3 reasons not to buy the Nikon Z9 for wildlife photography
In this blog post, I will share 5 reasons not to buy the Nikon Z9 for wildlife photography.
Throughout the years, I have witnessed several wildlife photography cameras that have been revolutionary for their specifications.
For example, the Nikon D850 for its 45.7 MP, the Nikon D5 for its blazing speed and autofocus system, or the Nikon Z6 and Z7, as Nikon’s first significant step into the mirrorless world.
Buying these incredible yet hyped up cameras may seem like it can drastically improve your wildlife photography.
However, there are many reasons why you might not want to buy one like the Nikon Z9.
If you’re considering buying the Nikon Z9, I hope this article can help you make an informed decision before spending your money on this camera.
Red fox kit | Nikon D850 + 200-500 f/5.6 | ISO 4000, 1/200, f/5.6 @ 200 mm
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White-tailed deer | Nikon D700 + 200-500 f/5.6 | ISO 3200, 1/100, f/5.6 @ 500 mm
1) The Nikon Z9 is very expensive
As I explained in a previous blog post about the Nikon Z9 and cheaper alternatives, it is a very expensive camera for wildlife photography.
At $5,499 USD / $6,999 CAD / £5,299, the Nikon Z9 made for professional wildlife photographers or people who can comfortably afford paying this amount.
The most important thing to remember is that you don’t need an expensive camera to take excellent photos.
In fact, I took the photo above with Nikon D700, which was released in 2008 and can be found for less than $500!
If you’re a beginner wildlife photographer or don’t have tons of money to spend, there are many, many alternatives to the Nikon Z9. And they are much cheaper.
Below you can find a few that I have used, but you can find a full list here.
Buying a new wildlife photography camera should first and foremost make financial sense. If you cannot afford to spend $5,000 on a camera, don’t do it.
Better gear will not make you a better wildlife photographer.
Semipalmated plover | Nikon D500 + 300mm f/2.8 VR II + 1.4x TC | ISO 4000, 1/100, f/8 @ 420 mm
2) The Nikon Z9 has too many frames per second (for some people)
Among the highlight specifications of the Nikon Z9 are its increased max continuous shooting speed:
120 FPS at 11 megapixels in JPEG
30 FPS in JPEG at full resolution
20 FPS at full resolution in RAW
Why is capturing more frames per second (FPS) bad?
When I first started wildlife photography, I had a Nikon D7100 (6 FPS). When I finally upgraded to the Nikon D500 (10 FPS), I got many more shots that I would have missed with my old camera.
However, this came at the cost of time and hard drive space.
With the Nikon D500, you capture 66% more photos than the Nikon D7100 in the same burst. If you then factor in the longer buffer, you get exponentially more photos.
Upgrading to the D500 was great, but the time I spent sorting through photos increased dramatically. What’s more, the storage on my computer decreased significantly because I had so many more images.
The Nikon Z9’s minimum FPS (20 FPS) is DOUBLE the Nikon D500’s (10 FPS), which means spending twice as long processing photos.
Note: Whether high FPS is a pro or a con is a personal choice. Therefore, for some, the Nikon Z9 may have too many FPS, but to others it may be enough.
Wild turkey | Nikon D850 + 200-500 f/5.6 | ISO 800, 1/500, f/5.6 @ 500 mm
3) File size
The Nikon Z9 also has enormous files at 45.7 MP, which is the same size as the Nikon D850 (which is what I took the photo of the wild turkey above with).
When I owned a Nikon D850, I was shocked at how long it took to transfer files onto my computer and into Lightroom. I was accustomed to the sensors of cameras, such as the Nikon D500 (20.7 MP) or Nikon D700 (12 MP). So using the D850 (which had more MPs than both of them combined) required a huge shift in mentality.
With my Nikon D500 and D700, I would usually stick around and use my computer while the files were transferred. But with the Nikon D850, I would leave the computer for several hours to let the files transfer and the previews build before I could begin culling.
Sometimes I would even leave it overnight if I had had an especially packed day of shooting!
Similar to frames per second, with huge files, you have to consider if you can afford the time and money it takes to sort through the files and pay for their storage.
If you add the larger file size (45.7 MP vs. 20.7 MP), you could potentially spend 4 times as much time processing the Nikon Z9’s photos than with the D500.
This is another negative aspect of the Nikon Z9.
Barnacle geese | Nikon Z6 + 300 PF + 1.4x TC | ISO 560, 1/2000, f/5.6 @ 420mm
Conclusion
Purchasing the Nikon Z9 will not make you a better wildlife photographer.
If you cannot afford it, deal with the increase in photos, or enormous file size, then buying the Nikon Z9 is probably not the right choice for you.
While it may make taking better photos of wildlife easier, it will not change your skill as a wildlife photographer.
Moreover, it’s considered a top of the line camera today…
But so was the Nikon D500. And the Nikon D700. And the Nikon Z6. And the Nikon D3.
(I think you get the point.)
Cameras are constantly improving, and what is the best today will not be in the future. When in doubt about buying a new camera, wait it out, and you might score a cheaper deal on the same camera later on.
On paper, I consider the Nikon Z9 one of the best wildlife photography cameras ever, along with the Canon R5 and Sony A1.
Nevertheless, at this moment, I can’t justify the expense (of the camera or additional hard drives) nor the time it would take to sort through so many photos. Heck, when I had the Nikon Z6, the 12 FPS were too much, so moving up to something with 20-120 FPS would take a lot of adjusting.
Like I’ve said in other blog posts, before making several decisions in wildlife photography, it’s also crucial for you to ask yourself questions.
Before buying the Nikon Z9, you might ask yourself:
Am I ready to spend extra time sorting through many more huge files?
Do I have or can I afford the extra storage space?
Most importantly, can I afford the Nikon Z9?
If your answer to any of these questions is “no,” consider alternatives to the Nikon Z9 or postpone buying a new camera altogether.
After all, new gear won’t make you a better wildlife photographer.
Where to buy
If you are interested in purchasing any of the gear I used to shoot these photos, check out the links below:
If you live in Canada, Kijiji is a great place to get even cheaper gear if you are willing to buy cameras and lenses without an intermediary service, such as Amazon or eBay.