Nikon D780 vs Zf

The Nikon D780 and the Nikon Zf are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2020 and September 2023. The D780 is a DSLR, while the Zf is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24.3 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D780		Nikon Zf
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor		24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-64,000 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2359k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
2260 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
144 x 116 x 76 mm, 840 g		144 x 103 x 49 mm, 710 g

Check D780 price at
amazon.com
Check Zf price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D780 and the Nikon Zf? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Nikon D780 and the Nikon Zf are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The Zf can be obtained in seven different colors (black, grey, brown, blue, red, orange, green), while the D780 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Zf is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Nikon D780. Moreover, the Zf is markedly lighter (15 percent) than the D780. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the D780 gets 2260 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15b battery, while the Zf can take 380 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15c power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D780	144 mm	116 mm	76 mm	840 g	2260	Y	Jan 2020	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	EUR 2 099	amazon.com
4.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	EUR 7 299	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 2 399	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D600	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 2 149	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	EUR 1 949	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	EUR 2 149	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	EUR 1 499	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 1 549	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
14.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	EUR 2 199	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GH6	138 mm	100 mm	100 mm	823 g	360	Y	Feb 2022	EUR 2 799	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The Zf was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the D780, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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.

Sensor comparison

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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the Zf uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 7) than the D780 (EXPEED 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24.3 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the D780 and the Zf have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the Zf is much more recent (by 3 years and 8 months) than the D780, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

Unlike the D780, the Zf has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon D780 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Zf are ISO 100 to ISO 64000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D780	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2877	95
2.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
4.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
5.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
6.		Nikon D600	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.2	2980	94
7.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
8.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
9.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
10.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
11.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2929	95
12.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
13.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
14.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
15.		Panasonic GH6	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.4	1555	77
16.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Zf provides a faster frame rate than the D780. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the D780 is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Zf has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), while the D780 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the Zf has a higher magnification than the one of the D780 (0.80x vs 0.70x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D780, the Nikon Zf, and comparable cameras.

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 D780	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
2.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
5.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
6.		Nikon D600	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
11.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
13.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
14.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic GH6	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the D780, but is missing on the Zf is 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.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the Zf is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon D780 and the Nikon Zf both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D780 and the Zf write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. However, while the D780 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s) on both slots, the Zf supports UHS-II only on its first slot and UHS-I (data transfer speed up to 104 MB/s) on the second one.

Connectivity 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 D780 and Nikon Zf and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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 D780	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Nikon D600	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic GH6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D780 (unlike the Zf) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D780 and the Zf are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The D780 replaced the earlier Nikon D750, while the Zf does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the D780 and Zf can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D780 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon Zf Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D780 or the Nikon Zf – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D780:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 2100k dots).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (2260 versus 380) on a single battery charge.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2020).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Zf:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 7 vs EXPEED 6).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.70x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (144x103mm vs 144x116mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 130g or 15 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 8 months of technical progress since the D780 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Zf is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D780 and the Nikon Zf place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D780 or the Zf. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D780	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	EUR 2 099	amazon.com
4.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	EUR 7 299	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 2 399	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D600	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 2 149	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 1 949	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 2 149	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	EUR 1 499	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	EUR 1 549	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 2 199	amazon.com
14.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	EUR 2 199	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GH6	5/5	+ +	5/5	87/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2022	EUR 2 799	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check D780 price at
amazon.com
Check Zf price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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