Z 8: Pro Full Frame Mirrorless Camera for Video and Stills

Z 8

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8K RAW video45.7 megapixels up to 120 FPS Compact body Flagship performance

This is everything you want in a full-frame hybrid camera. Image quality, precision, flexibility—and a compact, lightweight body. Video to stills. Commissions to passion projects. Don’t just create. Thrive.

Compact body. Flagship performance.

The Z 8 brings the feature set of the Z 9 to a body that is 30% smaller than the Z 9 and 15% smaller than the D850. The 45 MP stacked CMOS sensor and impressive dynamic range. The phenomenal deep-learning AF system, and a subject- and eye-detection hit rate you can rely on. The blackout-free Real-Live Viewfinder and 4-axis tilting monitor. Video, stills, or both. You have the freedom to innovate while the Z 8 reliably nails every frame.

Astounding agility for video and stills

New ideas, tight budgets, fast turnarounds. Small setup or a full rig. However and wherever you create, the Z 8’s flexibility will keep your projects flowing. Record stunning 8K or 4K video straight out of the camera at an array of frame rates, including slow motion. Capture exquisite 45.7 MP stills even if shooting by starlight. There are separate display interfaces for video and stills, and menus rotate if shooting vertically.

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8.3K/60p 12-bit RAW. In-camera.

Nikon’s N-RAW creates files that are half the size of a ProRes RAW HQ file. Works for video up to 8.3K/60p or 4.1K/120p.

Codecs galore.

Work with N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422HQ, MOV H.265, or MP4 H.264. N-Log and HLG shooting modes.

Full-HD proxy files. In-camera.

Save time in edits. The Z 8 records Full HD proxy files when shooting internal 8.3K N-RAW or 4.1K ProRes RAW HQ.

8.3K/60p 12-bit RAW. In-camera.

Nikon’s N-RAW creates files that are half the size of a ProRes RAW HQ file. Works for video up to 8.3K/60p or 4.1K/120p.

Codecs galore.

Work with N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422HQ, MOV H.265, or MP4 H.264. N-Log and HLG shooting modes.

Full-HD proxy files. In-camera.

Save time in edits. The Z 8 records Full HD proxy files when shooting internal 8.3K N-RAW or 4.1K ProRes RAW HQ.

Blazing fast 120 fps for stills

Never miss the decisive moment. You can shoot 11 MP stills at an insanely fast 120 fps, or 45.7 MP stills at an action-freezing 60 fps or 30 fps. All with full AF and AE performance and no viewfinder blackout.

More control over portraits

Save time in post by making adjustments as you shoot. Portrait Impression Balance lets you fine-tune hue and brightness. Skin Softening softens the look of skin while keeping eyes and hair sharp.

Pre-release capture

Photographing events? The Z 8 gives your reaction time a boost by recording for up to a second before you take a shot.¹ Fleeting gestures, unpredictable subjects: you’ll nail the moments you might have missed.

Embrace backlight. Love the dark.

Night scenes and backlit portraits? You can trust the Z 8’s intelligent AF system. Faces are in focus even if the scene is strongly backlit. Subject detection and AF work down to ˗9 EV in Starlight mode.

Hi-res 2x zoom for 4K video

Zoom with prime lenses while filming! The Z 8 can emulate a 2x optical zoom, in camera and in real time. There’s no image degradation, and you can program three different zoom speeds.

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Adapt to any setup

Weighing just 910 g (approx), the full-frame Z 8 is comfortable to hold, and it balances perfectly on any rig. Nikon’s MC-N10 Remote Grip allows precise control of the camera. And partner accessories, from gimbals to mics and more, help nail any shoot.

Any weather. Any conditions.

The Z 8 full-frame mirrorless camera is built to travel wherever your ideas take you. Full, high-performance weather sealing reliably keeps out dust, dirt, and moisture.² The same cold tolerance as both the D6 and the Z 9 means you can shoot reliably in temperatures down to ˗10°C/14°F. Come rain, come ice, come snow—you can still go.

Sensor coatings and VR lock

An electro-conductive coating repels dust while a fluorine coating makes it easy to wipe the sensor clean. For further protection, you can activate the camera’s sensor shield to close automatically when you remove a lens. When you turn the camera off, a VR lock keeps the sensor securely in place to prevent jostling if traveling over rough terrain.

Two USB-C ports. Dual card slots.

Two USB terminals let you transfer files quickly while charging the camera. The USB communication port supports USB-LAN and USB-C to Ethernet. The USB power delivery port supports USB-C charging.³ Dual card slots offer flexible shooting and storage, accepting high-performance XQD and CFexpress Type B cards as well as SD cards.

Vertical battery grip

You can use Nikon’s MB-N12 battery grip for vertical shooting, or to counterbalance telephoto lenses, as well as for extended all-day shooting. You get up to 1.8x more operating time with two EN-EL15c batteries in the grip and you can hot-swap batteries. Plus, you can use this grip as a dual battery charger when it’s not attached to the camera.

A system to match your vision

The full-frame Z 8 is a creative powerhouse, and its flexibility doesn’t end with the camera. There’s a NIKKOR Z lens for every idea and budget, while the FTZ mount adapter lets you use DSLR lenses too. Dedicated accessories expand what you can do.

“The Z 8 gives me everything I ever wanted. The Eye AF is so accurate, the new S-line lenses are so sharp, I am able to shoot in harsh sunlight, but also in the shadows and travelling a lot I absolutely love its weight. ”

Frøydis Geithus

“You want something that can give you a large amount of cinematic options, but be small and mobile. That’s why we loved the Z 8. ”

Keziah Quarcoo & Cara Brown

“I like it light, I like it fast. If there's an idea, I want to capture it. The Z 8 is perfect for me! ”

Mous Lamrabat

“It’s a fantastic filmmaker’s camera. The autofocus and Eye AF are brilliant. It’s perfect, you can just grab it and go shoot. The number of codecs and the possibilities that you have are really amazing in such a small camera.”

Pep Bonet

“I felt like this is really my camera. It’s blending into my hand. It’s so easy to handle. Everything is in the right spot and also very fast and always keeping focus. I will not miss a shot.”

Esther Horvath

Behind the scene shot of Aurelie and climber as part of Nikon's The Movement limited series.

“For me, it's agility that really matters. You have to be on the cliff with the climber to really see the emotions, so I'm looking for a powerful camera which is compact and light. The Z 8 is perfect. ”

Aurelie Gonin

“I take a lot of shots at night and I loved the Starlight view because it really brightens the view: it’s much easier to see what's in the focus. On the Z 8, the autofocus just worked. It was so impressive to see. It was spot on every time. ”

Mikko Lagerstedt

“The Z 8 has all the specs you can dream of as a content creator. Until now I was using two bodies, but now I can just switch to photo or video. That’s going to be the most game-changing part for me.”

Olivier Wong

Technical Specification

Type

Digital camera with support for interchangeable lenses

Lens Mount

Nikon Z mount

Image Sensor

FX, CMOS, 35.9 mm x 23.9 mm

Total pixels

52.37 million

Dust-reduction system

Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (requires NX Studio)

Effective pixels

45.7 million

Image size (pixels)

[FX (36 x 24)] selected for image area:

(L) 8256 x 5504 ( 45.4 million)

(M) 6192 x 4128 ( 25.6 million)

(S) 4128 x 2752 ( 11.4 million)

[DX (24 x 16)] selected for image area:

(L) 5392 x 3592 ( 19.4 million)

(M) 4032 x 2688 ( 10.8 million)

(S) 2688 x 1792 ( 4.8 million)

[1:1 (24 x 24)] selected for image area:

(L) 5504 x 5504 ( 30.3 million)

(M) 4128 x 4128 ( 17.0 million)

(S) 2752 x 2752 ( 7.6 million)

[16:9 (36 x 20)] selected for image area:

(L) 8256 x 4640 ( 38.3 million)

(M) 6192 x 3480 ( 21.5 million)

(S) 4128 x 2320 ( 9.6 million)

File formats

NEF (RAW): 14 bit; choose from lossless compression, high efficiency (high), and high efficiency options

JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1 : 4), normal (approx. 1 : 8), or basic (approx. 1 : 16) compression; size-priority and optimal-quality compression available

HEIF: Supports fine (approx. 1 : 4), normal (approx. 1 : 8), or basic (approx. 1 : 16) compression; size-priority and optimal-quality compression available

NEF (RAW)+JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats

NEF (RAW)+HEIF: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and HEIF formats

Included in the box