Nikon Z7

    84
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    Highlights

    • 45.7 MP Full Frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
    • No Optical Low-pass Filter
    • 64 - 25,600 Native ISO
    • 493 Focus Points
    • 5-Axis Image Stabilization
    • 3.2" 2,100k dot Tilting Screen
    • 0.5" 3,690k dot Electronic Viewfinder
    • 9.0 fps Continuous Shooting
    • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
    • 30 min Video Recording Limit
    • Built-In Wi-Fi
    • Wheather Sealed Body
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Nikon Z7 was announced in 2018 and is a Full Frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm) Mirrorless camera with 45.7 Megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor. Its native ISO ranges from 64 to 25,600 and expands to 32 - 102,400 in boosted mode. The camera has a Tilting 3.2" screen with 2,100k dot resolution and built-in 0.5" Electronic viewfinder with 3,690k dot resolution. It has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in body image stabilization.

    Nikon Z7 can capture video up to 3840 x 2160 resolution.


    Here is the Nikon Z series lineup, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the cameras within the same series.

    Nikon Z series lineup
    Model Date Sensor Native ISO Screen Price
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z f September
    2023
    24.4 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 64,000 Articulated 3.2"
    2,089k dots
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z8 May
    2023
    45.7 MP
    Full Frame
    64 - 25,600 Tilting 3.2"
    2,100k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z30 June
    2022
    20.9 MP
    APS-C
    100 - 51,200 Articulated 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z9 October
    2021
    45.7 MP
    Full Frame
    64 - 25,600 Tilting 3.2"
    2,100k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z fc June
    2021
    20.9 MP
    APS-C
    100 - 51,200 Articulated 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z6 II October
    2020
    24.5 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 51,200 Tilting 3.2"
    2,100k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z7 II October
    2020
    45.7 MP
    Full Frame
    64 - 25,600 Tilting 3.2"
    2,100k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z5 July
    2020
    24.3 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 51,200 Tilting 3.2"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z50 October
    2019
    20.9 MP
    APS-C
    100 - 51,200 Tilting 3.2"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z6 August
    2018
    24.5 MP
    Full Frame
    100 - 51,200 Tilting 3.2"
    2,100k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon Z7 August
    2018
    45.7 MP
    Full Frame
    64 - 25,600 Tilting 3.2"
    2,100k dot
    Touchscreen

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Nikon Z f vs Z8 vs Z30 vs Z9 vs Z fc vs Z6 II.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon Z7.

    PROS

    •   Video Capture
    •   Large Sensor
    •   High Resolution Sensor - 45.7 Megapixel
    •   64 Lowest Native ISO
    •   493 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   Animal Eye Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Large Screen - 3.2"
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   Large Viewfinder - 0.5"
    •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
    •   High DxO Overall Score - 99
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   No crop on 4K Videos
    •   Webcam Functionality
    •   High USB Speed
    •   HDMI Output
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Built-In Bluetooth
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   USB Charging
    •   Orientation Sensor

    CONS

    •   Low Video Recording Limit
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots

    And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

    AVERAGE

    •   Price
    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   -4 EV Min AF Detection
    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 3,690k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
    •   Weight - 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)

    Successor

    In 2020 Nikon Z7 was replaced by Nikon Z7 II. Let us now have a look at some important differences between Nikon Z7 and its successor.

    UPGRADES Nikon Z7 II vs Nikon Z7
    Cheaper $2999 (body only), $3499 (w/24-70 F4 lens) vs $3399 (body only), $3999 (w/24-70 F4 lens)
    More Powerful Processor Dual EXPEED 6 vs EXPEED 6
    Lower Min Shutter Speed 900 sec vs 30 sec
    Higher Max Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps vs 9.0 fps
    Higher DxO Low Light ISO 2841 vs 2668
    Higher DxO Dynamic Range 14.7 vs 14.6
    Higher DxO Overall Score 100 vs 99
    Longer Battery Life 420 shots vs 330 shots
    More Storage Slots 2 vs 1
    DOWNGRADES Nikon Z7 II vs Nikon Z7
    Heavier 705 g (1.55 lb / 24.87 oz) vs 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Nikon Z7 vs Z7 II.

    Screen and Viewfinder

    Tilting Touchscreen

    Nikon Z7 has a 3.2" Tilting touchscreen with 2,100k dot resolution which is quite high by today's standards. Tilting screen makes this camera very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting.


    Electronic Viewfinder

    Camera has a built-in 0.5" Electronic viewfinder with 3,690k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage and 0.80x magnification.

    Sensor

    BSI-CMOS Sensor

    Nikon Z7 features a 45.7 megapixel Full Frame BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 35.9 x 23.9 mm and a total area of 858 mm2. Its native ISO range is 64 - 25,600 and expands to 32 - 102,400 in boosted mode.

    The camera has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.


    Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how Nikon Z7's Full Frame sensor compares with other types of sensors:

    Sensor size chart
    Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
    Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
    Image cannot be displayedFull Frame35.9 x 23.9 mm858 mm23:21x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
    Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
    Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

    Photography Features

    Camera is equipped with EXPEED 6 processor and can take pictures up to 8256 x 5504 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolutions like 5408 x 3600 (DX crop), 6880 x 5504 (5:4), 5504 x 5504 (1:1), 8256 x 4640 (16:9) with 1:1, 5:4, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


    Lens Mount

    Nikon Z7 has Nikon Z lens mount. Due to Full Frame sensor its crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is 1x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length.


    No Low-Pass Filter

    There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.


    In-Body Image Stabilization

    The camera has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with 5 stops of compensation. This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

    Check out the cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon Z7.

    Connectivity, Battery and Storage

    Built-in Wi-Fi

    Camera has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


    Bluetooth

    Camera has a built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


    USB Input and HDMI Output

    Nikon Z7 has a USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) Type-C input for data transfer and battery charging. There is a Mini HDMI connector for video signal output.


    Battery

    Nikon Z7 comes with EN-EL15b battery pack with battery life of 330 shots.


    External Storage Slots

    The camera has a single CFexpress Type B / XQD card slot.

    Other Features

    Shutter

    Nikon Z7 has Mechanical Focal Plane shutter and Electronic shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec. Camera can shoot continuously up to 9.0 fps.


    Focusing

    Nikon Z7 has Hybrid phase-detection/contrast AF system with 493 focusing points and from -4 to +19 EV detection range. Touch-to-Focus allows users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording. There is also face detection feature which automatically finds and focuses on faces and additional eye detection further locks the focus on one of the eyes and tracks it down during the motion.


    Exposure

    Camera's exposure metering ranges from -3 to +17 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment.


    Flash

    Nikon Z7 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec. Flash compensation can be set from -3 to +1 EV with 1/3 or 1/2 EV step increments.

    Physical Parameters

    Nikon Z7 has dimensions of 134 x 101 x 68 mm (5.28 x 3.98 x 2.68"). It weighs 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz) which is neither heavy nor lightweight.

    134 mm (5.28")

    101 mm (3.98")

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    101 mm (3.98")

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    68 mm (2.68")

    Image cannot be displayed

    Nikon Z7 dimensions

    Nikon Z7 for Different Types of Photography

    We give scores to the camera for different type of photography based on its features and specifications. Let us see how Nikon Z7 is suitable for six different types of photography.


    Landscape Photography

    EXCELLENT
    90

    Nikon Z7 gets a score of 90 and is EXCELLENT choice for Landscape photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   Touch Screen
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing

    Sports Photography

    GOOD
    81

    Nikon Z7 gets a score of 81 and is GOOD choice for Sports photography.

    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   493 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 3,690k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
    •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Wildlife Photography

    GOOD
    81

    Nikon Z7 gets a score of 81 and is GOOD choice for Wildlife photography.

    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   493 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Animal Eye Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 3,690k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Portrait Photography

    EXCELLENT
    90

    Nikon Z7 gets a score of 90 and is EXCELLENT choice for Portrait photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   493 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Large Screen - 3.2"
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Street Photography

    EXCELLENT
    90

    Nikon Z7 gets a score of 90 and is EXCELLENT choice for Street photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   493 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Weight - 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)

    Travel Photography

    EXCELLENT
    85

    Nikon Z7 gets a score of 85 and is EXCELLENT choice for Travel photography.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   No crop on 4K Videos
    •   Low Video Recording Limit
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Weight - 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)
    •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots

    Nikon Z7 Evaluation

    We evaluate Nikon Z7 and give score of 84 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


    OVERALL
    84

    Sensor

    GOOD
    82

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 82 for Sensor parameters.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   High Resolution Sensor - 45.7 Megapixel
    •   64 Lowest Native ISO
    •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
    •   High DxO Overall Score - 99

    Photo

    GOOD
    83

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 83 for Photo parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec

    Video

    GOOD
    71

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 71 for Video parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   No crop on 4K Videos
    •   Webcam Functionality
    •   Low Video Recording Limit

    Focusing

    EXCELLENT
    92

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 92 for Focusing parameters.

    •   -4 EV Min AF Detection
    •   493 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   Animal Eye Detection

    Screen and Viewfinder

    EXCELLENT
    86

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 86 for Screen and Viewfinder parameters.

    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Large Screen - 3.2"
    •   High Resolution Screen - 2,100k dot
    •   Large Viewfinder - 0.5"
    •   Viewfinder Resolution - 3,690k dot

    Connectivity

    EXCELLENT
    96

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 96 for Connectivity parameters.

    •   High USB Speed
    •   HDMI Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Built-In Bluetooth

    Battery, Storage and Physical

    AVERAGE
    66

    We give Nikon Z7 a score of 66 for Battery, Storage and Physical parameters.

    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Weight - 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)
    •   Short Battery Life - 330 shots


    For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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