High Speed Photography
For high-speed moving subjects, especially sports like hockey, these are some of the best current cameras:
| Camera | Burst speed | Why it’s good for fast action |
|---|---|---|
| Nikon Z8 | 20 fps RAW, 30 fps full-res JPEG | Excellent 3D tracking, eye/subject detection, 45.7 MP |
| Nikon Z9 | 20 fps RAW, 30 fps full-res JPEG | Nikon’s flagship; extremely reliable tracking and huge buffer |
| Sony A9 III | 120 fps full resolution | Probably the ultimate pure-speed camera; global shutter and exceptional AF |
| Canon EOS R1 | 40 fps | Designed specifically for professional sports/action photography |
| Canon EOS R5 Mark II | 30 fps | 45 MP plus very advanced subject-tracking AF |
The Sony A9 III is extraordinary for extremely fast movement because its global shutter can shoot 120 fps with continuous AF/AE tracking without the rolling-shutter distortion common with electronic shutters.
For Nikon, I would especially look at the Z8. It uses Nikon's 493-point AF system, 3D Tracking and subject detection, and shoots 20 fps at full-resolution RAW, 30 fps full-resolution JPEG, or 120 fps at 11 MP.
Nikon Z8
For hockey photography, I'd probably rank them:
1. Sony A9 III — best outright speed
2. Nikon Z9 — superb professional sports camera
3. Nikon Z8 — best balance of speed, resolution, size and price
4. Canon R1 — outstanding professional sports AF
5. Canon R5 II — excellent if you also want 45 MP resolution
Since you've used Nikon equipment, the Nikon Z8 would be the one I'd look at first. Pair it with something like a 70–200mm f/2.8 and it would be an enormous improvement for tracking hockey players skating rapidly toward and across you.
The original Nikon Z7 is a very good high-resolution camera, but it is not in the same league as the Z8 for tracking fast action.
| Nikon Z7 | Nikon Z8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 45.7 MP | 45.7 MP |
| Max full-resolution burst | 9 fps | 20 fps RAW |
| Autofocus points | 493 | 493 |
| 3D Tracking | No traditional Nikon-style 3D tracking | Yes |
| Advanced subject detection | Limited | People, animals, birds, vehicles, etc. |
| Viewfinder during bursts | More interruption/lag | Blackout-free |
| Best use | Portraits, weddings, landscapes | Sports + weddings + wildlife + action |
Nikon lists the Z7 at up to 9 fps, while the Z8 can shoot 20 fps RAW and has Nikon's newer 3D Tracking and deep-learning subject recognition.
For something like hockey, the difference is considerable. The Z7 can certainly photograph hockey, especially if you keep an AF point or dynamic-area AF over the player, but it requires more work from you. With players skating rapidly toward the camera or crossing the frame, it is more likely to lose the subject.
The Z8 is much better at recognizing the player and staying locked onto them, including faces and eyes, and its blackout-free viewfinder makes following a fast skater considerably easier.
If you already own a Z7, I wouldn't say you can't use it for hockey—you definitely can. A 70–200mm f/2.8 and the right AF settings would help enormously. But if you're considering buying a camera specifically because you want better autofocus on rapidly moving subjects, the Z8 is a major upgrade from the Z7, not just a small improvement.
I understand why it feels that way. The D750 still produces beautiful 24 MP files, and its 51-point AF was excellent for its generation, but it dates to 2014 and tops out around 6.5 fps.
The biggest change isn't necessarily image quality—it's how much easier newer cameras make getting the shot. A modern Nikon mirrorless body can recognize a person, find the face/eye, and continue tracking them as they move around the frame. That's a substantial advantage for hockey, children running, animals, weddings, and other unpredictable movement.
For you, I actually think the Z6 III deserves serious consideration before the Z7. It remains around 24.5 MP, similar to what you're accustomed to with the D750, but can shoot up to 20 fps RAW, has modern 3D Tracking and subject detection, and has in-body stabilization.
The Z8 is the step up if you want both that modern autofocus performance and 45.7 MP resolution. It gives you 493 AF points, sophisticated subject detection, 3D Tracking and 20 fps RAW, plus a blackout-free viewfinder.
Nikon Z6 IIIAnd there's some good news regarding your existing Nikon equipment: with the FTZ II adapter, many of your F-mount lenses can be carried over. Nikon says AF-S, AF-P and AF-I lenses are among those that retain full autofocus/autoexposure compatibility.
So if I were moving from a D750 today, I'd think of it this way:
D750 → Z6 III: enormous autofocus/speed upgrade without suddenly dealing with huge 45 MP files.
D750 → Z8: enormous autofocus/speed upgrade plus nearly twice the resolution—especially attractive if you crop your hockey or wildlife pictures heavily.
For what you've described about wanting to track high-speed moving objects, I would actually choose a Z6 III over a Z7, and a Z8 over both if the higher price and larger files don't bother you.
Yes—eye-detection autofocus is one of the biggest reasons you would notice an improvement moving from your D750 to a newer Nikon mirrorless camera.
Your D750 does not have modern Eye-Detection AF through the optical viewfinder. You normally place an AF point over the face/eye yourself, or rely on Nikon's older AF tracking. With a Z6 III or Z8, the camera can actually recognize a person's eye and keep the AF point on it as the person moves around the frame. Nikon specifically says the Z6 III has human and animal face/eye detection in Auto-area AF, Wide-area AF, Subject Tracking, and 3D Tracking.
The Z8 is even more impressive. Nikon says it can lock onto the eyes of people, pets, and birds even when the eyes are relatively small in the frame or partly obscured by things such as hair, glasses, or goggles. It combines this subject detection with 3D Tracking, which is especially useful when the subject is moving erratically.
For example, imagine you're photographing someone running toward you at f/2.8. With your D750, you're working to keep an AF point over their face. With a Z6 III or Z8, you can put the camera in AF-C with subject/eye detection, acquire the person, and the camera can follow their eye as they approach you. You can concentrate much more on composition and timing instead of constantly moving the focusing point.
The original Z7 also has Eye Detection AF, provided its firmware is updated. Nikon added it through firmware and later improved its eye detection. But its tracking system is an older generation. For moving people, I would put them roughly like this:
D750 → Z7 → Z6 III → Z8
For weddings and people photography, I think you would particularly appreciate eye detection. When you're shooting a couple at something like 85mm or 70–200mm at f/2.8, instead of worrying whether you focused on the eyebrow, nose, or cheek, the camera can put the focus directly on the eye.
And for hockey, there's another advantage: when the player's eye isn't clearly visible because of the helmet or cage, the newer subject-recognition systems can still track the person rather than simply giving up on autofocus. That's a much more sophisticated approach than what your D750 can do.
Given what you're describing, I would skip the Z7 and look seriously at the Z6 III or Z8. The eye-AF difference alone is significant.
For hockey photography, I'd probably rank them:
1. Sony A9 III — best outright speed
2. Nikon Z9 — superb professional sports camera
3. Nikon Z8 — best balance of speed, resolution, size and price
4. Canon R1 — outstanding professional sports AF
5. Canon R5 II — excellent if you also want 45 MP resolution
Since you've used Nikon equipment, the Nikon Z8 would be the one I'd look at first. Pair it with something like a 70–200mm f/2.8 and it would be an enormous improvement for tracking hockey players skating rapidly toward and across you.
The original Nikon Z7 is a very good high-resolution camera, but it is not in the same league as the Z8 for tracking fast action.
| Nikon Z7 | Nikon Z8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 45.7 MP | 45.7 MP |
| Max full-resolution burst | 9 fps | 20 fps RAW |
| Autofocus points | 493 | 493 |
| 3D Tracking | No traditional Nikon-style 3D tracking | Yes |
| Advanced subject detection | Limited | People, animals, birds, vehicles, etc. |
| Viewfinder during bursts | More interruption/lag | Blackout-free |
| Best use | Portraits, weddings, landscapes | Sports + weddings + wildlife + action |
Nikon lists the Z7 at up to 9 fps, while the Z8 can shoot 20 fps RAW and has Nikon's newer 3D Tracking and deep-learning subject recognition.
For something like hockey, the difference is considerable. The Z7 can certainly photograph hockey, especially if you keep an AF point or dynamic-area AF over the player, but it requires more work from you. With players skating rapidly toward the camera or crossing the frame, it is more likely to lose the subject.
The Z8 is much better at recognizing the player and staying locked onto them, including faces and eyes, and its blackout-free viewfinder makes following a fast skater considerably easier.
If you already own a Z7, I wouldn't say you can't use it for hockey—you definitely can. A 70–200mm f/2.8 and the right AF settings would help enormously. But if you're considering buying a camera specifically because you want better autofocus on rapidly moving subjects, the Z8 is a major upgrade from the Z7, not just a small improvement.
I understand why it feels that way. The D750 still produces beautiful 24 MP files, and its 51-point AF was excellent for its generation, but it dates to 2014 and tops out around 6.5 fps.
The biggest change isn't necessarily image quality—it's how much easier newer cameras make getting the shot. A modern Nikon mirrorless body can recognize a person, find the face/eye, and continue tracking them as they move around the frame. That's a substantial advantage for hockey, children running, animals, weddings, and other unpredictable movement.
For you, I actually think the Z6 III deserves serious consideration before the Z7. It remains around 24.5 MP, similar to what you're accustomed to with the D750, but can shoot up to 20 fps RAW, has modern 3D Tracking and subject detection, and has in-body stabilization.
The Z8 is the step up if you want both that modern autofocus performance and 45.7 MP resolution. It gives you 493 AF points, sophisticated subject detection, 3D Tracking and 20 fps RAW, plus a blackout-free viewfinder.
Nikon Z6 IIIAnd there's some good news regarding your existing Nikon equipment: with the FTZ II adapter, many of your F-mount lenses can be carried over. Nikon says AF-S, AF-P and AF-I lenses are among those that retain full autofocus/autoexposure compatibility.
So if I were moving from a D750 today, I'd think of it this way:
D750 → Z6 III: enormous autofocus/speed upgrade without suddenly dealing with huge 45 MP files.
D750 → Z8: enormous autofocus/speed upgrade plus nearly twice the resolution—especially attractive if you crop your hockey or wildlife pictures heavily.
For what you've described about wanting to track high-speed moving objects, I would actually choose a Z6 III over a Z7, and a Z8 over both if the higher price and larger files don't bother you.
Yes—eye-detection autofocus is one of the biggest reasons you would notice an improvement moving from your D750 to a newer Nikon mirrorless camera.
Your D750 does not have modern Eye-Detection AF through the optical viewfinder. You normally place an AF point over the face/eye yourself, or rely on Nikon's older AF tracking. With a Z6 III or Z8, the camera can actually recognize a person's eye and keep the AF point on it as the person moves around the frame. Nikon specifically says the Z6 III has human and animal face/eye detection in Auto-area AF, Wide-area AF, Subject Tracking, and 3D Tracking.
The Z8 is even more impressive. Nikon says it can lock onto the eyes of people, pets, and birds even when the eyes are relatively small in the frame or partly obscured by things such as hair, glasses, or goggles. It combines this subject detection with 3D Tracking, which is especially useful when the subject is moving erratically.
For example, imagine you're photographing someone running toward you at f/2.8. With your D750, you're working to keep an AF point over their face. With a Z6 III or Z8, you can put the camera in AF-C with subject/eye detection, acquire the person, and the camera can follow their eye as they approach you. You can concentrate much more on composition and timing instead of constantly moving the focusing point.
The original Z7 also has Eye Detection AF, provided its firmware is updated. Nikon added it through firmware and later improved its eye detection. But its tracking system is an older generation. For moving people, I would put them roughly like this:
D750 → Z7 → Z6 III → Z8
For weddings and people photography, I think you would particularly appreciate eye detection. When you're shooting a couple at something like 85mm or 70–200mm at f/2.8, instead of worrying whether you focused on the eyebrow, nose, or cheek, the camera can put the focus directly on the eye.
And for hockey, there's another advantage: when the player's eye isn't clearly visible because of the helmet or cage, the newer subject-recognition systems can still track the person rather than simply giving up on autofocus. That's a much more sophisticated approach than what your D750 can do.
Given what you're describing, I would skip the Z7 and look seriously at the Z6 III or Z8. The eye-AF difference alone is significant.
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