69.7 mm20
  • 59.5 mm

USB charging & power delivery

Minimum operating temperature

  • -10 °C
  • 0 °C
  • 0 °C

Headphone port

  • Yes
  • Yes
  • Not published

HDMI port type

  • Full-size
  • Full-size
  • Mini
Notes on 22 values — test conditions and caveats
  1. 1Nikon Z 30, Sensor format: DX format is Nikon's name for its APS-C-size sensor (23.5 x 15.7 mm).
  2. 2Sony a7 IV, Native ISO maximum: Native range tops out at ISO 51200; 50-204800 requires expanded ISO settings.
  3. 3Nikon Z 30, Native ISO maximum: Settings above ISO 51200 (102400, 204800) are expanded, not native.
  4. 4Nikon Z9, In-body image stabilization: The 6.0-stop rating requires Synchro VR, combining in-body 5-axis VR with 2-axis lens VR on compatible lenses.
  5. 5Sony a7 IV, In-body image stabilization: CIPA rating measured with the 50mm F1.4 ZA test lens attached.
  6. 6Nikon Z 30, Aspect ratios: Native DX ratio is 3:2; 1:1 and 16:9 are in-camera crop modes.
  7. 7Sony a7 IV, Continuous shooting (mechanical): 10 fps applies to compressed RAW/JPEG/HEIF; drops to 6 fps for lossless or uncompressed RAW.
  8. 8Nikon Z 30, Continuous shooting (mechanical): Nikon's in-house measured maximum; the rate is approximate.
  9. 9Nikon Z9, Pre-burst capture duration: Pre-Release Capture is only available in the C30 and C120 high-speed frame capture modes.
  10. 10Sony a7 IV, 4K max frame rate: 4K 60p is only available in Super35mm crop; full-frame 4K tops out at 30p.
  11. 11Sony a7 IV, 4K max frame rate (full width): 4K 60p requires the Super35mm crop; full-width 4K is limited to 30p.
  12. 12Sony a7 IV, Raw video recording: No internal or external raw recording; HDMI output tops out at 10-bit 4:2:2.
  13. 13Sony a7 IV, Video dynamic range (log): Sony's claim for S-Log3 per internal tests; stated as 15+ stops.
  14. 14Nikon Z 30, Viewfinder resolution: The Z 30 has no electronic viewfinder; compose on the rear LCD.
  15. 15Sony a7 IV, Screen size: Sony rates the panel at 2.95in (3.0-type); most sources round to 3in.
  16. 16Sony a7 IV, Rear screen resolution: 1,036,800 dots; Sony's retail pages round this to 1.03 megadots.
  17. 17Sony a7 IV, Battery life: 580 shots per charge with the rear LCD; 520 with the EVF.
  18. 18Nikon Z 30, Battery life: Figure is for the EN-EL25 battery; shot count differs with EN-EL25a.
  19. 19Sony a7 IV, Weather sealing: Dust and moisture resistant but not IP-rated; Sony does not guarantee 100% sealing.
  20. 20Sony a7 IV, Depth: Sony lists 79.8mm total depth; 69.7mm is measured from front grip to rear monitor.
  21. 21Sony a7 IV, USB charging & power delivery: Charging and USB power delivery work only through the USB Type-C port.
  22. 22Nikon Z 30, USB charging & power delivery: In-camera USB charging/power needs Nikon's optional EH-7P or EH-8P adapter.

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