Nikon Z8 vs Panasonic S1R

The Nikon Z8 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2023 and February 2019. Both the Z8 and the S1R are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 45.4 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 46.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z8		Panasonic S1R
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor		46.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
8K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2089k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Fully flexible touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
30 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
340 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
144 x 119 x 83 mm, 910 g		149 x 110 x 97 mm, 1016 g

Check Z8 price at
amazon.com
Check S1R price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z8 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z8 and the Panasonic S1R is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S1R is somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Nikon Z8. However, the S1R is markedly heavier (12 percent) than the Z8. 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 Z8 gets 340 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15c battery, while the S1R can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLJ31 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 want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 3 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 C	142 mm	101 mm	111 mm	770 g	320	Y	Jan 2022	EUR 4 999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	150 mm	104 mm	87 mm	900 g	440	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	EUR 3 799	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	EUR 3 399	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z9	149 mm	150 mm	91 mm	1340 g	740	Y	Oct 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1H	151 mm	114 mm	110 mm	1052 g	400	Y	May 2019	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R V	131 mm	97 mm	82 mm	723 g	530	Y	Oct 2022	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	EUR 3 599	ebay.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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The S1R was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the Z8 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the S1R is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 46.7MP, the S1R offers a higher resolution than the Z8 (45.4MP), but the S1R has marginally smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.30μm versus 4.35μm for the Z8). Yet, the Z8 is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 3 months) than the S1R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Z8 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the Z8, the S1R has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (187MP) 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 Z8 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 64 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 32-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the Z8 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the S1R uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
2.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
3.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
4.		Canon R5 C	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.5	3082	96
5.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	Medium Format	51.1	8256	6192	1080/30p	25.9	14.8	3456	100
6.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
7.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
8.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
9.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
10.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
11.		Nikon Z9	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.4	2451	98
12.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
13.		Panasonic S1H	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.2	14.2	2805	94
14.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
15.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Z8 provides a higher video resolution than the S1R. It can shoot video footage at 8K/30p, while the Panasonic is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the S1R offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the Z8 (5760k vs 3690k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon Z8 and Panasonic S1R along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
2.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R5 C	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
8.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Z9	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic S1H	5760	Y	3.2 / 2330	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R V	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 Z8 and the Panasonic S1R 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.

The Z8 writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the S1R uses SDXC or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s).

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 Z8 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R 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 Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R5 C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	-
6.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Z9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic S1H	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7R V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the Z8 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Z8 and the S1R are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. Neither of the two has a direct predecessor, so perhaps they will constitute the origins of new camera lines for Nikon and Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the Z8 and S1R can be found, respectively, in the Nikon Z8 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic S1R Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon Z8 better than the Panasonic S1R or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z8:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.78x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/32000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 106g or 10 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 3 months of technical progress since the S1R launch.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (380 versus 340) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2019).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Z8 is the clear winner of the match-up (9 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Z8 and the Panasonic S1R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing 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 Z8 or the S1R. 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 Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	EUR 3 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 C	..	+ +	..	..	..	..	Jan 2022	EUR 4 999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	..	5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	EUR 3 799	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
9.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 3 849	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 3 399	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z9	5/5	..	4.5/5	94/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic S1H	..	..	4/5	90/100	..	..	May 2019	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	92/100	..	..	Oct 2022	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	EUR 3 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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 Z8 price at
amazon.com
Check S1R price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check Z8 price at
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