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Nikon Z7 Comparison Review

The Nikon Z7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was revealed to the public in August 2018 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 45.4 megapixel.

camera

Is the Nikon Z7 a good camera? The Z7 has a Camera Elo of 2723. This rating puts the Z7 among the top 40 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the Z7 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Nikon Z7
Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses
45.4 MP, Full Frame Sensor
4K/30p Video
ISO 64 - 25 600 (32 - 102 400)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2 LCD, 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 67 mm, 675 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Nikon Z7 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Nikon Z7 vs credit card front
Z7 versus credit card top view
Z7 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon Z7 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z7 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 330 Y Aug 2018 US$ 3 399ebay.com
2.
 
Canon R5 138 mm 98 mm 88 mm 738 g 320 Y Jul 2020 US$ 3 899 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Z6 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 310 Y Aug 2018 US$ 1 999ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon Z6 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 410 Y Oct 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 420 Y Oct 2020 US$ 2 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon Z8 144 mm 119 mm 83 mm 910 g 340 Y May 2023 US$ 3 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Panasonic S1R 149 mm 110 mm 97 mm 1016 g 380 Y Feb 2019 US$ 3 699 amazon.com
8.
 
Sony A7R II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 625 g 290 Y Jun 2015 US$ 3 199ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 US$ 3 199 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A7R IV 129 mm 96 mm 78 mm 665 g 670 Y Jul 2019 US$ 3 499ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon Z7 was launched in the US market at a price of $3,399. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Nikon Z7 features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon Z7 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Nikon Z7 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon Z7 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/30p26.314.6266899
2.
 
Canon R5 Full Frame 44.8 8192 54648K/30p25.314.6304295
3.
 
Nikon Z6 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3329995
4.
 
Nikon Z6 II Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.014.4330394
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/60p26.314.72841100
6.
 
Nikon Z8 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55048K/30p26.314.2254898
7.
 
Panasonic S1R Full Frame 46.7 8368 55844K/60p26.414.13525100
8.
 
Sony A7R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.013.9343498
9.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
11.
 
Sony A7R IV Full Frame 60.2 9504 63364K/30p26.014.8334499

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The Z7 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the Z7 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Z7 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 3690k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.80x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon Z7 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon Z73690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
2.
 
Canon R55760 Y3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
3.
 
Nikon Z63690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
4.
 
Nikon Z6 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Nikon Z83690 Y3.2 / 2089 full-flex Y 1/32000s 30.0/s n Y
7.
 
Panasonic S1R5760 Y3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
8.
 
Sony A7R II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
9.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A7R IV5760 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Nikon Z7 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the Z7

One useful feature of the Z7 is a presence of a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon Z7Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
2.
 
Canon R5Ymono / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Nikon Z6Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
4.
 
Nikon Z6 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon Z7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
6.
 
Nikon Z8Ystereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
7.
 
Panasonic S1RYstereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
8.
 
Sony A7R IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
9.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
11.
 
Sony A7R IVYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY

It is notable that the Z7 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the Z7 can be found in the free online Nikon Z7 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the Z7 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z75/5+4.8/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 US$ 3 399ebay.com
2.
 
Canon R54.5/5+4/591/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2020 US$ 3 899 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Z65/5..5/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 US$ 1 999ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon Z6 II4.5/5..4/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon Z7 II4.5/5..4.5/5..4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 US$ 2 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon Z85/5..5/594/1005/54.5/5 May 2023 US$ 3 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Panasonic S1R4.5/5..4.6/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2019 US$ 3 699 amazon.com
8.
 
Sony A7R II5/5+ +5/590/1005/55/5 Jun 2015 US$ 3 199ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 US$ 3 199 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A7R IV5/5+4.5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2019 US$ 3 499ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Nikon Z7 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the Z7.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Nikon Z7?

The camera is build around a BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon Z7 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Nikon equipped the Z7 with the EXPEED 6 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon Z7?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 64 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 32-102400.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon Z7?

Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 200 000 actuations for the Z7. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the Z7 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 200 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon Z7?

Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your Z7 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is completely silent shooting possible with the Nikon Z7?

The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Nikon Z7?

No, the Nikon Z7 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Nikon Z7?

The Z7 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Nikon Z7 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon Z7 for flash photography?

The Z7's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Which battery does the Nikon Z7 use?

The camera gets its power from the Nikon EN-EL15b (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon Z7?

Yes, Nikon offers the MB-N10 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Where can I find the best deals for the Nikon Z7?

Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Nikon.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Nikon Z7
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Nikon Z mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2018
    Launch Price USD 3 399
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.9 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 858 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.1 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 45.4 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 8 256 x 5 504 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.35 μm
    Pixel Density 5.30 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 64 - 25 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 32 - 102 400 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 6
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 99
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 26.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.6
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2668
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.80x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3690k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 2100k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen
    V-logging Friendliness No front-flip
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 9 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations
    Silent ShootingElectronic Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium XQD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 3.1
    HDMI Port micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL15b power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)330 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 101 x 67 mm
    (5.3 x 4.0 x 2.6 in)
    Camera Weight 675 g (23.8 oz)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

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