Did Seahawks official photographer and Nikon Ambassador Rod Mar test the Nikon Z9II during the Super Bowl?
Nikon D200 with the Nikkor 70-300mm lens.
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About a month prior to the Super Bowl, I received a message from Nikon Professional Services asking if I was credentialed for Super Bowl LX. I wasn’t but that email gave me an idea. I wondered if any Nikon ambassadors were attending the Super Bowl as photographers. And if so, could any of them be testing a pre-production model of the Nikon Z9II? Then I remembered that Rod Mar was the photographer for the Seahawks.
Now, I’m aware that using a half backed camera for one of the biggest sporting events in the world may seem risky, but using one as a remote camera or in some other reduced key role would appear reasonable for testing purposes.
So, I started to look for Super Bowl content that may have been produced by Rod Mar, Seahawks photographer and Nikon Ambassador. And sure enough, I found a gallery of Rod’s work on the Seahawk’s website. This photo gallery is very compelling, demonstrating auto-focus capabilities that appear to exceed what the current Nikon Z9 can do, at least from what I remember when I owned one. The photos really show that what ever camera Rod was using was very capable as demonstrated by the hawk photo. Could this be the result of the firmware update 5.3 that improved auto focus tracking and speed? (To see all of the firmware upgrades for the Z9, visit https://www.robertallen-photography.com/blog/a-field-guide-to-all-of-the-nikon-z9-firmware-updates )
Oh, by the way, it matters also that Rod is a great sports photographer :)
Let me know in the comments below (no sign-in required) if you think the photos in the gallery were made with the original Z9 or the Z9II.
To see Rod Mar’s incredible Seahawks photo gallery, go to https://www.seahawks.com/photos/2025-photos-eye-on-the-hawks-behind-the-scenes-from-the-nfc-championship-win-vs-the-rams
Guided by her philosophy of “living the story,” Vitale has worked in more than 100 countries, often embedded for years at a time, allowing her to cultivate meaningful trust with the communities and subjects she documents. A National Geographic magazine contributor since 2008 and an Explorer since 2017, her work consistently reveals the resilience of both nature and the human spirit, reminding us that our fates are deeply intertwined. This major thematic focus has brought empathy and humanity to wildlife and conservation issues, and demonstrates a long-standing commitment to storytelling for impact and community building.