Z8 or Z9 coming from D850
I'm currently shooting with a Nikon D850 + MB-D18 grip and trying to decide between a Z8 and Z9.
My use case is fairly heavy: horse photography, equestrian events, and horse racing.
I shoot very large numbers of images, often thousands in a day, and primarily use long telephoto lenses.
My current gear:
• Nikon D850 + MB-D18
• Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II
• Tamron 150-600mm G2
• Nikkor 80-400mm f5.6
I actually really love my D850 and still consider it an absolute workhorse. It has been extremely reliable despite heavy use and I still genuinely enjoy shooting with it. However, it already has a very high shutter count, so the plan would be to keep it as a backup body rather than continue relying on it as my main camera.
When I bought my D850 three years ago, the salesperson wondered why I wasn't going mirrorless already. Back then I just wasn't ready, but now it feels like "now or never."
At the moment I don't really do video work, but the industry seems to be changing and more clients now want videos and reels in addition to photos.
Some important considerations:
• I definitely want vertical controls/grip immediately because I'm very used to the MB-D18 and my strap setup works better that way.
• I like the "tank-like" feel of the D850 with grip.
• I often shoot long days (10–12 hours).
• I already own multiple EN-EL15 batteries and a lot of SD cards.
Current prices here:
• Used Z8: around €3000–3300 and they sell very fast — hard to find.
• New Z8: currently €3599 with full warranty.
• Used Z9: around €3200–3400 with multiple available.
The issue is that with the Z9 I'd also need is several new batteries and multiple CFexpress cards
With the Z8 I could continue using my existing batteries and SD cards, but the Z9 already has the integrated vertical grip.
So what would you choose in my situation?