10 best Nikon cameras in 2026 (134+ compared)

Nikon cameras are made by Nikon Corporation, a Japanese imaging and precision-optics company headquartered in Tokyo. The business began in 1917 as Nippon Kogaku K.K., formed through the consolidation of several Japanese optical manufacturers, and built its early reputation with binoculars, microscopes, rangefinders, and other optical instruments. Its Nikkor lens name dates to the 1930s, while the first camera carrying the Nikon name, the Nikon I rangefinder, appeared in 1948.

Nikon became one of the defining 35 mm SLR manufacturers after launching the Nikon F in 1959. The F mount then remained central to the company’s interchangeable-lens cameras for roughly six decades, spanning manual-focus film bodies, professional F-series cameras, and digital SLRs such as the D3, D850, and D500. Nippon Kogaku formally changed its corporate name to Nikon Corporation in 1988, reflecting how strongly the camera brand had come to identify the wider company.

Today Nikon designs cameras, Nikkor lenses, imaging software, and related optics around its mirrorless Z system, introduced in 2018 with a wider 55 mm throat and short 16 mm flange distance. It still supports many F-mount users through FTZ adapters and continues to have a large DSLR and legacy-lens base. Nikon manages product development from Japan and uses multiple manufacturing locations and suppliers; depending on the model or component, production has included facilities in Japan and Thailand, so the country printed on a specific body or lens should be checked rather than assumed.

What are the main Nikon camera models?

The main Nikon camera models and families are as follows:

• Z9 and Z8: These professional full-frame bodies use stacked 45.7 MP sensors and omit the mechanical shutter, combining fast readout, advanced subject detection, high burst rates, and internal high-resolution RAW video. The integrated-grip Z9 prioritizes maximum battery life and durability, while the smaller Z8 delivers much of the same performance for wildlife, sport, events, and demanding hybrid work.
• Z6, Z7, Z5, and Zf families: The Z6 line is Nikon’s general-purpose 24 MP-class full-frame hybrid range, with the Z6 III adding a partially stacked sensor and EXPEED 7 autofocus; the Z7 line instead emphasizes 45.7 MP resolution for landscape, studio, and detailed commercial work. The Z5 is the value-oriented route into full frame, while the Zf combines a 24.5 MP sensor and modern autofocus with physical controls inspired by Nikon film cameras.
• Z50, Zfc, and Z30: These compact DX-format mirrorless cameras use approximately 20.9 MP APS-C sensors and share the Z mount with Nikon’s full-frame bodies. The Z50 is the conventional all-rounder, the Zfc adds retro styling and top-plate dials, and the viewfinder-free Z30 is aimed mainly at lightweight video, vlogging, and travel kits.
• Professional and enthusiast DSLRs: The 45.7 MP D850 remains a highly capable high-resolution DSLR, the D780 blends optical-viewfinder shooting with strong live-view autofocus, and the D500 is a durable DX action body with a deep buffer. These cameras suit photographers committed to F-mount lenses, but they are larger than equivalent mirrorless bodies and belong to a system receiving less new-product development.
• D7500, D5600, and D3500 DSLR lines: The D7500 offers enthusiast controls, an APS-C sensor, and faster action performance, while the smaller D5600 and D3500 families were designed for beginners and general photography. They provide access to many F-mount lenses, but these discontinued lines should be chosen only when their optical viewfinders or specific DSLR handling are essential. Buyers should check lens-motor compatibility, current parts and battery support, video limitations, and whether moving directly to Z mount offers a better long-term path.

New Nikon cameras generally cost about £500-£6,300 for the body or a basic kit. The wide span reflects the difference between compact DX cameras, mainstream full-frame hybrids, high-resolution enthusiast bodies, and professional stacked-sensor flagships.

Entry-level Z30, Z50, and Zfc kits commonly sit around £500-£1,000, depending on the included DX zooms. These cameras are the lightest route into the Z system, but adding full-frame lenses to solve gaps in the DX range can reduce the apparent saving in both price and weight. Nikon’s discontinued DSLR families should be viewed as a separate legacy system rather than setting expectations for current Z-camera pricing.

Full-frame Z bodies generally cost about £1,100-£3,000. The Z5 and lower-tier Z6 options sit near the accessible end, while newer Z6, Z7, and Zf variants rise with autofocus generation, resolution, stabilization, viewfinder, card slots, and video features. Professional Z8 and Z9 bodies usually cost £3,400-£6,300 before lenses. Budget for the complete kit: compact primes and variable-aperture zooms can be affordable, but f/2.8 S-Line zooms, fast portrait primes, and long wildlife lenses may add £900-£8,600 or more each. CFexpress Type B bodies also require faster, costlier cards than SD-only models.

Nikon cameras often appeal to photographers who prioritize grips, viewfinders, RAW flexibility, and specific Z lenses, while Canon is usually more immediate for touch control, articulated screens, and hybrid autofocus. Comparable current bodies from either brand can produce professional stills and video.

Nikon’s Z range includes compact DX models, general-purpose Z5/Z6/Zf bodies, high-resolution Z7 options, and the fast Z8/Z9 tier. Canon counters with the R50/R10, R8/R6, R5, and professional R3/R1 families; compare equivalent models for in-body stabilization, card slots, burst duration, video formats, and the exact subject-detection modes needed.

New Nikon bodies or kits span about £500-£6,300, while Canon runs roughly £300-£6,500. Midrange prices overlap heavily around £1,000-£2,600, so lens cost should decide close cases: retaining existing F or EF lenses through an adapter can be more valuable than a modest body advantage.

Consider the following points while choosing a Nikon camera:

• Choose FX or DX deliberately: Nikon FX bodies use full-frame sensors, while DX models use smaller APS-C sensors with a 1.5× crop factor. DX can reduce body and telephoto-kit size, but FX generally provides more control over depth of field and better high-ISO potential; mounting a DX lens on an FX body normally activates a lower-resolution crop mode.
• Confirm Z-mount or F-mount priorities: Z mount is Nikon’s current development platform and offers the newest bodies and native lenses, while F-mount DSLRs provide an enormous used-lens market. If adapting lenses, verify the exact model: AF-S, AF-I, and AF-P lenses generally retain autofocus through FTZ, but screw-drive AF and AF-D lenses usually become manual-focus lenses.
• Check the autofocus generation, not only the point count: EXPEED 7 cameras such as the Z9, Z8, Z6 III, and Zf have more advanced subject detection and tracking than early Z6, Z7, Z50, and Z5-generation bodies. For sport, birds, pets, or children, test continuous AF with the intended lens and confirm burst-rate, RAW, and shutter-mode restrictions.
• Verify stabilization for the complete lens-body combination: Many full-frame Z cameras include five-axis in-body image stabilization, but bodies such as the Z30, Z50, and Zfc do not. On an unstabilized body, choose a VR lens or accept higher shutter speeds and more support equipment; electronic video stabilization can add a crop and does not replace mechanical stabilization.
• Match resolution and sensor readout to the subject: A 45.7 MP Z7, Z8, Z9, or D850 gives generous cropping and print detail but creates larger files and demands sharper technique and lenses. For fast action or video, examine readout speed and rolling shutter as well as megapixels—the stacked Z8/Z9 sensors behave very differently from slower high-resolution sensors.
• Check video modes line by line: Confirm whether the desired 4K or 8K frame rate is cropped, whether 10-bit N-Log, N-RAW, or ProRes requires internal or external recording, and whether autofocus and stabilization behave differently in that mode. Also check heat limits, microphone and headphone ports, full-size versus micro HDMI, and whether the screen articulation suits filming yourself.
• Plan cards, batteries, and workflow: Nikon bodies may use SD UHS-I, SD UHS-II, CFexpress Type B, XQD, or a mixed dual-slot arrangement, and the fastest bursts or RAW video can require approved high-speed media. Check whether both slots support the same functions, price sufficient capacity, and confirm that your computer, card reader, storage, and editing software can handle the selected RAW or video codec.
• Price the lenses before choosing the body: List the actual focal lengths and apertures needed for portraits, travel, wildlife, macro, or events, then compare native Z, adapted F, and third-party options. Pay attention to total carried weight, teleconverter compatibility, minimum focus distance, weather sealing, focus breathing, and whether a lens receives firmware updates through the camera.