Nikon D3X vs Nikon Z 8

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D3X compared with Z 8

	NikonD3X	NikonZ 8
Overview
Released
Released	December 2008	May 2023
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	Mirrorless
Sensor format
Sensor format	Full frame	Full frame
Sensor type
Sensor type	CMOS	Stacked backside-illuminated CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	35.9 × 24 mm	35.9 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	24.5 MP	45.7 MP
Largest image
Largest image	6048 × 4032	8256 × 5504
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–1600	64–25600
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	25.72 million total pixels; FX, DX and 5:4 image areas; maximum DX image 3968 × 2640 and 5:4 image 5056 × 4032. No automatic sensor-cleaning mechanism; Image Dust Off reference data can be used with optional Capture NX 2	52.37 million total pixels; sensor cleaning, dust-off reference data, protective sensor shield and electro-conductive/fluorine coatings
Image formats
Image formats	12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW, uncompressed, compressed or losslessly compressed; JPEG, TIFF RGB and RAW plus JPEG	14-bit NEF RAW with lossless or high-efficiency compression; JPEG, HEIF and RAW plus JPEG or HEIF
ISO detail
ISO detail	Expanded equivalents ISO 50–6400; Auto ISO	Expandable to equivalent ISO 32–102400; HLG still photography starts at ISO 400; auto ISO supported
Image processor
Image processor	EXPEED image-processing system; Scene Recognition System	EXPEED 7
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon Z mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	5 fps	20 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	AF coupling supports compatible screw-drive lenses; DX lenses supported with automatic crop. Supported non-CPU AI lenses permit aperture-priority and manual exposure, with colour matrix metering when lens data is entered; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported	NIKKOR Z lenses; NIKKOR F lenses require a mount adapter and retain model-dependent restrictions
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 3500FX phase detection; 51 points including 15 cross-type; single-point, auto-area and dynamic 9/21/51-point modes with 3D tracking; AF fine-tuning	Hybrid phase/contrast detection, 493 single-point FX still positions, 3D tracking and subject detection including people, animals, birds and vehicles/aircraft. Maker sensitivity −7 EV or −9 EV with Starlight View, measured in AF-S at ISO 100, 20°C and f/1.2.
Shutter
Shutter	1/8000 to 30 seconds and Bulb; flash sync 1/250 second; shutter tested to 300000 cycles	Electronic shutter only, with selectable sound and sensor shield; 1/32000 to 30 seconds, Bulb/Time and manual-mode extension to 900 seconds. Flash sync 1/200 or 1/250 second with reduced guide number at the higher speeds; compatible Auto FP up to 1/8000.
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 5 fps at full FX resolution or in 5:4; up to 7 fps in the 10.5-megapixel DX crop. Recording 14-bit NEF RAW reduces the maximum to 1.8 fps in FX/5:4 or 2.6 fps in DX. Maker rates require continuous-servo AF, shutter-priority or manual exposure, at least 1/250 second and other specified default settings	Continuous high-speed shooting up to 20 fps for full-resolution RAW. High-speed capture C15/C30 uses large FX or DX JPEGs, C60 requires large DX JPEGs and C120 requires small FX JPEGs (4128 × 2752). High-speed burst length varies by frame rate according to the current manual; these restricted JPEG modes are separate from the main continuous RAW figure. Pre-release capture available. Current manual restrictions take precedence over UK marketing prose and TechRadar's erroneous full-resolution 60 fps claim.
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation	Five-axis sensor shift; lens VR supported, with Synchro VR up to 6 stops using NIKKOR Z 70–200mm f/2.8 VR S at the telephoto end under Nikon's CIPA conditions; electronic movie VR available
Flash
Flash	No built-in flash; hot shoe and PC sync terminal; compatible external Speedlights provide i-TTL and Creative Lighting System functions	No built-in flash; ISO 518 hot shoe with compatible external i-TTL Speedlights
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M; 1005-pixel RGB 3D Colour Matrix Metering II; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting	P/S/A/M; ±5 EV still-image or ±3 EV movie compensation; matrix, centre-weighted, spot and highlight-weighted metering
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Electronic
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3.2″
Screen dots
Screen dots	920,000	2,100,000
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	–	Yes
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed TFT with 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels; separate top and rear status panels	Four-axis horizontal/vertical tilt, approximately 100% coverage and 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Pentaprism; approximately 100% FX coverage, 97% DX coverage and 100% vertical/97% horizontal in 5:4; 0.7× magnification with 50mm at infinity; 18 mm eyepoint; replaceable focusing screen and eyepiece shutter	0.5-inch Quad-VGA OLED, approximately 3.69 million dots, 100% coverage, 0.8× magnification and 23 mm eyepoint; blackout-free display
Connections and design
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	No	Yes
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	–	Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	4400 photographs	370 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	1220 g	820 g (better)
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon's original US announcement specifies December 2008 availability; Japan records 19 December. Main retains the month	Announced on 10 May 2023; Nikon US explicitly states availability on 25 May, corroborated by TechRadar's launch coverage. Exact first UK retail day is not independently established.
Recording media
Recording media	Two CompactFlash Type I/II slots, including UDMA and Microdrive support; overflow, backup, separate RAW/JPEG recording and card-to-card copying	One CFexpress Type B/XQD slot and one UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC slot; overflow, backup and separate format recording
Ports
Ports	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, analogue NTSC/PAL output, full-size HDMI Type A, ten-pin accessory terminal and PC flash sync; optional GP-1 or MC-35 connects external GPS equipment	USB-C SuperSpeed data port and separate USB-C Power Delivery port; full-size HDMI Type A; 3.5 mm microphone/headphone sockets; ten-pin remote terminal. Ethernet requires a compatible USB-LAN adapter; no built-in Ethernet socket or GPS receiver.
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	Optional WT-4 transmitter supplies network transfer; Wi-Fi is not built into the body	Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0; SnapBridge
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	EN-EL4a; approximately 4400 shots under CIPA conditions with AF-S NIKKOR 24–70mm f/2.8G ED and no live view. Separate Nikon continuous test claims approximately 5300 with AF-S VR 70–200mm f/2.8 ED; EN-EL4 also supported	EN-EL15c; CIPA monitor approximately 370 shots with power saving or 340 without; EVF 340 with power saving or 330 without. Nikon's separate continuous-shooting test gives approximately 2280 shots; movie battery claim approximately 85 minutes. EN-EL15b/15a provide fewer shots; optional MB-N12 takes two batteries.
Charging
Charging	External MH-22 charger; optional MH-21 charger and EH-6 AC adapter	USB charging and power delivery with suitable optional cable/adapter; in-camera charging supports EN-EL15c/15b. MH-25a external charger appears in the technical accessory list; current UK included-accessory tiles do not list it, so verify regional package contents.
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 159.5 × 157 × 87.5 mm	Approximately 144 × 118.5 × 83 mm
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 1220 g excluding battery, card, body cap and accessory-shoe cover	Approximately 820 g body only or 910 g with battery/card, excluding body cap and shoe cover
Materials
Materials	Magnesium-alloy construction with dust and moisture seals; integrated vertical grip; not a waterproof rating	Magnesium alloy and carbon-fibre composite; dust/moisture-resistant construction, maker operating range −10°C to 40°C
In the box
In the box	–	Current UK accessory tiles list EN-EL15c, UC-E24 USB cable, AN-DC26 strap, DK-33 eyecup and BF-N1 body cap; technical list additionally names BS-1 shoe cover, HDMI/USB cable clip and region-dependent MH-25a charger
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	–	8256 × 4644 at 59.94 fps
Video detail
Video detail	No movie recording. Handheld live view uses phase-detection AF; Tripod live view uses contrast-detection AF	N-RAW 12-bit 8256 × 4644 up to 59.94p; 5392 × 3032 up to 59.94p and 4128 × 2322 up to 119.88p. Conventional UHD 7680 × 4320 up to 29.97p; UHD 4K and Full HD up to 119.88p. ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422 HQ, H.265 8/10-bit and H.264 have format-dependent limits. Internal N-Log/HLG, waveform, timecode, RAW proxies and Hi-Res Zoom. Nikon's launch recording claims approximately 125 minutes UHD 4K/60p and 90 minutes UHD 8K/30p use specified media, temperature and external-power conditions.
Audio
Audio	Voice memo recording and playback for still photographs; not movie audio	Built-in stereo microphones; PCM 48 kHz/24-bit for NEV/MOV or AAC 48 kHz/16-bit for MP4; external microphone with attenuator and headphone monitoring