Industry News


Nikon Teases its Z 9 Mirrorless Flagship

March 10, 2021

By Hillary K. Grigonis

© Nikon

Nikon’s mirrorless family will gain another member before the year is up— and it’s a flagship that looks a lot like a mirrorless version of the D6 DSLR. Late on March 9, Nikon announced the development of the Nikon Z 9 mirrorless, a camera that the company is calling its first flagship with the Z mount.

While details are sparse, Nikon offered a glimpse of the type of technology photographers may expect to find in the Z 9. The camera uses a stacked CMOS sensor. Stacking the sensor essentially diverts the image processing to another layer. The result is a faster camera. Sony’s A9 series and now the A1 most notably use the technology, after Sony brought the stacked design to the RX100 series years earlier.

[Read: Sony A1 50.1MP Powerhouse is Unveiled]

Nikon Z 9 mirrorless flagship camera.

Nikon says the camera will also have a new image processing engine. That feature also suggests an emphasis on speed, since upgraded processors tend to mean faster performance and reduced noise at high ISOs.

While Nikon hasn’t named the megapixel count for still photography, the company says the upcoming flagship will be equipped with 8K video. Nikon has been touting the Z line as a hybrid for both photo and video. With the Sony A1 just announcing 8K, this is a logical next step for the company trying to make up for lost time after entering the pro-level mirrorless market late.

Earlier this year, Nikon announced the development of their own 17.8- megapixel stacked sensor. The sensor is only 4K by 4K, which suggests the Z 9 won’t be bringing that sensor to market just yet. (While Nikon designs some of their own sensors, many Nikon cameras have Sony-made sensors).

The teaser photo makes the Nikon Z 9 look like a cross between the Z 7 mirrorless and the D6 DSLR. While the top half looks similar to the existing Z mount cameras, the bottom has that built-in vertical grip with a second shutter button and control wheel. Nikon says, however, that the appearance may be different from that teaser photo.

Nikon’s mirrorless technology could give a serious boost to the D6’s 14 fps — after all, the mid-level Z 6 II even has 14 fps. If that’s the case, Nikon will need to make sure that the Z 9’s autofocus can keep up if it wants to grab the attention of the D6 sports photographers.

Nikon hasn’t yet shared when the Z 9 will launch or for how much, but says the camera is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2021.