Nikon Announces First Flagship Mirrorless Camera 'Z9'... Also Introduces Two NIKKOR Z Lenses

Nikon Flagship Mirrorless Camera 'Z9'

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Nikon Imaging Korea announced on the 29th the ‘Z9,’ a top-tier full-frame (FX format) mirrorless camera adopting the Z mount. They also unveiled two NIKKOR Z lenses, a new mount adapter, and PC-exclusive software.

The Z9 is the first flagship model in the Z series mirrorless cameras, combining Nikon’s cutting-edge technology to deliver the best photo and video performance in Nikon’s history.

The new product features a newly developed stacked CMOS sensor and the EXPEED 7 image processing engine, achieving the most powerful autofocus (AF) performance among Nikon cameras. This high-performance AF system automatically detects nine types of subjects?including people, dogs, cats, birds, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trains, and airplanes?in both photo and video shooting.

Video recording supports up to approximately 125 minutes of 30fps 8K UHD footage directly to the camera’s built-in memory card without an external recorder. Additionally, it can shoot 4K UHD resolution at 120, 60, and 30 frames per second, supporting diverse video production activities, and comes with the ProRes 422 HQ codec pre-installed.

The newly adopted 4-axis vertical and horizontal tilting LCD monitor greatly enhances usability by allowing easy shooting from high or low angles regardless of vertical or horizontal orientation. It also features a Real Live Viewfinder that surpasses the performance of conventional optical and electronic viewfinders. The Real Live Viewfinder continuously displays the actual movement of subjects within the scene, enabling smooth, uninterrupted viewing without frame skipping or loss of field of view.

Nikon Super Telephoto Zoom Lens ‘NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S’

On the same day, Nikon also unveiled the super-telephoto zoom lens ‘NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S’ and the standard zoom lens ‘NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S,’ both compatible with full-frame mirrorless cameras adopting the Z mount.

The NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S, the first super-telephoto zoom model in the mirrorless-exclusive NIKKOR Z lens lineup, thoroughly suppresses chromatic aberration (color fringing) to provide excellent resolution even at the maximum aperture. It supports a wide focal length range and achieves the shortest minimum focusing distance of 0.75m at the widest angle among its class. The weight has also been reduced to approximately 1355g, making it the lightest in its class. Nikon’s first ‘Inner Balance Technology,’ which significantly reduces changes in the center of gravity caused by zooming, is also applied.

The NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S is a 5x standard zoom lens that reduces chromatic aberration while delivering sharp resolution. It allows consistent shooting at the maximum aperture of f/4 across the wide 24-120mm focal length and helps create beautiful background blur effects in both photo and video shooting, especially in the telephoto range. Weighing approximately 630g, it is the lightest lens in its class and optimized for close-up shooting with a maximum magnification of 0.39x at the telephoto end.

Nikon Standard Zoom Lens ‘NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f4 S’

The mount adapter ‘FTZ II’ and software ‘NX Tether’ were also introduced. The FTZ II is a mount adapter designed to allow Nikon DSLR users to use their NIKKOR F lenses on the Z mount system. It achieves weight reduction by removing the tripod socket and minimizing protrusions, improves grip during vertical shooting, and enhances operability by making it easier to attach various accessories. The PC-exclusive software NX Tether supports tethered shooting with Nikon cameras, allowing users to adjust camera settings and perform remote shooting from a computer.

Jae-hwan Jung, CEO of Nikon Imaging Korea, said, “The Z9 boasts diverse functions and excellent performance that surpass existing Nikon DSLR or mirrorless cameras, enabling users to capture key moments even in extreme shooting environments. It will be a product that supports the best performance for professional photographers and videographers active in various fields such as sports, journalism, fashion, and advertising.”