Nikon Z 8 Review | PCMag

Nikon’s big, gripped Z 9 ($5,499.95, body only) marked a return to form for the iconic photo brand, but its body style didn’t appeal to everyone. With the Z 8 ($3,999.95, body only), Nikon cuts the vertical grip, keeps all the cutting-edge tech, and drops the price to create a more compact, hybrid powerhouse. Among the highlights are a full-frame Stacked CMOS sensor for 45MP snaps and 8K video, an advanced autofocus engine with smart subject recognition, a seamless electronic viewfinder (EVF) experience, and a weather-ready build. Battery life could be better, but that’s hardly a deterrent from one of Nikon’s best efforts yet. It’s as excellent a camera as the Sony a7R V ($3,899.99) in many respects, and a better performer for video and fast action, so the Z 8 earns the same rating and Editors’ Choice award for high-resolution, full-frame cameras.

The Mirrorless D850

Nikon’s final high-pixel DSLR, the D850, ranks as an all-time great example of what an optical viewfinder camera could do. It offered a rare combination of fantastic autofocus performance and extreme resolution. Its influence shines through in the Z 8, a camera I lovingly called the “Z850” every time I grabbed it for a photo session. The Z 8 looks, feels, and behaves much like the D850. That’s high praise, as I used the D850 for both Nikkor and third-party lens reviews for a few years. I have little hesitation in saying it was among the best Nikon cameras of the digital era.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Of course, as a stacked mirrorless camera, the Z 8 is built around an EVF and fully electronic shutter rather than a pentaprism and mechanical focal plane shutter like the D850. The body size and style are pretty close though. At 4.7 by 5.7 by 3.3 inches (HWD) the Z 8 is just slightly less tall and wide as the D850 (4.9 by 5.8 by 3.1 inches), but both weigh the same (around 2.0 pounds). Most full-frame cameras, including the Sony a7R V (3.8 by 5.2 by 3.2 inches, 1.6 pounds), Canon EOS R5 (3.8 by 5.4 by 3.5 inches, 1.6 pounds), and Nikon Z 7 II (4.0 by 5.3 by 2.7 inches, 1.4 pounds) are smaller.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Like its contemporaries, the Z 8 is built for both indoor and outdoor use, with a rugged magnesium alloy chassis that’s sealed from dust and splashes. The Z 8 doesn’t have a mechanical shutter to cover its sensor, but it does include a sensor shield that helps keep dust off during lens changes. Nikon says the weather sealing here is as robust as for the D850. meanwhile, the Z 9 is sealed more tightly to match the D6.

The Z 8 works with the Nikkor Z lineup of lenses that debuted in 2018 and supports Nikon F SLR lenses via the FTZ II adapter. The standard F2.8 zoom trinity is available on this platform, along with a set of F1.8 primes and a couple of big F1.2 lenses. In terms of standouts, Nikon’s line of lightweight, mid-priced telephoto primes, including the Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 and Z 600mm F6.3, is peerless on Canon’s and Sony’s platforms.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Third-party manufacturers like Tamron and Viltrox have jumped in with autofocusing full-frame options to bolster Nikon’s catalog, but there are still some gaps. Most notably, there are no mid-sized F1.4 primes for Nikon Z as of yet. Sony wins out on the sheer number of lens options, both first- and third-party, though the gap isn’t as vast as it was just a couple of years ago.

In addition to the body-only option, Nikon markets the Z 8 in a kit with the superb Nikkor Z 24-120mm F4 zoom for $5,099.95. You don’t save any money with this bundle versus buying the lens separately, however.

Comfortable, Familiar Controls

Despite its slight bulk, the Z 8 doesn’t feel too big or heavy, a complaint I lodged against the Z 9. The grip plays a big part here. It’s deep enough to provide a good handle on the camera even with a large lens attached and has a comfortable middle finger indent. Two assignable function buttons sit between the grip and mount (Fn1, Fn2), another similarity to the D850.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Z 8 uses a Mode button, not a dial, to swap between Program, Aperture, Shutter, and Manual exposure options. It’s on the left side of the top plate in a cluster with Drive, Bracket (BKT), and White Balance (WB) buttons. These four buttons are backlit, a plus for studio sessions and dimly-lit event venues. Simply twist the power switch past its On position to light them (and all the other backlit controls and displays) up.

Nikon uses the space that would normally have a Mode dial for a large, monochrome information panel. This backlit display shows you all your exposure settings, the active focus mode, and the remaining battery life. Record, ISO, and EV buttons are ahead of that, along with the shutter release, which the power switch collars. This layout matches up with late-model Nikon SLRs like the D850 and D780, as well as most Z series mirrorless bodies.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Most of the back buttons are also backlit, including the Fn3/Lock and Delete buttons at the top left, the AF-ON button, and the Menu, Play, Minus, and Plus buttons at the bottom right. The Display (Disp), AF-ON, i, and OK buttons don’t get the same treatment. Even so, the Z 8’s light-up buttons separate it from competitors; aside from the Z 9, the Canon EOS R3 is the lone mirrorless option with this feature.

The Z 8 keeps it a bit old-school for the control dials. Nikon puts one in the grip and a rear dial above the thumb rest, but you don’t get a third dial (usually for EV compensation) as with the a7R V or EOS R5. I didn’t miss a third dial with the Z 8, however, since the EV button is easily accessible and Nikon’s long-running Easy EV Compensation option is available via the camera menu. When you enable the latter, EV control moves to one of the two dials. You can even pick which dial controls EV, shutter, or f-stop adjustments via the menu, indicative of the granular level of fine-tuning available. Remapping the labeled buttons is an option as well, if the preset options don’t work for you.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Additional useful features are easily accessible with your thumb. An eight-way joystick on the rear is perfect for taking control control over the area focus point and navigating the menus. The four-way d-pad surrounding the OK button also works for both tasks. The Z 8’s d-pad feels a little mushy to me, so I tend to use the joystick.

The Z 8 also has a focus control button on the front left. You use it to set the focus mode and area of interest—press it in and spin the rear dial to swap between manual, single (AF-S), or continuous (AF-C) focus, and use the front dial to cycle through the different areas of interest for focus.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The i button launches a 12-slot on-screen overlay menu. Like the hard buttons, its options are configurable, so you can break away from the defaults if you want. The Z 8 keeps the i menus for stills and video separate too, helpful since you are likely to want different options for snapping pictures and making movies. The camera also has a hard switch to swap capture between photo and video modes; it’s around the Disp button, just above the LCD.

A Quality Display and Viewfinder

The Z 8 uses the same double-hinged LCD as the Z 9. It’s a useful design for photography, as it supports simple tilt in four directions to make it easier to see the screen from different angles. But it doesn’t flip out or forward for video recording. The a7R V does one better here; its dual-hinge display tilts up and down for tripod work and flips out to set up a frame from in front of the lens.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

As for display quality, Nikon’s 3.2-inch, 2.1-million-dot LCD shows accurate colors and sharp detail. It’s good for use in both dim and bright light, as you can push the backlight up to cut through glare or dial down the intensity for better eye comfort. To be fair, both the EOS R5 and a7R V have similarly high-quality LCDs.

The Z 8’s electronic viewfinder is fantastic, though not quite best-in-class. It presents a large (0.8x) image to the eye and has a crisp resolution of 3.7 million dots. The EVF makes it easy to see what you’re photographing and offers your choice of a 60fps or 120fps refresh rate. The latter option doesn’t decrease the EVF resolution and is better for snapping action and sports photos, but it runs down the battery more quickly. From a pure picture quality perspective, the Sony a7R V has the best EVF around. It’s larger (0.9x) and far sharper (9.4 million dots) than the one on the Z 8, though its resolution drops when you push it to 120fps.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Z 8’s EVF benefits from the camera’s Stacked CMOS sensor. There’s no interruption to the view when you take photos, making it a bit easier to track moving subjects. With the a7R V (and EOS R5 for that matter), you lose sight of your frame when you use their motion-freezing mechanical shutters and see an interrupted view when you lean on their electronic shutters.

Middling Battery Life, Robust Connectivity

The Z 8 ships with the EN-EL15c battery, but also works with older EN-EL15a and 15b batteries. Just note that you won’t get as many photos with older batteries, especially if you’ve used them heavily. With a fresh 15c, the Z 8 has a CIPA rating of 340 LCD/330 EVF pictures per charge, or up to 370 if you enable the energy-saving mode. Nikon estimates you can get around 2,280 pictures in continuous drive mode, and I got close to that with a mix of single-exposure and high-speed captures. I also had no problem knocking out 1,000 frames with battery to spare when I tried the 20fps drive mode. For video, expect 85 minutes of record time. Extra batteries are necessary for moviemaking with nearly every consumer camera, and I recommend a spare to get you through events, day trips, and other extended photo sessions.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

For comparison, the a7R V’s battery gets about 25% more life per CIPA standards (430 pictures or 100 minutes of video). The EOS R5 (320 pictures EVF/220 EVF) trails the pack. Meanwhile, the Z 9 is available as an upgrade for Nikon photogs after endurance; its huge EN-EL18d battery lasts for 770 pictures per charge. You can add the MB-N12 grip ($349.95) to the Z 8 if you want space for a second battery and vertical controls. However, if you prefer a dual-grip camera, it’s better to straight for the Z 9.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Z 8 includes not one, but two USB-C ports. One is for power delivery (helpful for studio work) and the other is good for data transfer. The body also has a full-sized HDMI port with clean 10-bit 4:2:2 output, 3.5mm headphone and microphone connectors, and a 10-pin DIN port for a wired remote. There’s no built-in flash or PC Sync socket, but the Z 8’s hot shoe supports Speedlights and radio triggers. It syncs at up to 1/200-second with its fully electronic shutter.

Two memory card slots are available on the body. The main one supports CFexpress (Type B) and XQD media, while the second works with UHS-II SDXC cards. CFe cards are a requirement for N-Raw and ProRes Raw video, but XQD or SDXC work for ProRes 422 and H.265 encoding.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Z 8 includes Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi. It pairs with the Nikon Snapbridge app, a free download for Android and iOS devices that lets you transfer photos and remotely operate the camera. It took me only a few minutes to connect the camera to my iPhone 13 in testing. The Z 8 also connects directly to Wi-Fi and supports FTP transfers, meaning it can slot into organization workflows, not just personal ones. The only real thing missing is an Ethernet port, something the Z 9 includes.

Nikon does not include plug-and-play webcam support for the Z 8, so you need to install the Nikon Webcam Utility (for macOS and Windows) on your computer if you want to use the camera for studio vlogging or web conferences.

3D Tracking Focus With Subject Recognition

The Z 8 supports 3D Tracking autofocus, a made-for-mirrorless take on Nikon’s well-regarded SLR system, as well as offers subject detection for people, animals (including birds), vehicles, and airplanes. Unlike most competitors, which make you pick the detected subject manually, the Z 8 includes an auto option. In testing, this auto mode was just as effective at finding birds in trees as the manual animal setting, for example. But I still like having a manual option. It comes in handy if you want to ensure focus on a motorsport vehicle, for instance, rather than a driver’s face.

Z 400mm F4.5, f/4.5, 1/640-second, ISO 1800 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

As for operation, the focus system covers nearly the entire sensor area. You can restrict it to small and large zone options, two configurable zones, or a single box. Nikon includes a tiny pinpoint option for AF-S only. And for AF-C, it offers the Dynamic Area AF option in small, medium, and large sizes. I like using Dynamic Area since the system prioritizes the central point, but still looks nearby, too. Just note that the Dynamic Area mode does not work in conjunction with subject tracking. If your subject changes position in the frame, you need to move the focus box or camera to keep it sharp. For all of these focus modes, the focus area indicator is red.

Z 85mm F1.2, f/1.2, 1/2,500-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Swap over to the 3D Tracking option for scenes in which you want the focus system to follow a moving subject. The tracking system works well overall. Once it finds a subject, it hangs on with tenacity, keeping focus in tough light and busy scenes. I have a couple of minor complaints, however. For one, the focus target box in this mode is white, not red, making it a little harder to see in the viewfinder. On the plus side, it turns yellow when the tracking system locks onto a target. I’m also disappointed that the focus target is restricted to a single small box with tracking. Since subject detection works along with tracking, however, you don’t have to get the box perfectly on target to lock in focus; getting close is often good enough.

Once you get the focus target on your target, the subject detection jumps to the eye. The Z 8 supports face and eye detection for people and animals, a standard feature among cameras. It works as advertised and is a real benefit for portraits and events.

Z 26mm F2.8, f/2.8, 1/60-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Z 8’s focus system is superb, but still firmly second-class to Sony’s. The a7R V does a few things better—its tracking mode supports more focus patterns and its insect detection makes bug photography a lot easier. On the other hand, the Z 8 has the advantage of a Stacked CMOS sensor. While the a7R V supports a healthy 10fps with its mechanical shutter, the Z 8 is more appropriate for action because of its interruption-free viewfinder and snappier 20fps Raw capture. And it improves to 30fps in JPG mode, has a 120fps option if you can live with 11MP snaps, and supports 19MP JPGs at 60fps. All of the drive modes support full-time focus and exposure, and the 30fps and faster options include a pre-shot buffer option.

Z 400mm F4.5, f/4.5, 1/400-second, ISO 640 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

The camera has a sizable buffer to match the high-speed capture abilities. At 20fps, I got about 235 Raw snaps before noticing any slowdowns with a 1,400MBps SanDisk CFe card and about 50 with a 299MBps Sony Tough SDXC card. CFe’s speed advantage isn’t just in the number of shots, either. The buffer cleared in just a second with that card, whereas it took about 6 seconds with the SDXC card.

Loads of Pixels, Minimal Drawbacks

The Z 8’s 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor manages both impeccable picture quality and fast-enough readout to freeze most motion. It supports a native ISO 64-25600 range and goes from 32-102400 in its expanded range. A few different file formats are available: JPGs and HEIF as ready-to-share options with 8-bit SDR and 10-bit HDR color, respectively, as well as 14-bit Raw with Lossless, High Efficiency*, or High Efficiency compression. The three Raw settings represent best, medium, and lowest quality, with High Efficiency* offering the best balance between image quality and file size.

Z 26mm F2.8, f/8, 1/40-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

High ISO performance is right in line with other full-frame cameras. It captures crisp detail through ISO 6400, and softer, but pleasant pictures through ISO 25600. At ISO 51200-102400, pictures have a rougher quality with more noise and less detail. Opting for Raw capture allows you to take control of noise reduction with your preferred image editing software. I looked at photos in Adobe Lightroom and found its default noise processing settings kept up with that of Nikon’s JPG engine. Photos in Lightroom have more detail and a grainier character, whereas the out-of-cameras JPEGs are a bit waxier.

Z 400mm F4.5, f/4.5, 1/400-second, ISO 16000 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

In addition to the standard array of profiles, the Z 8 offers 20 artistic looks with effects ranging from subtle to extreme. Photogs who work strictly in JPG might enjoy them as an alternative to editing. And you can always swap to Raw+JPG to enjoy both a filtered look and an original file ready for editing.

Z 26mm F2.8, f/2.8, 1/2,000-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

The 14-bit Raw format offers more benefits than to-taste noise control. With these files, you can also tune color balance, contrast, shadow levels, and other aspects. Images offer ample dynamic range, especially toward the lower ends of the ISO range, and stand up to edits.

Most creators should be just fine with 45MP files, but the Sony a7R V’s higher-pixel, 60MP chip still has a lot of value to landscape specialists and archivists. Moreover, the Sony supports multi-shot capture for 240MP output. The Z 8 doesn’t support multi-shot, but it might get it via firmware update eventually, given that the more recent Z f has that feature. The Z 9 has gotten a few major updates over its lifespan, so the Z 8 might too once it has been on the market longer.

Z 17-28mm F2.8, 17mm, f/10, 1/2-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

The sensor’s 5-axis stabilizer is standard in this class and effective for handheld photography. I managed sharp 1/2-second exposures with the Z 17-28mm F2.8 lens, while pictures at more typical shutter speeds show no signs of blur from shaky hands.

A Versatile Video Camera

The Z 8 is as good a video camera as the Z 9, which is to say its feature list is robust. It supports two Raw formats, Nikon Raw (N-Raw) and ProRes Raw, both with 12-bit 4:2:2 color, and does 10-bit ProRes 422 or H.265 if you prefer compressed files. There are too many resolution and frame rate options to list off, but the Z 8 supports up to 8.3K60 and 4.1K120 in N-Raw and up to 4K60 for both ProRes formats. H.265 works at up to 8K30 and 4K120.

Z 400mm F4.5, f/4.5, 1/400-second, ISO 1400 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

Most video modes use the full width of the sensor, but you have the option of switching to a slimmer DX (Super 35) frame for certain modes. Open gate recording is missing, as the Z 8 is restricted to the 16:9 UHD aspect ratio in all recording modes. All of the creative color profiles from the stills side are available for video for filtered looks in-camera, while an N-Log profile is available for editors who want to grade footage in the editing room.

The Z 8 is a good, but not perfect, video camera in terms of overheating. I filled up the largest 512GB memory card I had on hand with 4K60 ProRes Raw footage with no heat warnings. That’s only about 15 minutes of video, however. At 10-bit 4K60 ProRes 422, I got about 30 minutes before the camera paused, nearly the capacity of the card. Petapixel reports heat warnings with 8K60 footage after 40 minutes. Be aware that Raw video files are big; a 512GB CFe card holds about 12 minutes of 8K60 N-Raw, for example, so media management is likely a larger challenge than heat control, practically speaking. The Z 8 does not work with external SSDs for storage, so CFe is your only option. Thankfully, CFe cards are available in high capacities, with 2TB cards starting at around $500. Even so, SSD support would be a welcome addition, as it’s an option for the more affordable Panasonic S5 II video specialist, which also includes a built-in fan to combat overheating.

Z 400mm F4.5, f/4.5, 1/400-second, ISO 560 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

There are some quirks when it comes to the video interface. Despite including an “S” mode for exposure, the Z 8 does not actually support shutter priority exposure for video as it does for pictures. In practice, “S” for video behaves the same as Program automatic. Aperture priority is an option, but only with Auto ISO. Thankfully the Manual exposure option gives you full control over all options, as well as works with Auto ISO. On the other hand, the Z 8 makes it easier to visually meter a scene thanks to its waveform monitors, an uncommon feature. Its Stacked CMOS sensor is far better at suppressing rolling shutter distortion compared with those of the a7R V and EOS R5, too. If you care as much about movies as stills, the Z 8 wins the day for hybrid use out of those three.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

A Balanced Approach Wins Out

The Nikon Z 8 offers an exceptionally complete set of features. Its Stacked CMOS sensor captures detailed stills and reads out quickly enough to freeze motion and sync with flashes. High-speed capture makes it the leading pick for action shots in its class, and its video toolkit surpasses that of competitors like the EOS R5 and the Sony a7R V. The latter remains a compelling alternative thanks to its larger lens library, superior autofocus, and longer battery life, but the Z 8 is a better video camera and a stunning photo camera in its own right. As such, it deserves our Editors’ Choice award in the high-resolution, full-frame category alongside the Sony a7R IV.